Im practicable D em ocratic
Proposi*
tion fo r Trust C ontrol.
Convincing Exposition o f Fallacy of
B ryan ’s Panacea for Solving
Problem s of Hadern
Business.
(From
Gov.
flushes*
Youngstown
speech.)
When we consider remedies that are
proposed for the trusts, we find our
selves Journeying in a laud of dreams.
Again the magician of 18ÍX1 waves his
wand. At a stroke difficulties disap
pear and the complex problems of mod
ern business are forgotten in the fas
cination of the simple panacea. And,
as the free coinage of silver In the
ratio of lfl to 1 was to destroy the
curse of gold, so the new found specific
of equal perfection is to remove the
curse of industrial oppression. The de
lusion of 1P08 is comparable only to
that of twelve years ago.
The first sugestión is that the law
should prevent a duplication of di
rectors among competing corporations.
However advisable it may be to have
4 Indejieudent directorates of competing
corporations. It would seem still more
important to have independent stock
holders. for i) majority of the stock
holders o f a cori>oratlon choose the di
rectors.
If a law were passed pre
venting the duplication o f directors It
would easily he evaded in the selection
of men who would represent the snme
Interests. The most ordinary exper
ie n c e shows that It Is not necessary to
serve on a board o f directors in order
to control Its proceedings. Whatever
the advantage of such a law as Is pro-
I*>sed, it hardly rises to the dignity of
a "remedy," or vindicates its title to a
place In an imposing scheme o f reform
outlined in a national platform.
But the more im|>ortnnt proposal is
"that any manufacturing or trading
corporation engaged in Interstate com
merce shall be required to take out a
federal license before it shall be per
mitted to control as much as 25 per
cent of the product In which it deals.”
A license Is permission, and the object
of the remedy Is not to regulate large
businesses, but to destroy trusts. Hence
the supposed efficiency of the plan Is to
be found in the prohibition of the con
trol by any such corporation “of more
than 50 per cent of the total amount of
any product consumed in the United
States.” This Is another delusion of
ratio.
It might be Interesting to Inquire
what is the meaning of “ any product
consumed In the United States.” Does
It refer to a class o f commodities?
And, if so, how shall the classes be de
fined? Or does it refer to each sepa
rate article of commerce? And, if so,
what account does this projKisal take
of the skill and Initiative of manufac
turers who have huilt up a more or
less exclusive trade in particular ur-
' tides, often protected by trade-marks,
although In most active competition
with other artl les designed for the
same general purpose and seeking the
same market? In a desire to correct
the evils o f business are we to place
nn embargo upon honest endeavor
whose activities present none of the
abuses requiring remedies? And, if
Tnot, what statutory definitions shall be
found to be adequate and just if we
lay down our prohibition in terms of
volume or ratio o f business and not in
terms o f right and wrong? If we
adopt Mr. Bryan's proposal, to what pe
riod of production is the prohibition
to apply? Is the excess for a day or
for a month to be considered? Or Is
the average production for a year to be
taken? And what system shall be de
vised by which suitable information
may be furnished in the nature of dan
ger signals along the routes of trade
so that the manufacturer may know
when he is about to exceed the pre
scribed ratio? lie may Justly be re
quired to govern bis own conduct, but
how shall he be apprised o f the con
duct of others upon which is to depend
£is guilt or innocence?
The patent laws confer a true
monopoly in the exclusive right to man
ufacture and sell. Are these laws to
lie repealed because a “private mon
opoly is indefensible and intolerable?”
exceptions to cover such cases, and we
have learned that it is equally “ binding
as to what it omits.”
