The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-07-31

The combination Of capital in large
plants to manufacture goods with the
greatest economy is just as necessary
as the assembling Of the parts Of
machine to the economical and more
rapid manufacture of what In old
times was made by hand. The Gov
eminent should not interfere with one
any more than the other
What Is an Unlawful Trust7
When, however, such combinations
are not based on any economic prin-
ciple, but are made merely for the pur-
pose of controlling the market, to
maintain or raise prices, restrict output
and drive out competitors, the public
derives no benefit and we have mo-
nopoly. 1t is important. therefore.
that such large aggregations Of cap
ital and combination should be con-
trolled so that the public may have
the advantage Of reasonable prices
and that the avenues Of enterprise
may be kept open to the individual and
the smaller corporation wishing to en-
gage In business.
Many enterprises have been organ
lied on the theory that mere aggrega.
ton of all, or nearly all, existing plants
in line Of manufacture, without re
gard to economy Of production, de
stroys competition. They have, most
of them, gone into bankruptcy. Com
petition In a profitable business will
not be affected by the mere aggrega-
ton Of many existing plants under one
company, unless the company thereby
effects great economy, the benefit of
which it shares with the public, or
takes some illegal method to avoid
competition and to perpetuate hold
on the business. &1l
Proper Treatment Of Trusts.
Unlawful trusts should be restrained
with all the efficiency Of injunctive
process and the persons engaged in
maintaining them should be punished
with all the severity of criminal pros
ecution, in order that the methods pur.
sued in the operation Of their business
shall be brought within the law. Tc
destroy them and to eliminate the
wealth they represent from the pro-
ducing capital of the country would
entail enormous loss, and would throw
out of employment myriads of work.
ingmen and workingwomen. Such a
result is wholly unnecessary to the &C.
complishment of the needed reform,
and will innict upon the innocent far
greater punishment than upon the
guilty.
Destructive Policy Of Democratic Plat
form. a
The Democratic platform does not
propose to destroy the plants Of the
trusts physically, but it proposes tn
do the same thing In a different way:
The business OF this country is large
~ dependent on a protective system o.
tariffs. The business done by many
Of the SO called. trusts IS protected
with the other business Of the country.
The Democratic platform proposes to
take Off the tariff in all articles com.
ing into competition with thoses pro-
duced by the SO called "trusts, % and
to put them on the free list If such
a course would be utterly destructive
Of their business, as Is Intended. X
would not only destroy the trusts, but
all Of their smaller competitors. sThF
ruthless and Impractical BILE character
Of the proposition grows palmer as its
effects upon the whole community are
realized. ,-s'S''1 zig '@0ets @&o'c&as -
q 10 take the course suggested by the
Democratic platform In these matters
Is to involve the entire community, in
nocent as it is, In the punishment Of
the guilty, while our policy is to stamp
out the specific evil This difference
between the policies Of the two grea'
parties Is Of especial Importance in
view of the present condition of bust
ness. After ten years of the most re-
markable material development and
prosperity. there came financial strin-
gency, a panic and an industrial de-
preston. This was brought about not
only by the enormous expansion of
business plants and business invest
ments which could not be readily con-
verified, but also by the waste Of CAPT
tai. in extravaganza of living, in wars
and other catastrophies. aal& @aaC
- Republican Doctrine of Protection.
The Republican doctrine Of protec-
ton, as definitely announced by the
Republican convention of this year
and by previous conventions, is that
tariff shall be imposed on all imported
products, whether of the factory, farm
or mine, sufficiently great to equal the
difference between the cost of produc-
ton abroad and at home, and that this
difference should, Of course, include
the difference between the higher
wages paid in this country and the
wages paid abroad and embrace a rea-
sonable profit to the American pro-
Queer A system OF protection thus
adopted and put in force has led to
the establishment Of rate of wages
here that has greatly enhanced the
standard Of living Of the laboring man.
It is the policy of the Republican party
permanently to continue that standard
of living. In 1897 the DiDgley Tariff
Bill was passed, under which we have
had, as already said, period Of enor-
nous prosperity.
Necessity For Revision of Tariff,