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Show T1IK ailUST JMtOBIiBM NEITHER POLITICAL PARTY CAN AGREE ON A SOLUTION. Now York Journal of Commerce Believes Be-lieves Lenlslatlon Is Imperative, and Presents a Definite Policy-Vague Policy-Vague Discussion Unproductlvr. Neither the Uepubllcnns nor tho Democrats lire ngreed upon tfiu foIu-tton foIu-tton of the trust problem. President Roosevelt fnors uildltlonnl legislation of tho lostrlctlw! sort, cspeclully, It Is understood, In tho direction of "publicity." lie hns not hesltnted tn piopose n i-onstltuttoi:nl nmendment conferring power upon Congress to rench trusts Hint nro not engaged In Interstate commerce, nnd men of the Llttletlehl school nro In nerord with him. On tho titter limit, the Cummins Cum-mins sort ot Hepuhllcni s, whllo favoring favor-ing tho publicity remedy, nro disposed to nttneli mure Importance to the Indirect In-direct method of uttncUIng the monopolistic mon-opolistic trusts thnt of turlft reduction reduc-tion on goods competing with trust-mnnufnclured trust-mnnufnclured products. This Is tho "town Idea." nnd It Is destined to growth grow-th poputnrlty. Tho Democrats- nro llknwiso n house divided ngnlnst Itself on tho trust question. Jttdgo Griggs, Mr. Vitus nnd tho "reorgnnl.crs" generally would attack trusts t 'trough tho tariff nnd hnvo llttlo or no faith In regulation regula-tion mid restriction. Mr. llrynn nnd his followers, on tho other hand, aro Indifferent to this Indirect method and demand stringent nntlon.il legislation, constltutloi-al nmendment for tho moro effective control of trusts, et Theso divergencies will nccossn-il'' afTect tho political discussion or the subject. In tho circumstances nctunlly existing ex-isting neutral, nonpartisan nnd enru-ful enru-ful programs or outlines of trust legislation leg-islation deserve attention and study Our Independent nnd nblo contemporary, contempo-rary, tho New York Journal ot Commerce, Com-merce, hn3 Just presented Its own solution of tho problem. It bolloves thnt a definite trust policy Is tho need of tho hour, nnd thnt now legislation Is Imperative. To what ond or ends should new legislation bo directed? Hero Is tho answer: "1. Protect competition as tho most cffoctlvo proventivo of monopoly. "2. Iteduco tho tariff to a moderate revenuo basts, especially on products domlunted by largo corporations. "3. Itcform state corporation Inws which now permit ono statu to openly defeat tho laws of another state, doing do-ing elsewhere acts unlawful within Its own borders. "4. Reform legislation permitting monopolies based upon patents and public franchises. "G. Sccttro ren:onnblo publicity In tho affairs of largo corporations. "6. Secure national laws ngalnst fictional capitalization ot corporations. "7. Establish government supervision supervis-ion or real or national monopolies. "8. Enact euch laws as may bo necessary nec-essary to project, small rivals from unfust competition. unjust competition, "!). Compol public officers to a stricter enforcement of oxlstlng laws agnlnst restraint of trado. "10. Opposo vigorously all legislation legisla-tion leaning toward public ownership; preferring government supervision ns safer and moro efficient than socialistic socialis-tic control." Klght of theso plnnks will ho nc-ccptablo nc-ccptablo to all reasonable, progressive progres-sive and publle-splrlted citizens, though wo aro bound to point out that plank 1 Is lndeflnlto nnd plnnk S a repetition or reaffirmation of tho first. Tho principle, however, Is thoroughly sound. Let Socialists say what they p.easo about tho talluro of competition. competi-tion. Kxcept In tho sphcro ot natural monopoly, ot tho so-callc 1 "public utilities," competition, actual or potential, po-tential, Is utlll "tho llfo of trade," tho effectlvo safeguard of tho consumers' Interests. Tho dehntablo planks nro theso: "Iteduco tho tariff to a moderato rov-onuo rov-onuo bnsls," and "establish government govern-ment supervision of real or national monopolies." Tariff-reform Democrats, Demo-crats, and those Uepubllcnns who bo-Have bo-Have that protection has nearly done Its work niul mny now be discarded, In many directions at least, save In go far ns It may result Incidentally from revenuo duties, will subscrlbo to tho first, and many of them will also accept tho second of theso "doubtful" planks. Protectionists of cither party will Tinltimllv rililnpt tfi tint (lraf wlint. will naturally object to tho first, what-over what-over they muy think of tha second. Tho "government supervision" plnnk needs elaboration; It, may or may not bo radical, and It may or may not Involve n constitutional nmendment. Boforo assenting or dissenting a bill of particulars may bo required. But tho example of our commorctnl contempornry mny ho comtnondod to other Independent, non-polltlcal agencies agen-cies nnd bodies. Let us havo definite proposals and outlines. Vnguo discussion discus-sion or humiliation will not ndvanco tho discussion. Chlcngo livening rost. |