If we could imagine such a crude
prohibithm to be enacted Into law. am!
to be regard«! as valid, wbat would be
the effect? Mr. Bryan, with bis usual
readiness, suggests that the concern
may sell as much of Its plants as are
not needed to produce the amount al
lowed by law. He speaks as though
every manufacturing concern had as
many fully equitqied units of produc
tion as would correspond to any given
percentage o f trade which it might be
required to lop off. Plants are not so
easily dismembered. Reduction in out
put means reduction in work, reduction
in the number of men employed and
curtailment of the efficiency of a going
concern. Let us suppose a concern
which controls SO per cent of a given
product—that is to say, makes and
sells gs.tKsi.ooo in value out o f a total
trade in the product amounting to $10,-
000,000. Is It to he compelled to reduce
its output to $2.000,000 because only
$2.1X10.010 in value are made by others?
Then, if It could sell a part of Its plant
on Mr. Bryan’s theory, what should it
sell? Should it sell off enough to re
duce its capacity to $5.000,000, and
allow three-fifths of its plant to remain
idle until others developed a capacity
for handling the other $5,000,000?
Should It assume that the total trade
will increase and is not always to re
main at $10,000,000. and hence retain
a larger |K>rtion of Its plant In idle
ness? Or suppose a concern controls
100 per cent of the trade in some artl
cle, what plants shall It retain? It
can produce nothing until others pro
duce : lint it may produee an amount
equal to the production of others, and
it holies the trade will grow. Wbat a
vision of business uncertainty and con
fusion. of idle and impaired plants, of
the ruin of workingmen whose lives
have clustered around particular indus
tries ami who depend upon their con
tinued efficiency, is presented by this
fanciful remedy for the destruction of
trusts!
Apart from this, if the dissolution
were effected in the manner desired
anil portions of plnnts could lie sold
and were sold as suggested, to whom
would the sale he made? Would it be
lie« ssarlly to foes or to those ambi
tious to he competitors and anxious to
take advantage of its plight?
This proposal In Its utter disregard
of the facts of business, in its substi
tution of the phantasies of the imagin
ation for the realities o f life, stanqis
the Democratic platform with the fatal
stamp of 1811(1. The commerce and in
dustry of tills country, the Interests of
its wage earners and of Its interdepend
ent masses, who must rely upon the
stability of business, cannot afford to
give license to such vagaries.
In the solemnity with which tills
proposal has been declared, and the in
sistence with which It is advocated, we
find an appropriate test of the capacity
of our opponents to deal wisely with
the probie'n* of the day.
COUNTY COURT.
REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS
The House that is Satisfied Only When You 21 re
CANTON
PLOWS
The Canton plow is the only disc plow that will
give perfect satisfaction on all kinds of land, and we
can prove it. W e have already sold a number of
these plows this fall and can cite you to numerous
satisfied users.
Ranges and Heaters
W e carry the largest stock of Ranges and Heaters west of Portland.
W e sell on
the installment plan at prices that are lower than the other fellow’s cash price.
If
in need of anything in the Stove Line come and see us, if not come and see us any
way
PAINT
We give you a written guar
antiee for five years. No oth
er dealer dares do it; therefore
our Paint is the best.
W e pay spot cash for our
goods and pay no rent.
Who can sell the cheapest?
MAM.UI UiiiyttfiAL
M. PETERSON ®> SON,
Wm Reidt et ux to C S
Smith Its 13, 14, 15, 30,
31 & 32 bk 27 West Port
land H e ig h ts .....................
1 00
J H Shields et al to Louisa
Hiller et al pt of sec 26 t
1 s 2 w ...............................
1 00
Bank of Sherwood to S E
McGill It 4 bk 2 Naylor’ s
Oregon Nursery Co to Harriet
Hillman Its 3 & 4 bk 5
1 00
add Forest G rov e..............
M Baker 5 acres in Wm
S h e rw o o d ...............................
850 00
H Bennett d i e t 1 n 2 v
650 00 Barbara Ann Gates et al to
S T Bowser et ux to Katie E
Frank C Taylor 7.91 acres
Oregon Nursery Co to F A
Ü Brown Its 2 & 3 bk 17
in B H Catching d 1 c t 1
Baker 1 acre in W H Ben
Simmons add H illsb oro..
