The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-08-25

Among the additional remedies, we
specify three. First, law prevent
ing a duplication of directors among
competing corporations; second, a
license system which will, without
abridging the right of each state to
create corporations, or its right to
regulate as it will foreign corporations
doing business within its limits, make
it necessary for a manufacturing or
trading corporation engaged in inter,
state commerce to take out federal
license before 1t shall be permitted
to control as much as twenty-five per
cent of the product in which 1t deals,
the license to protect the public from
watered stock and to prohibit the con
troll by such corporation of more than
so per cent of the total amount Of any
product consumed in the United
States; and, third. law compelling
such licensed corporations to sell to
all purchas ers in all parts of the coun-
try on the same terms, after making
due allowance for cost of transporta-
ton"
Here is a plain, candid statement OF
the party's position. There is no quib.
bling, no evasion, no ambiguity.
private monopoly is indefensible and
intolerabls 1t is bad-bad in princi-
pie, and Sad in practice. No apology
can be offered for it, and no people
should endure it. Our party's position
is entirely in harmony with the posi-
ton of Jefferson With a knowledge
Of human nature which few men have
eaualled and none surpassed, and with
extraordinary foresight, he expressed
unalterable opposition to every form
of private monopoly. The student of
history will find that upon this sub
ject, as upon other subjects of govern.
ment, the great founder Of the Demo
cratic party took his position upon the
side Of the whole people and against
those who seek to make private use
of government, or strive to secure spe.
cial privileges at the expense of the
public.
have, in discussing the tariff ques-
ton, presented one of our remedies,
namely, the removal of the tariff from
imports which compete with trust-made
goods This, we believe, would great
ly lessen the extortion practiced by
the trusts and bring about the dissolu.
ton of many monopolistic combines.
But we are not satisfied merely with
the lessening of extortion or with the
dissolution of some of the trusts.
Because the private monopoly is I'M
defensible and intolerable, the Demo,
cratic party favors its determination.
1t pledges itself to the vigorous en-
forcement of the criminal law against
trust magnates and officials. 1t is inn
possible for the Republican party to
enforce the present criminal law
against trust officials; these officials
are intimately connected with the Re-
publican party in the present cam
paign. Take, for instance, the chair.
man of the Republican speakers COM
mittee. Mr.. Dupont, OF Delaware. He
Is the defendant In SUIT which the
government brought and is now prose.
cutting Mr.. Dupont is charged with
violation Of the anti-trust law. Why
should he be put on the executive
committee and then be given control
of the speaking part of the campaign
II you talk to Republican leader
about penitentiary punishment for of.
tenders. he favors filming the corpora
ton, on the ground that it is impossi.
BE to convict individuals, but when
ycu urge fines you are told that fines
are unjust to innocent stockholders
We favor both fine and imprisonment
but We think it is better to prevent
monopolies than to first authorize
them to prey upon the public and then
try to punish them for doing so. Mr..
Taft favors control Of trusts instead
Of determination, but after years CT
experience the people have learned
that the trusts control the government.
Our platform does not stop with the
enforcement of the law; it demands
the enactment of such additional legis-
lation as may be necessary to make 1t
impossible for private monopoly to
exist in the United States.
The Democratic party does not con-
tent itself with a definition of the
wrong or with denunciation of it. 1t
proceeds to outline remedies. The
first is law preventing duplication
of directors among competing corpor-
atoms. No one can object to this rem
edy unless he is in sympathy with the
trusts, rather than with the people
who are victimized by the trusts.
There is no easier way of sitting COM
petition than to make one board of d.
rectors serve for number of com
peting corporations. 1t is not neces-
sary for corporations to enter into an
agreement for the restraint of trade
IL the corporations can, without vio-
lating the law, reach the same end by
electing the same directors.
The second remedy is one upon
which desire to dwell at some length.
We believe il to be simple, complete
and easily enforced remedy. AS stated
In the platform it is:
"a license system which will, with
out abridging the right of each state
to create corporations. or its right to
regulate as it win foreign corpora
tions doing business within it's limits.
make it necessary for manufacturing
or trading corporation engaged in in
terstate commerce TO take out fed
eral license before 1t shall be permit
ted to control as much as % per cent
of the product in which it deals. the
license to protect the public from wat
cred stock and to prohibit the control