The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-11-24
The ANTITRUST LAW.

Attorney General Bell is meeting with success in
establishing the fact that the antitrust is anything
but a dead letter
Backed up by the decision of the supreme court OF
the United States in the Waters-Pierce case, establish
ie the States right outlaw combinations which are
designed to mouopolize trade and denounce methods
Of doing business unknown to legitimate competition
he has in a short time and with forced dssolu
ton Of the Master Plumbers association and convinced
the brewers in control of this section that they were
law breakers.
When the permit Of the Waters.Perce Oil company
to do business in the State forfeited in accordance
with the mandate OF tha highest Federal tribunal Of
the land and It's cha was surrendered out of re.
spec for the laws Of %exas, disappointment was
pressed because a corporation organized by stock
holders OF the offending permitted to acquire
the property continue tho business Of the latter
Extremists wanted the property of the orig
inal corporation seized and It's stockholders denied the
privilege Of further doing business in Texas. Pes
smlsts conteuded that tho States victory over the
Waters-Pierce company was without substance be-
cause that company not made to move out, lock,
stock and barrel.
There was warrant in law for satisfying the ex-
treMists. and the statute under which the Waters.
Pierce company brought into court contemplated
no such result contended for by the pessimsts
The law invoked In the premises designed solely
! for the purpose Of interfering with ileeitimato
schemes to get rid of competition IN the Texas mar.
kcts. The validity Oi that law settled when the
issue was joined with the Waters-Pierce company
which company compelled to reorganize in conse.
qleule and start out afresh with the understandings
taa it's competitors have rights in Texas it is bound
respect That understanding having so far from all
appearances, been borne in mind and lived up to- the
couc fusion must be that the law fully vindCuted
/ TN that instance.
with the decision in the Waters. Pierce case at
hand settle any question with regard the validity
OF the antitrust law and with proof ready establish
q violation thereof Attorney General Bell was SUI
fceuty fortified to proceed against the plumbers and
brewers with confidence And it did not take him
long 10 bring them around to the point where they
were willing to admit having assumed unlawful att
tude. Naturally enough, the payment of fines and the
dissolution OF offending corporations followed. and
once more the power OF the State to break up ar
engagements made in restraint OF trade demon
strated.
IT has been asserted by certain publications which
mistake license for corporations to do they please
for encouragement to capital that was inopportune
to do honor the "innocuous thing" (the antitrust
law at this time In the hrst place that law is any
thing but 'nnocuous" Furthermore It is a good thing
for promoters Of legitimate enterprises that said law
is effective. Enacted in order that the Texas field
might he free to all investors stands between such
promoters and disaster guaranteeing them protection
against combinations effected to deprive them of the
opportunity to trade with and manufacture for this
market No amount of Misrepresentation obscure
this To deny it is to take sides with those who ap-
prove of the employment of capital in discouraging
dividua effort and who danger in delivering the
natural of the State into few hands for de-
! yelopment,