The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-12-20
A WORD TO THE UNwIsE.


has passed the currency bill it will clear
tho way for antitrust legislation. All
of the Democratic legislation up to
date has been a. leap in the dark. In
venturing upon legislation to curb mo-
nopoly the Democrats, by their own ad'
missions, will be more in the dark than
ever.
While the tentative programme has
been outlined semi-officially, there have
been indications that the Democrats do
not feel themselves sufficiently in
formed to pass series Of laws coping
with all phases OF the trust problem.
On the one hand we 'have a president
who believes with the faith of a zealot
that he sees his way clear toward the
goal of q "new freedom,' and on
the other we find at the head of his
bureau Of corporations a man Of more
conservative tendencies, who admits
that he has not solved the trust ques-
tion and who suggests that two years
be devoted to the gathering Of all pos
sible data on the subject.
1t is true that a. period of waiting
would keep the business interests OF the
country in an undesirable state Of doubt
and fear, but such condition is better
than having the Democratic steam roll
ler rushed ruthlessly over the business
Of the country without regard for right
or reason. If al investigation of the
trust problem should be entered upon
judicially and scientifically by the
Democratic administration, the business
interests Of the country would be re-
assured They would feel that in the
two years OF probation and education
the Democrats would learn the value Of
being conservative and that the infor-
nation they obtained would convince
them Of the peril and unwisdom of
Stacking the country's industry by
repressive laws
At all events the Democratic congress
should be urged through every medium
of publicity to 20 slow. A multiplicity
Of antitrust laws dealing with every
conceivable i'll that reformers have con.
iured up in their mournful imaginations
can bring only disaster, III the Demo
Gratis must take some action in con-
formity with rash party pledges they
should confine this action to the best
known and best understood phases of
the trust problem.
with much more. favor than in the
United States. While we have been
passing laws TO restore competitive
conditions, the German government has
permitted the formation Of great syn
dieates on the theory that they were an
essential part Of modern industry. In
America the tendency has been to com.
bine businesses and as a consequence
TO develop the trusts. In Germany this
combining Of business has moved rather
in the line of trade agreements and in
the control Of production.
These contrasting views of trusts are
insisted upon here for the purpose of
showing that there is no worldwide
agreement as to the existence Of an
economic evil IN great trade mergers.
If, therefore, such conflict Of opinion
prevails as to the uses and abuses of
trade combinations, the Democratic ad-
ministration can gain more by being
conservative than by trucking TO the
radicals. 4 radical programme at this
time will cause widespread injury to
business and any impairment of prosper
ity is sure TO bring the Wilson admin.
istration into the same disfavor that
fell upon the Cleveland administration,
aud for the same reasons.