The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-07-09

present-day politics, that we can de-
vote this space to no better purpose
tina. it's reproduction entire. The Re-
publican says:
The democratic congress will stand
better in the public estimation by far
If it makes the most of it's opportunity
to carry out the administration pro-
gram, while it has the power. If it
turns tail n runs in a condition of
terror because opponents are trying to
brighten it from it's task by crying
business depression, so much the worse
for it. The Republican hopes that con-
gross will remain in session until the
democratic policy for the further reg
ulation Of monopoly is worked out in
the form of law; and the conservation
bills should be included in the pro-
gram. If it takes all summer, let it be
all summer.
There is nothing novel or unexpected
in the legislation which has passed the
house which is now pending in
the senate. AS much as the tariff law
and the income tax it was clearly fore
Swallowed by h presidential campaign
of 1912. Scarcely any subject was more
prominent in the campaign discussion
than that of the trusts. All parties
professed a purpose to destroy private
4IAS41OpOlSs IIISy d1lLSLS GU Ill lHSlE meth
DDS. How thoroughly committed they
all were appeared in the fact that the
democratic bills recently passed by the
house, exposed to criticism as they
were from various viewpoints, received
republican and progressive votes. The
trade commission bill was favored in
principle in the republican and pro-
gressive platforms; and the railroad
securities bill has virtually no party
opposition in the country today. If
there is anything in election returns,
ever the labor sections of the Clayton
bill were overwhelmingly approved
and demanded by the voters in 1912.
In a broad a the bills embody the
present consensus of public opinion.
The bulk of the people want private
monopoly destroyed; but they are not
ready, because they are not convinced,
to accept the s%ocialistic solution of the
problem. There is sure to be agitation
of this issue for. years to come, and
business must put up with it for the
simple reason that we are necessarily
in for a period of more or less expert
mentation in determining the correct
relations between government and all
enterprises having monopolistic tend
encies. The utterly artificial, the pal
pably forced, the v~iciously immoral
and lagrantly unfair methods used to
establish so many of the great ono
liStic industrial combinations in the
past have left an immense number of
citizens still welded to their old faith
in competition; and their demand is
that before we go tOWard socialism an
other inch the competitive principle
shall have as fair and thorough a try
out as law and government can give to
it. The pending bills attempt to meet
that demand.
If business men, big and little, would
see in the situation no rest from agi-
tation so long as great bodies of voters
remain ~unconvinced, one way or the
other, by the teaching Of experience,
they would join in demanding the en-
actment Of the pending measures at
the earliest possible moment consistenC
with careful and unequivocaI legisla-
ton. But the legislation should be
pushed through without their aid, if
their opposition is implacable. Let US
have something done. Postponement
can bring no relief from political war
fare owe the trust question, but the
actual Inauguration of a definite pol
icy in practice must bring results in
a few years which would %enlighten the
people and guide them toward a solu-
ton that should be fairly permanent.
coLlpIdlnt tlldI IHlS hlIlu OL law
making will disturb business is doubt
less true. But business is already dis
turbed. 1t has been disturbed for years.
The panic of 1907 and the ensuing Sc
we're depression in trade under Presi-
lent Roosevelt were more disturbing
developments than one often sees.
President Taft was bitterly ~reproached
by the so-called big interests for dis
turbing business by his suits for the
dissolution Of trusts. The Roosevelt
and Taft administrations never got
beyond lawsuits. What we want now
l:oESoof fatal ,,~In- I-rz e.