425 00
800 00
n 4 w ...................................
nett d i e t I n 3 w .........
200 00
G A Cobb et ux to Wm Ry
F A Markley et al to W H
John G Wagner et al to H S
an et al pt of Joe W ood d
Kay et al It 8 Witch Hazel 2500 00
Reed pt of sec 4 t 2 s 2 w 1600 00
l c t 1 s 2 ............................ 5000 CO
James D Wilmpt et ux to U
A W Smith et ux to D J M c-
John E Day et al to Walter
G Smith 5 acres in sec 22
Creedy Its 6 & 7 Green
H Day pt of sec 35 t 2 s
t 1 s 1 w .......................
berg H eights...................
1 00
1 ............................................. 7000 00
Geo N Rouse et al to D B
Ann M Nichols et al th Cor
Lab .e 20 a in sec 25 t 1 s
nell Fellnagle Its 18 & 19
2 ..................................
Nichols add Garden Horne 1100 00
Ann M Nichols et al to Jo'.ty
Maggie Ryan et al to John
Campbell Smith
It 24
Morting pt of Philip Har
Public Sale.
00
Nichols add to Garden
ris d 1 c t 1 s 2 .................
H o m e ...................................
400 00 Thos Talbot et ux to E G
Having sold my farm two miles east
Addie Peters et al to Geo W
Wilkins et al Its 6 & 7 bk
and one mile north of Banks, two miles
Clarke 11 acres in sec 36 t
125 00
4 Talbots add to Cornelius
northwest of Mountaindale, I will sell
1 n 3 » ................................. 2750 00 P H Hanson et ux to W S
at public auction on the premises on
Mary E Hoxter to Ida M
Smith et al 23.81 acres in
Wednesday. Sept. 30, 1908
!
sec 15 t 2 s 0 . . .
..........
Sale com m ences at 10 a. m ., the
Emily E Watson et al to W
A Bellinger pt of bk 2
following property, to-wit: 2 work
1 00
Forest G rove........................
horses, 5 milk cows 2 giving milk 2
E L Mapes et al to Lewis
will be fresh soon and one will be fresh
Come to Hundreds of Forest
50
Meyers pt of sec 9 t 2 s 3
in a month, 2 2-year-old heifers will be
S S Barnes et ux to J Nico-
Grove People.
demus tract in M Moore
fresh about the middle of January, j
d l c t l s 2 w . . . ............ 1700 00 2 vea< old Jersey bull, yearling heifer,
There
are
days of dizziness; ^
B r y a n ’a (r u tle R e a e o n ln g.
An example of Mr. Bryan's reason-
Spells of headache, sideache, back Wm Reidt et ux to F H
wagon 3 j wide steel tire, top buggy,
Dunham pt of It A bk 31
•ng is found in his statement that
ache;
Lazyback cart nearly new, cultivator,
1
.
.
.
.
West
Portland
Hgts
“when a corporation ‘ controls 50 per
Sometimes
rheumatic
pains;
12-inch plow, hav rake, mower, hay
Martin Vandehey et ux to
'■ent of the total product It supplies
Often urinary disorders.
J H Stephenson Its 9 & 10
rack, 10-foot log chain, set horse
forty millions of people with that prod
uct.” There are, o f course, specialties
bk 2 Henry’ s add Cornelius 220 00 b ankets, 6 milk cans, set work har
'I tell you plainly the kidneys are
For Sale.
which hare a limited market and are
J C Schulmerick et ux to W
ness, single buggy harness, grindstone,
used by a relatively small number of •itk.
H Prickett pt of sec 36 t
One lot 100x100 feet
A 7 room
Daily, living on Second A t «.. F or« t Grove
the people o f the United States. More
406 50 some household goods. Free lunch at | house, well finished, hot and cold
2 n 4 ...................................
