The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-02-04
AS TO TRUSTS

There is continued attempt, locally and generally, to mis-
represent the attitude Of the progressive party toward
clearly stated and so often stated that it does not seem pos
sible that there can be any real misunderstanding regard
ing it; the attempt to misrepresent must be a part of spite
full politics.
The progressive platform, the partys. contract with the
people" recognizes the right of combination on the part Of
capital as we'll as on the part Of labor. 1t goes further
and declares the combinations of manufacture and trade to
be an essential feature of national business development.
But the progressive demand is that these combinations shall
be subject to regulation; that their rights shall be projected
but that they shall not be permitted to encroach upon the
rights of others. =
We believe that the idea of regulation is accepted by stu
dents and by such practical men as are honest in their ex-
preston of opinion, as the logical and just means Of con-
controlling the trust. This idea has lost its terrors for the
railways; they have found that the regulations imposed by
the interstate commerce commission, under federal law,
have been to their advantage. The regulation works both
ways; it protects the railways and it protects the public.
Lately, in Montana, we have had the instance of the
power company at Great Falls accepting the regulations
imposed by the government, imposed as the price of a right
of way through a federal reserve. The Associated Press
quotes officers OF the power company as saying that the
regulations are reasonable, business-like and calculated to
facilitate the companys operations. The Muscular was
informed by a prominent officer of the Milwaukee Railway
company that the attitude OF the government in this matter
was entirely satisfactory and that the regulations imposed
were not exacting or in any way h%ampering.
Here, then, we have instances with which we are familiar
OF the operation Of the idea Of the progressives regarding
the handling Of the trust question on Opposed to this M;, idea
that the trusts should be put out of business. Manifestly
this is an impossibiity; it has been attempted; it has been
seemingly accomplished, but the results have not been what
was expected.
The trust has come to stay, as a permanent feature of
modern commercial and industrial life. 1t is not prac-
ticable to attempt to bust the trust. The only feasible
plan is that of regulation. Repeatedly have the progress
sives in Montana said that they have no war with business
combinations which are conducted for business purposes.
That is the attitude Of The Missoulian. 1t has been fire.
quently reiterated. We thought it was clearly understood.
These combinations of capital have done much for the
development of Montana; they can do much more. Their
work along these lines is not philanthropic; they expect
dividends and they are entitled to dividends. But their
rights do not necessarily conflict with the rights of the
people; regulation does not mean extinction or extermina-
ton. 1t is the democratic busting" idea which calls for
the complete elimination Of the trust and that, we should
realize, is out of the question.