Rensselaer Republican, Volume 24, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 July 1892 — TRUSTS. [ARTICLE]

TRUSTS.

Trusts, are not due to protection. This is shown by the fact that the great Mecca of combinations of all kinds is Free-Trade Great Britain. They are the product of a human weakness common to all men, in every country and under every political system—cupidity. Combination is the recognized commercial tendency of the day. It is natural for men to combine, where they see an opportunity for their own profit; and they wilt do this whether there be a Tariff or not, as all impartial judges, even Free-Traders, will admit Protection is no friend of trusts; in fact, it is essentially opposed to them. It prevents the formation of international combinations, for which there could be no destructive remedy, and guarantees men who wish to compete with a trust a fair field and chance for competition. By protection also, trusts are placed within the reach of our own laws; placed where they can be attacked and destioyed by the strong arm of the Government. Free-Trade, on the other hand, either leads to the establishment of international combinations, or, by destroying an industry in this country and causing ua to become dependent for the produet of that industry or a few fowignqrs, puts us at the mercy of a leraign trast from which there can be too escape, and which, of course, no legislation of ours can reach This is entirely in harmany wish | toe ordinary ’Free-Trade » pro-

gramme—to subject us in everything to the domination of the foreigner. The only effective remedy for combinations is a radical antitrust law, such as that already passed by Protectionist Congress. The question of trusts can be formulated in a few words: FreeTrade and foreign trusts, absolutely our-m aster. Protection, every difficulty in the way of forming trusts, new competition to nullify their influence and prohibitory legislation to destroy them when formed.