Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1911-10-20
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1911.

There is, even now, before this people |
two important propositions relating to
the Trust problem, upon which some
decisive action must be taken ia the |
near future. The first in order for con-
sideration is the timely proposition OF |
the President to the effect that the neg |
lected purpose of the chief of our anti
trust laws shall be enforced, without |
fear of consequences effecting his can
didacy, aud without favor to monopolis-
tic business, other than that which may
lie in the discretionary power of the
Supreme Court. On that proposition
the President will stand, to be elected
or defeated and retired to private life,
according to the judgment of the people
after such consideration as they will
give to the two distinct propositions,
constituting the most important
question of our times.
This question is as earnestly urged
upon the attention of business men by
the force, quite generally alluded to as
"Big Business" as is the opposite view.
There can be no doubt that the case
for the monopolistic trusts, presented by
George w. Perkins, represents the views
of j. P. Morgan, whose achievements in
financial operations make him power
to be reckoned with in all the more i'm
portant transactions of public men.
From Mr.. Perkins comes the other
proposition, in which either by accident
or design, the real intention of trust
representatives is obscured by the bril-
lance of the style of the argument pre-
scented in opposition to the intention OF
the government concerning the present
tendency in the business centers.
Take, for instance, two sentences in the
clever example of sophistry, or self de-
ceptiou which, however, will operate Oh
behalf of the great monopolstic con-
Germs, stated by Mr.. Perkins, as follows :
"Our people believe that this question
Is a moral question. They want at
least two things; What is right
and fair between man and man,
and our commercial supremacy main
tanned" Surely the people do regard
the difference between the government,
highminded men of both parties,
and those favoring the tendency toward
monopolistic control of business. But
will any reasoning and unprejudiced
man believe that morality enters to a
considerable extent in the calculations
of those who are bent upon commercial
supremacy in the competition of nations
for as much trade as each can get, any
way And what of the results Doe:
any reasoning man know of any achieve
ment more likely to be a breeder o.
distrust, jealousy and warfare than tht
very commercial supremacy, held t.
warrant our governments tolerance o
the crushing out process at home previ
Gus to the attainment of commercial 81
premacy abroad. And this sordid inter
ton is supposed to be moral idea, sug
costing the way of governments deter
mination of this great question. The
proposition of the trusts is that, tn
monopolstic trsuts shall exist an
flourish at home and abroad, amenabl
to official inspection, certain degree O.
regulation, not etfecting the extent o
the operations of each, and publicity
Is it necessary that this government
should take upon itself such an onerou
and costly duty as is proposed by Mr.. PEI
kins?
If business men cannot understan
the plain English of antitrust laws
and plan their business operations il
conformity with them, the government
must undertake the onerous and cost
duty in regulation of business operations
But it would be better to institut
government ownership, outright, tina
the profitless as far as the Who'll
number is concerned measure presente
for consideration.
The President thinks that tru
solution of the great trust problem
to check, in time, the tendency, til
nature of which is held by publicis
to be certainly inimical to the gener
welfare, and so, foreign to the spirit {
popular government.