The Washington herald., 1909-02-21
SMASHING THE TRUSTS.
Victories In Courts and Legislatures
barren of Results

Barren of Results
Prom the New YORK Tines.
II is curious how much better success
the States have had in fighting the trusts
than the Federal government. In Penn
sylvania It was proved that no statutory
laws at all were necessary, simple pros
ecution under the ancient common law
suflcing for punishment II the trusts were
guilty. The Missouri victory over the OIL
Trust was preceded by another State vic
tory over the Plumbers trust which es-
tablished long ago the same point that
was settled IN the vail paper case. viz,
that outlaws could not sue This has
been the English law for countless gener-
ations and is taken into the calculations
OF all In any way obnoxious 70 the law
The Missouri statute merely reproduced
the common law. which the Supreme
Court declared without any specific enact
ment The earliest and most sweeping
decisions against the trusts under the
modern crusade were made in Ohio IN
one day twenty-three wealthy and prOUi-
nent citizens OF Toledo were sentenced 70
jail. and there were many other similar
wholesale prosecutions and convictions
10 the credit ef Attorney General Ellis
But the curious thing Is that these vic
tories seem 20 have had results Ike those
which followed the granting OF Salome's
uniadylike request. which she regretted
as soon as Il was granted So far as is
known al this distance. no particular re-
suits followed these sweeping demOustra-
tions Of the supremacy Of the law il has
not been echoed here that trade mas been
revolutionized or prices greatly cheap
ened- Some political regulations have
been made, which is gratifying. OF course.
but there was n pronounced tendency 70
slip back into the old ways The amazing
proposal that Missouri should foregather
I 4sn some way with its convicted outlaw
/ is but a reproduction OF OhiO'S experience
Attorney General Ellis. fresh from his
ConqUests. was invited 10 instruct the
New York trust busters He made a
i speech IL this city and warned his hear
ers 10 beware OF the Ultrs-radicsls. who
would right al wrongs al once 4 break
neck gait Is just as fatal 20 virtue as 20
/ vice, he warned his disciples. and de-
I clared, for his part that he would Ike to
| see the speed limit restricted on the race
| course Of reform. When reform blows
/ the horn. and beats the drum, and rings
/ the bell al our front doors every day.
1 there Is great danger that such state OF
/ public exhaustion may be endangered as
/ viii sweep over the country and plead
/ for peace az any price"
/ Even so To-day We have the Federal
! commissioner OF corporations singing the
same swan song. The prohibition Of trusts
/ IS an impOssibility, he says, echOing the
/ masters earlier dictum- Prohibition has
1 been tried for a score OF years and is a
/ failure There were but three trusts when
/ the Sherman antitrust law was passed.
/ and now there are three hundred II can
/ not be the fault Of the law, for Il has Just
I been declared perfect Nobody can suggesI
/ how another tooth can be driven into the
I law, and nobody dares suggest the draw
ing Of A single tOoth-befOre the fourth
Z OF March. Coming events cast their shad-
ows before. Down with prohibition. Ions
| live regulation. IS the watchword-