Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-22

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certain trade associations that while
they may not agree, either directly or
indirectly, to charge certain prices,
there may be a general understanding
that prices will be charged between a
named maximum and q named mini
mum.
Both Of these experiments appear on
the surface to be subject to legal re-
view, especially the latter, and it is
rather doubtful, in the opinion of trust
experts of the department of justice,
whether either plan will stand.
The present session of congress
opened a new field for the so-called
benevolent trust by enacting a bill
which exempts farmers cooperative
organizations from prosecution under
the antitrust laws. This law would
permit farmers to market their goods
in groups and while safeguards are pro-
vided intended to prevent monopoly,
some observers declare that the door
opened, monopoly is likely to rise up
and control the co-operatives. This
law will be attacked in the courts to
test it's constitutionaliy, cases already
being in preparation for that purpose.
Labor unions are declared by the
Clayton antitrust law to be specifically
exempt from prosecution as trusts. But
the supreme court, in the, recent Cor
onado case, and inferior courts in 9TH
er cases. have modified this exemption
so as to make labor unions amenable to
damages where their combinations have
caused loss through strikes, in certain
circum stances.
Combines of Ancient Origin
The tendency of business in all forms
to combine against the public is of an
cient origin. No study of the develop
ment of the great industrial corpora
lions, and later of the trade associa-
tons can be made without the discov-
cry of the impossibility Of altering
profound and immutable laws Of politi-
cal economy.
People of the same trade" says
Adam Smith, the eminent Scotch econ
omist, writing generations before the
Standard Oil company was born, "sel-
dom meet together, even for merriment
or diversion, but the conversation ends
in a conspiracy against the public or in
some contrivance to raise prices"
The same economist notes the pres
ence of a counter force which defeats
indefinite monopolistic oppression. In
discussing the effects of this force
upon workmen who are members of a
trade association, in the form of a guild
or labor corporation. he observes:
THE real and effectual discipline which
is exercised over a workman is not
that of his corporation, but that Of his
customers" By this it is meant that
tie public always is in a greater con-
spiracy ever than the tradesman or
manufacturer. Always seeking the ar
ticle obtainable at the lowest price. the
public constantly maintains a fight
against the high priced man or combi-
nation.
1t is the observation of economists
that while a trust may control prices
and perhaps production for a season.
sooner or later the public will find a
cheaper source of supply and break
down the monopoly more certainly than
legal processes can do so.
Students of the rise and fall Of trusts
point out that the motive Of business
men or tradesmen to join against the
public is. regarded in one light, self
defensive. Every man who has some
thing to sell and must depend for his
living upon selling it at a price above
what it costs, feels that the buying
public is in a conspiracy directed
against him in that the public always
is seeking to find some one who will
sell more cheaply.
The indications at Washington are
that there will be a never-ceasing de-
velopment of experiment and legisla-
ton directed at the evil of oppressive
~monopolies and also a constant con-
%structive movement toward the provi-
sion Of highly efficient means of CO.
operative industrial effort.
Lawyers. statesmen and business
men Of all branches of industry are
watching with keen interest the out
come of the two new experiments in
business regulation.