The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-07-31
Orpanizer of the First Trust Be-
lieves Business Paralysis Would
Follow Such Action,
CERTAIN TO BRING PANIC
Strong Corporations Would Flour
ish and the Weaker Ones Go
to the Wall.
sneciaI to The Tribune.

Special to The Tribune.
NEW YORK, July S0.--Iu an inter
view today John E. Parsons, the vet
eran lawyer who really organized the
sugar trust, goes on record against fed'
eral control of trust-made commodities.
He says:
"I must not fail to call attention to
the scheme for a federal tribunal which
is to ix the prices ] recognize that in
case of public franchises public service
corporations, those which ENJOY pub
lie franchises or which are akin 70
them, should be within reasonable con
troll of the authority which constitutes
them and from which come their pow
crs. And where, in respect to q single
commodity. an appeal could be made
to n tribunal TO ratify prices, it might
be in the interests of all concerned,
HBut what will be the effect upon
general business, if, to determine prices,
The hundreds of commodities IN which
individuals or corporations deal are
brought before board of controls
There can only be one result-the par
alysis of business.
HIt points to an assumption that !
will never recognize, that the American
citizen, if left alone, will not carry
on his business intelligently and with
observance of the law. 1t has occurred
10 me to consider the ultimate effect OF
such legislation.
The Weaker to the Wall.
"Assume, if you please, that it might
create q trade disturbance OF panic.
Who comes out ahend7 Always the
strong. Who suifers7 Always the
weak.
HThis country owes all her present
prosperity to aggregations of capital.
"In my opinion" he continued, "the
longer attempts at interference with
natural causes are persisted In, harmful
reactions will follow, az rule. These
reactions help the stronger in the long
run, This has been pretty much the
universal experience, that the stronger
are better fortified to withstand inter
ference. The weaker go down.
'tIf it is to the public interest to
have prices reduced to rate wherein
there is no adequate profit to the pro.
ducer, that result will come with the
enforcement of policies which now
seem to have so many advocates. But
I do not think that is to the public
interest. No man or body Of men can
be possessed of large means without
the ability to use these means, and il
is unreasonable to think they will do
business at loss If they know how to
prevent it.
Would Advance Prices.
Gin an effort to prevent the loss il
may be, therefore, that as an outcome
there is an increase instead of a re.
duction Of prices. In other words the
public would have the benefit. if ben.
eft 1T be, Of cut in prices lasting a
short time. but following the cut i.
the danger Of an unnecessary increase
"However, all this is in line with
what [ regard as the natural course OF
trade and l entertain as the most DOS.
tive opinion it is better for the pro
ducer and the consumer that the same
amount of profit be made out of large
consumption at a smaller price than
lesser consumption at larger price
In the view that I entertain the pub
lic means the consumer, the operatives
the small investor, the combined large
body who cannot do business on a con
siderable scale individually but who
wish the benefits which come collec
lively from business
u grew up in the belief that NOT
only does the constitution provide but
1t wisely provides against federal in.
terference -