Ore . »ay*: “ For over ten ye>r* I «uffered from kidney
than 50 per cent, and indeed even as trouble and no matter how many remedies I tried. I wa? A E Cooper et ux to Olive E
noon. Terms of sale: All sums of j water, bath and electric lights, plenty
much as too per cent of the trade In unab e 'o And relief My kidne>s were in a much dir
S10 and less, cash. Oo sums over of fruit. Corner 4th St. and 2nd Ave.
Hurlbert pt of sec 36 t 1
such articles may be in the control ordered condition, the secretiooa too frequent m acticr
1 00 $10, six months time will be given on Price $1 500.
Also one lot on 2nd
s l w ......................................
of a particular corporation. This may. and greatly in terfered with m y reat at night. ! sut
Harriet
A
Foster
et
al
to
Street,
100x100
feet, c'o s e to car line
notes bearing 6 percent interest from j
f n fact, be relatively a small eoriiora- fered severly from d itty spells aDd say eyes ght h*
Daniel Deavill w j of It 4
$400. One lot 100x200 feet on 2nd
•lon. It may never have aspired to the came affected. I grew weak and at the time Doar.
date on approved security. 2 percent |
Kidney Fills were brought to my attention, I was feel
Ave.
Also 5 room house, lot 100
bk 43 Forest G rove............ 1550 0C
unsavory renown of a “ trust.” But by
mg very mirerable. I received good results from thei
off for cash on all sums over $10.
xlOO, plenty of fruit. Price $1150.
Daniel
Deviile
et
ux
to
Har
prosecuting Its particular line with use, continued taking them and at the present time ar
PETER H. F ie l d s , owner,
riet Foster et al nw J of
See J a s S t e p h e n s o n
2-tf.
fidelity and meeting satisfactorily s absolutely free from any sign of kidney compfain*.
600 00 I. W. Hughes,
nw J sec 2 t 1 n 5 ............
limited w ant; or by reason o f some g .v e Doan's Kidney Pills credit for the great change ¡1
Geo. F. Naylor,
secret processes or advantage o f experi my condition.'*
Robina L Boardman et al to
Auctioneer.
Clerk.
— New stock of latest Ladies’ Hom e
ence, it may control the trade in a giv
Georgia A Hughes pt of
For sale by all deafen.
Price 5f
Journal
dress patterns at Bailey's Big
en article o f commerce. Or. suppose a cents.
sec 31 t 1 n 3 w ................
Foster-Milburn C o , Buffalo
Cider Apples Wanted.
concern controls the whole trade In
Store.
F A Young et ux to G eo A
some useful byproduct which it has New York, sole agents for the Unitec
I will buy all the cider apples you
Young It 12 Garden Hom e 2000 o o :
— W hite River Flour made of best
found It advantageous to make, is the Statea.
will fetch me. Will take them in any
Felix Findley et ux to Matt
trade to be prohibited?
Eastern Oregon wheat for sale at Bat
quantity
delivered
at
Cornelius.
, Rem em ber the dame— Doan’ s
Stell Its 6 & 7 Brugger
The Democratic platform makes no
ley’ s Big Store.
47 tf
W. H . STRATTON. 9 tf
take no other.
t r a c t ...................................... 1500 OOj
FOREST GROVE, OREGON
1000 00
2200
oo PUBLIC SALES!
10
1000 00
DAYS OF DIZZINESS
00
KODAKS and
SUPPLIES
Hines’ Drug Store
00
1000 00 j
Notice to Taxpayers.
The last half of
1907
taxes, where
the first half was paid before the first
Monday in April, 1908, will be due rn
or before Monday, Oct.
5, 1908, ar d
inless paid by that date
interest will
be
added
penalty ard
fro n April 6,
1 1908, until paid.
G G. H a n c o c k ,
U -t2 Sheriff Washington C o., Ore.
Let THE NEWS do your
We
guarantee
good
job work.
workmanship
good stock and most reasonable prices.
We print everything.
— W e’ ll buy your wool and mohair.
, Bring it in.
Bailey.