The evening times., 1897-03-27
FAR-REAcHING IN EFFECT
Antitrust Decision May Include
Even Labor Organizations.
EX-SENATOR EDMUNDS' VIEWS
The Distinguished Jurist, Who Was
Instrumental in Framing tn e Law,
Declares 1t Was Intended to APP
ply to Railroads-Joint Traffic As
sociation's Case a Natural Result.

Philadelphia, March 27.-The great i'm
portance Of the United States Supreme
Courts decision on the antitrust law, and
the widespread discussion of its effects,
particularly as affecting railroad conbi-
nations, give unusual interest to the
statement of ex-senator George F. Ed
munds concerning the purport OF the meas
ure. Senator Edmunds was chairman OF
the Committee on Judiciary at the time
the bill came before the Senate, and per-
sona!ly had much TO do with its construc-
tion. He speaks, therefore, Of what he
knows.
When seen at his home, No. 1T24 Spruce
street, he said: ''Our object in offering the
antitrust bill was to do all we could to
eXtinguish monopolies and trusts injurious
to the people-that is, to kill all such or
ganizations doing businessin more than one
State, and to which the United states law
would apply.
1T was our clear intention to include
railroad companies as coming within range
of the law, together with other concerns
OF any character whatever that might
enter into combina tons harmful to general
NfSNoNSSA
bill some one suggested that we signify
railroads definitely, but We objected on
the ground that if We did that, we wonld
also have to name all other Industrial or
commercial bodies In that case some
would surely be left out and the hill would
be defective. The scope CT the bill was
made broad enough to include every
thing 1t passed both branches OF Con-
greSs without change from the shape in
which we presented it.
There were too important points to he
considered in regard to the law. Trans
portation between States is carried on by
many common carriers, and agreements
between carriers to control or influence
rates in interstate commerce naturally
are within the scope of the act. IL in
cludes every combination, contract or con-
spiracy restraining trade and commerce
between the States, also with foreign ma
tions. Railways constitute the chief means
of carriage.
Railway companies naturally would
he included in legislation intended to pre-
vent the restraint Of trade. They are on
the same footing as manufacturing or
general trading concerns.
THE second question was, assuming
that the act applied TO transportation,
whether or not the common law included
only contracts in restraint OF trade, such
a. might be decided by the court to be
unreasonable. l infer that less attention
was paid to the legal aspect of this point
than 70 the first one. The court, by
ma iority of one, accepted the contention
that the action of the railways was 'un-
reasonable To determined what is un-
reasonable and what is reasonable is
something oftentimes extremely difficult.
Tie court was closely divided on the
point / assume there was not much diff
ference of opinion on the first point.
According to the judgment of the ma
jority of the court on the second point OF
law almost any combination is Illegal ifit
trade. Trades unions are liable to be de
cided to be unreasonable combinations The
Plumbers Union in Washin ngtOn will permit
only limited number Of apprentices to
learn the trade. 4 man | know, himself a
plumber, desired me to aid him in securinga
place under the Government for his son. /
said: why don't you make him plumber?
He will do better in the end The father
replied: Il can't make him a plumber; the
union will not permit it"
Here is an example OF how the decision
of the Supreme Court may effect the future
of business affairs. There are unions of
labor that may be decided to constitute
contracts affecting trade
There is a great field for litigation created
by the decision"