The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-02-09
DEBT DUE * TRUST DEtLAg1n
TO BE IN CLASS WITH !
GAMBLING DEBT,

The recent trend Of decisions bq i..
Supreme Court gives abundant c4a..
for cheer to those who are tr.ln-
to put an end to trust domination ..-.
trust extortion. The Supreme Cr,-r
has not only upheld the Texas l.t-
under which the Standard OIL Com
pany must pay Il fine OF ST. soc 200
but has rendered an even more am-
portant antitrust decision in hutd1a-
that a trust which comes Within th.
scope of the antitrust act cannot col
lect by legal process Il debt due to t.
1t is q decision Of the greatest imp9rt-
ance. The effect OF this decision.
tor example, is that the American IT.
bacco Company, having been declacc.
an illegal combination by the Circuit
Court of the United States. Ca0nut
compel any person indebted to it jo
pay a debt. 1t puts debts due }D
trusts in the class Of gambling d-ot-
which cannot be collected bec2u-,
gambling is q public evil. 1t d.
clares that a trust IS an outlaw d..
commerce and that it can no ntyso
collect a debt than a man rtn cOnlpe5
payment of q sambling debt.
The Importance Of that decision CAN
hardly re estimated. We have be,u
accustomed to regard a trust a. d ut4
corporation that had rights under thr
law. This decision says that u o2uu
who runs a trust is ia the same C14s~
as a man who runs q faro table ST..
that one cannOt collect = debt r-ut
than thu other.
This decision. says the Baltir~0'.
News, will put mother Obstacl@ +"
The way Of monoDolies and add to IT,"
prejudice against them. No busjre-s
man likes to be put in the undesl@a
BILE class that las no standing be- 81.
the law" There are men who @t'
III the trusts who owned stock in l@-.
corporations h went int the tru~t
intending to become law-breakry~
ought now to join hands Wi
men who wish to protect legal co.,
and help to dissolve IN,
trusts which the highest court Of II.
land says are illegal concern wtl(r.
are so injurious to morals and &.
trade that debts due. them are or
par with debts due.to gambling Nous
hat is what those honest men WI.
did not intend to become law break-
ers ou&ht TO do. and they ought t.
lead the way by helping to dissolve II,
trusts that ave come under thi~
condemnation of the courts
Ihe people are going to win III
hsnt- The trend is toward Stat
legislation and judicial exterminatiou
as Wen as Federal prosecution. Her
the trusts have been plaxin-
shuttlecock hetween the State an.
Federal governments. If indicted in
a state, they would rush to. the Fed
eral government and claim proteot;on
ecause they did an interstate com
business. If the. Federal ,go,-
ernment was not IN their trail they
"ou1d rush into the State courts
claiming they were operating under =
state charter. By this process they
escaped conviction and been en-
apled 70 continue exploitation OF the
Now In the present wear The
states or Texas and Missouri hay,,
convicted the Standard Oil CompanN
IN the State courts under State statute
ana the Circuit Federal court has de
cidEeu tDe American Tobacco trust T.
an illegal corporation, the Supremr
Court has upheld the Texas State colrt
IN nnlnS the Standard Oil Compan>
Sl'60O, and has in the case Of tn
wan Paper trust held that a debt d.,
70 a trust is in the same nature IT.
a debt due to a gambling debt an,
cannot be collected.
In view Of these decisions and IT,
unmlstakable trend toward State pm
lsnrnent OF trusts, why should az
hesitate to vote for an effeCnT
law for North Carolina? T.
this state to be singled out with NJ.
Jersey as the harbor OF refuge
lHeSaf corporations. declared by Z"
supreme Court Of the United State
IN h same class with gainbtE