Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-12-06

#,
trade among our citizens, to stifle COM
! petition. limit production and determine
the prices of products used and con-
snmed by the people, are justly pro-
Voking public discussion, and should
early claim The attention OF the Con-
gress.
The Industrial Commission. created
by the act of the Congress of June is,
io9S' mas been engaged in extended
hearings UPON the disputed questions
involved In the subject OF combinations
IN restraint of trade and competition.
Ihey have not yet completed their in
vestigation of this subject, and The con-
e til and recommendations Mt which
lhey may arrive are undetermined.
The subject is one giving rise to
many divergent views as to- the nature
ana variety of cause and extent of the
injuries to the public which may result
IRON large combinations concentrating
more or less numerous enterprises and
establishments, which previously to the
formation of the combination were car
ried on separately.
1t is universally conceded TINT COM
Dinotlons which engross or control the
market OF any particular kind of mer-
chand1se or commodity necessary to
inc general community. by suppressing
natural and ordinary - competition,
whereby prices are unduly enhanced to
not only to the common law. but also
10 The public welfare. There must be
remedy for the evils involved in such
organizations. If the present law can
DC extended more certainly to control or
check these monopoles or trusts, Il
should be done without delay. What
ever power the Congress possesses over
this most important subject should be
promptly asccrtained and asserted
HARRISON OJIOTJ1D
The President quotes from President
Harrison's message OF December 3, 1880.
OH this subject. and adds:
An act to protect trade and COM
merce against unlawful restraints and
lnonopoiies was passed by Congress on
the I'd of July, $780, The provisions OF
TINS statute is comprehensive and strin-
gent; 1t declares every contract or
combination. In the form of trust OF
otherwise. or conspiracy in the restraint
or trade or commerce among the seve-
raj States or with foreign nations to
be unlawful. 1t dcnominates as a
criminal every person who makes any
such contract or engages in any such
combination or conspiracy. and pro-
vides a punishment by fine or impris-
onment. 1t Invests the several circuit
courts of the United States with juris-
diction to prevent and restrain viola
tons of the act, and makes 1t the duty
\ OF the several United States District
Attorneys, under the direction of the
Attorney General, to institute proceed
| ings In equity to prevent and restrain
such violations. 1t further confers upon
| any person who shall be injured in his
business or property by any other per-
son or corporation by reason of any
thing forbidden or declared 10 be UNI
lawful by the act. the power to sue
therefor in any circuit court OF the
United States without respect to the
amount in controversy, and to recover
three-fold the damages by him sus-
tanned and the costs Of the suit, includ-
ing reasonable attorney fees. 1t will
be perceived that the act is aimed ut
every kind of combination in the ma
ture of a trust or monopoly in restraint
of interstate or international commerce.
THE prosecution by the United States
OF offenses under the net of 1890 has been
frequently resorted to in the Federal
courts. and notable efforts in the re-
straint of interstate commerce. such as
the trans Missouri Freight Association
and the Joint Traffic Association, have
been successfully opposed and sup
pressed"
UNIFORM LEGISLATION.
The President disnisses the subjec!
| as follows:
1t is apparent that uniformity of leg
isidtioIl upon tHlS subject IN the several
| States is much to be desired 1t is
TO be hoped that such uniformity found
ed in wise and just discrimination
between what Is injurious and what is
useful and necessary in business oper-
ations may be obtained, and that means
| may be found for the Congress within
the limitations of its constitutional
power so TO supplement an effective
| Code of State legislation as to make a
| Hnnlnlatn SVStan fOf lQwS irtn ,,f
the United States adequate to compel
| a general observance of the salutary
| rules to which I have referred.
The whole question is so important
| and far reaching that I am sure no
| part of 1t will be lightly considered, but
| every phase of 1t will have the studied
| elaboration of the Congress, resulting
! in wise and judicious action.
OUR FOREIGN RELATIONS.
Passing to our relations with foreign
| States the work of the State Depart
ment for the past year is thoroughly
reviewed. Among the subjects touched
| upon are the settlement of the long
| pending boundary dispute between the
Argentine Republic and Chill; progress
| that has been made toward the con-
| clusion of a convention of extradition
with the Argentine Republic, which on
| ly awaits the adjustment of some slight
changes in the text before exchanges
the refusal of this Government to as
sumo liability for the killing of certain
Austrian and Hungarian subjects by
the authorities of Pennsylvania at Lat
timer, while Suppressing an unlawful
tumult of miners, September 10, 1897;
the mitigation by the Belgian Govern
ment of restrictions on he Importation
OF cattle from the United States; the
attempt on the part of our Government
to induce the Government of Bolivia to
amend It's marriage laws so as to give