The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1908-10-01
Impraetiesble Democratic Proposl-
ton FOR Trust Control.
Convincing Expedition Of Foliaoy Of
Bryan's Panaeea for Solving
Problems OF Modora
Business
(From Gov. Hughes Your stovn

Wv ANN"ENNN|A NNHNN"NNNN NINMN GUY
proposed Tor the trusts. we hnl mUc-
selves %journeying ia a hand 81 dreanS
Again the magician OF 1886 waves his
wand. At a stroke difficulties disan.
pear and the complex problems of mod.
ern business are forgotten In the fis-
cination OF the simple plnacea AMI.
as the free coinage Of silver iu tbe
ratio OF 10 to I was % destroy tle
curse Of gold, SO the new found specific
Of equal perfection is to Remove the
curse Of Industrial oppression, The de-
fusion OF zoos Is comparable only 10
that Of twelve years age
The first suggestion Is that the law
should prevent a duplication OF d.
rectors among competing corporations
However advisable it may Doe To- hive
independent directories of competing
corporations, it would seem still more
Important 10 have independent stock
holders, for a majority OF the stock
holders Of a corporation choose the di-
reetors II a Law were passed prs
venting the duplication Of directors 1t
would easily be eraded in the selection
OF men who would represent the sama
Interests The most ordinary exner-
fence shows that Il Is not necessary 70
serve on a board Of directors In order
20 coAtrol its proceedings Whatever
the advantage OF such a law as IS pro-
posed, it hardly rises to the dignity Of
a remedy" or Yindieates it's title to a
place In an imposing scheme of reform
outlined in a national platform
But the more important proposal is
that any manufacturing OF trading
corporation engaged IN interstate com-
merce shall be required 10 take out a
federal license before It shall be per
mitted to control as much as % uer
cent OF the product IN which IT deals
A license Is permission. and the object
OF the remedy Is not 10 regulate large
businesses, but to destroy trusts Hence
the supposed efficiency OF the plan Is 20
be found in the prohibition Of the n
troll by any sseh corporation "of more
than 90 per cent OF the total amount of
any product consumed I'm the United
States" This is another delusion Of
ratio.
1t might Be interesting 20 inquire
what Il the meaning OF any product
consumed In the United States Does
Il refer 70 a class Of c-ammoditlasg
And, II %, how shall the classes be- d..
hned7 Or docs it refer 70 each sepa-
rate article Of commercef Aud. If so
what account does this proposal lake
OF the skin and initiative OF manuals
turers who have built up a more or
lees exclusive trade in particular mr.
hcles, often protested by trademarks
although In most active competition
with other articles designed for The
same general purpose and seeking the
same marketi In a desire to correct
the evils Of business are we TO nlacs
an embargo upon honest cndeavor
whose activities present none of the
abuses requiring remedies9 And. N
not, what statutory definitions shall De-
found TO be adequate aud Just III We
lay dawn our prohibition In terms Of
voiens or ratio OF business ana not IN
terms Of right aud wr0ng7 IN ne
adopt Mr.. BryaR's proposal, 10 what no.
tiod Of production IS tho prohibition
to apPlyl Ts the excess for e lav OF
for a month 10 be consideredf OR r.
The average production for q year 10 b.
tskenJ And what system shall ne de-
Tised By which suitable Information
may be furnished IN the nature on dan
ser signals along the routes OF trads
90 that the manufacturer mny know
VIXEN he r. about 10 exceed the prs
seFibed ratlo7 Ne may Justly be r..
quired to govern bic own conduct. bin
how shall be be appraised OF the con
quot OF others upon which n 10 DEPEND
bic guilt or lnnoceneef
The patent laws confer a tTue
monopoly IN the exclusive right TO man.
ufacture and sell. Arc fhesa avs to
DO repealed because a private mon.
opoiy Is INDISPENSABLE ana iniolcnbleY'
nryRn's Crude Roasonine.
An example OF Mr. Bryan's reason
iug Il found In his statement tbat
when a corporation controls 30 ,or
CENT Of the total product Il supplies
forty millions u people with that prod
act" There are, OF course spcclalties
which have a limited market ana are
used BY a relatively small number on
the people OF the United states More
than 80 Per cent ana indeed even as
much ss 100 per cent Of the trade On
such articles may be ln the control
Of q particular corporation THIS may.
IN fact DO relatively n small corpora
ton. IL may never have asplred 10 Tho
qnsavory renown of a trust" But by
prosecuting 81 particular line with
fidelity and meeting SATISFACTORILY q
limited want az by reason % some
secret procpsaes or advantage of expert
eneer ii may control the trade ia > elr.
"a article ~ commerce. or mlpna
concern controls the wholp trnde iu
some useful %hyprodnct witch IL has
found 81 H~UuUFrna.m a.. . h. Az.