The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-12-07
|RTyTS MUST BEWARE.
I,xIoIsy Will Try to Enforce
the Laws.
LITTLE CHANCE OF SUCCESS.

: ..a That the Antitrust Law was
i''". .,v Framed So That 10 coaia No'
purpose" New Law Is Needed.
..,,,,e. end Principles
voroS. Dec. Especial. Upon
wASn .SOrity learn that it is the in'en-
sh su' u'.,Sent Elect Mckinley to make
. ?, effort to enforce the law against rs,
s a. and other unlawful business oo'no'
|usis s"' An attorney general viii be emo.
tiOns .s,s idea of a vigorous, antitrust
p w,s' IN mind, and the presidents cleo.
u' s' - secure for that post young anu
Ppes nan who will go In to make
pol,ious h,mself. In the recent campaign
Pccra ~. thing the Republicans had 20
DO naruo' .ha rreiudice against trusts ana
s pnOOoljes. The crusade maue oy m
pOno I and other leading Democrats asn'ns'
yan.rtralization of wealth ana inc IN
% Seu nower OF monopolies In the aiairs
aslp psnutry took more votes away from
VIC ysOublican party, in the opinion OF
DO 0K,nlev and Chairman Hanna, than
" % nv. issne itself. This crusade had us
p snss a,s cspecially among the working
ls '0' and the poor people OF the cities, Du'
urtayorable influence upon the isepup-
un no,s was seen among the farmers,
c"n ~, ,G's among the small tradesmen and
,scbanics everywhere
The Antitrust Prejudice.
!, Instance of the power of this anticor-
Ito. q. nreiudice is found In Michigan.
:. 'y pinoree. the Republican candidate for
-.,ror had made a reputation as an OPP
.0nt ~ corporations. 1t was he who
.Sad ,bo street railway companies OF De-
~. Nv city ordinance to carry passengers
can't fare. In every way possible Mr..
b,nOree had fought wealthy corporations,
nd naturally enough, when the campaign
ina nm the corporations turned against
,o This was their chance to get even,
nd tbey were not going to neglect IL.
aroe concerns, able TO influence many
otes threw their strength to Mckinney
nd against Pingree.
So marked was this feature OF the cam
bairn during the last two weeks, hepub'
leans openly opposing their own candidate
Ear governor, that Mr.. Pingree was gener-
INV believed to be in danger 1t was
khouebt that he would be defeated though
Mckinley carried the state. When the cleo
lion returns came in, 1t was found that Pm
pree ran many thousands of votes ahead
b Mckinley, despite the manner In which
be had been cut and slashed by corpora
ions
Government and Courts.
The idea of the incoming administra-
lion, am told, is that something should
be done to make the people feel the trusts
Ind monopoies are not to have every thing
kheir own way. OF Mr.. McKinley's In
lention to attempt an enforcement Of the
antitrust lay have no doubt But Chat
be will succeed not many lawyers believe.
attorney General Harmon, with whom
baked on this subject today, gives 1t as his
opinion that, no matter how earnest the
bew president may be, the conditions are
against him. In fact, the attorney gen.
eral says, no one could make more valiant
I effort to suppress trusts than that which
has been made under the present admins
tration. Suit after suit has been brought
|by the department. Of Justice, but the
courts do not uphold the government.
1t has been repeatedly charged in Wash
ington that the antitrust law was purpose
y framed so that it could not be enforced.
As one high official put it, "that law was
|intended by the men who made it to have
q coach and four driven right through the
|middle Of it, b" just why the law was
made so faulty or who is responsible for
Its failure will not, of course, be discov.
|ered. That is one of thousands of legis-
lative secrets of a similar character. But
! have learned this much about it-that
while the intention Of the original trainers
|oi the act was honest enough the lawyers
ior trusts and railway corporations man.
LACED to secure some verbal changes which
looked Innocent enough on their face, but
winch have virtually operated to defeat the
purposes Of the act.
For instance, an amendment put on by
'ne senate-as innocent looking an amend
inent as there ever was-forbade railroads
| W combine for the purpose of establishing
fa!es which were not "fair and reason
iaple' The average legislator would fail
.osee any weakness in that, but the shrewd
lawyers who caused the three words to be
inserted knew very we'll the courts had held
umeand again that in such cases the whole
ques'lon was as to what rates are g fair and
.s Once you get into that field
.ae emo Is reached. Nothing can be- done,
~. .ne courts are unwilling to determine
wsetner given rate Is fair and reason.
0ole' or whether 1t Is not.
Better Laws Needed.
inis Is sample of the structural weak.
a. nss >, Vl the law. 1t Is, as Attorney Gen.
,'ai harmon points out, too general In its
language II 1t were specific instead of
sunerai' something might be done in the
way OF furnishing the trusts which have
',oiated Its spirit Until the law Is amend.
no,. "iSnout too much help from the cor.
Incur; nots'' lawyers, who are kept in Wash.
sneS az good salaries to look after lust
srr n matters the courts will probably be
tba . 10 In vain for decisions against
,mno.. ioaiiy this matter Is of farreachinQ
, or ~ understand 1t to be the mol.
tbina y, sl'e new administration to do every
law sn ~ aus power to enforce the present
70, ' anu, II that fails, to apply to congress
dopS, ~ uew and better law. There is NO
the Po y, sne purpose of the leading men OF
oar S e party to do everything thew
To a. oo y" oelore another presidential election
a. vince the country that tho Ran,b,,,.
moponCl, % not In league with trusts and
the oonn ncs That is good politics, (" and
sire ~ =, Will hope that, out of the de.