The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1899-12-07

which engross control the market of any
partieu ar kind OF merchandise or commodity
necessary to the general community. By sup
| pressing natural and ordinary competition
whereby prices unduly enhanced TO the
/ general consumer. are obnoxious not only 10
the common law but also to the pub lie welfare
There must be a medy for the evils involved
| in such organizations. II the present law can
be extended more certainly to control or check
these monop1lies trusts, it should be done
without Delay. Whatever power the congress
possesses over this most important subject
shC u q be promptly ascertained and asserte
An act to protect trade and commerce against
unlawful restraints and mon1polIes was passed
| by congress on the ID Of July, Ie90. The pro-
visi ms Of this statute are comprehensive and
STRINGENT 1t declares every contract or com
bination. in the form OF trust or other
wise. conspiracy in the restraint of trade or
commerce among the several states or with
foreign nations, to be unlawful 1t denoFnl :
mates : q criminal any person who makes any
such contract or engages in any such com pima
tion conspiracy and provides punishment
by tine Imprisonment Il invests the circuit
courts of the United States with jurisdiction to
prevent and restrain violations OF the act and
makes il the duty OF the several United States
district attorneys, under the direction OF the
attorney general. to institute proceedings IN
equity to prevent and restrain such violations.
1t further confer~ upon any person vino shall
BE- Injured in his business property by any
person or corporation by reason of anything
forbidden declared to be unlawful 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 sustained and the
costs of the suit, including reasonable attorney
fees. 1t will be perceived that the act il aimed
at every kind of combination III the nature OF
a trust monopoly in restraint Of in erSt atS
or inteTnation4 Al commerce.
The prosecution by the United States OF Of
lenses under the act of is9J has been frequently
resorted to in the federal courts and notable eff
forts in the restraint of interstate commerce,
such as the Transmissour Freight association
and the Joint Traftc association. have been
successfully opposed and suppressed.
state Lexi-Iation inadequate.
The state legislation to which President Cleve-
land looked for relief from the evils of trusts
has failed to accomplish fully that object. This
probably Is due to great extent To the fact
that different states take different views to
the proper way to discriminate between evil
injurious combinations and those associations
which are beneficial and necessary to the bust
ness prosperity of the country. The great d-
Versity Oft treatment in different states aris
ing from this cause. and the intimate rcia-
tions Of ali parts of the country To each other
without regarding state lines in the conduct OF
business, have made the enforcement OF state
laws difticult.
1t is apparent that uniformity of legislation
upon this subject in the several states is much
to be desired. 1t il to be hoped that such uni
formity founded in wise and just discrimi
HdiiOh DtlNttu WHIT injurious ana WniL IL
useful and necessary in business operations
may be obtained, and that means may be found
for the congress within the limitation of its
constitutional power so to supplement an effect
i've code of state legislati IN as to make com
plete system of laws throughout the United
States adequate to compel a general observance
of tie salutary rules to which have referred
Favors the Nicaragua Canal.
The Nicaragua canal commission which had
been engaged upon the work of examination
a yGKf for oh irn.
ragua, having completed its labors and made
its report. was dissolved on May 81. and on June
10 new commission, known the isthman
canal com mission, was organized under the
terms of the act approved March 8 1862 for the
purpose of examining the American is,hmus
with view to determining the most practicable
and feasible route for ship canal across that
isthmus with its probable cost and other es-
scntial details Good progress has been made.
but under the law a comprehensive and COM
plete investigation is called for, which will re-
quire much labor and considerable time for its
accomplishment. The work will be prosecuted
expeditiously possible and report made
at the earliest practicable date. The great i'm
portance OF this work cannot be too often or
too strongly pressed upon the attention of the
congress In my message of a year ago ex-
pressed nv views of the necessity of a canal
which would link the two great oceans to which
/ again invite your consideration. The reasons
the presented for early action are even stronger
In view of disturbances in the populouS prov
inces of northern China. where many of
our citizens, ana of the i;nminence of disorder
near the ci pItal and toward the Seaboard. a
! uard of marines was landed from the Boston
and stationed during last winter in the legation
compound at Peklng With the restoration OF
order this protection was withdrawn. The in
terest~ OF our citizens in that vast empire have
IL t been neglected durin the past year Ade
quate protection has been secured for our mis-
-lriA and I'M hof Pttrt
nave been redressed
American capital has sought AMI found vari
Gus opportunities of competing TO carry out the
internal i'm proyements which the imperial gov
eminent is wisely encouraging and to develop
the natural resources of the empire Our trade
with China has continued to grow and our com
mercal rights under existing treaties have
been everywhere maintained during the past
year as they will be in the future. The ex-
tension OF the area open to International
foreign settlement at Shanghai and the opening
of the ports OF Marking, Tsing-Tao tkiao
Chac) and Ia Lien Wan to foreign trade and
settlement will doubles, afford American en-
terprise additiona, facilities and fields Of
which it will not be slow To take advantage
In my message To congress of December ),
isss. urged that the recommendation which
had been made to the speaker of the house of
representatives by the secretary of the treas
ury on the 18th Cf June. 1929. for appropria-
ton for a commission to study the commercial
and industrial CO r6;ticnS in the Chinese empire
and report as to tne opportunities for and OBJ
stacleS to- the enlargement of markets in China
for the raw pro- urt> anu manufactures OF the
United States, should receive at your hands the
consideratis which its in oortance and timeli-
ness merited, uut the congress failed TO take
action.
now renew It's recommendation. as the i'm
portance OF the subject has steadily grown since
IL was first submitted TO you. and no time should
be lost in studying for ourselves the resources
OF this great neld for American trade and enter
prise.
Exhibit ut Parts Expedition.
Preparations for the industries. arts. and
products OF he United States at the worlds ex-
posi- ton be held in Paris next year continue
ON elaborate and compre 1ensive scale. thanks |
To the generous appropriation provided by con- |
sress and to the friendly interest the French |
government has shown in furthering a typical |
exhibit of American progress.
There has been aliot ed to the United States