The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-15

ranges. and are more sensitive IN propor-
tlon as they are further removed from in
sllnslc values. and. In short are liable to
Ds storm centres OF financial disturbances
OF ,llar-reaching consequence
Iney also. in the same proportion in
crease the temptation TO misrna ma ge ment
ana ana manipulation by corporate admins
corporations, and joint stock or other
associations. depending upon any statu-
torg raw for their existence or privileges,
lung beyond their own states should
pe required TO do business in every state
aIu Iocsilty upon precisely the same
terms and conditions
NO DISCRIMINATION.
nrI1ns' There should be no discrimination in
pIIces; no preferences I'm service Such
corporations serving the public as car
riers and In similar capacities should he
compelled 10 keep the avenues OF com
,nercs mere Tree and open to all upon the same
lnganctions against sitting competition.
moreover, corporations upon which the
peopIIS depend for the necessaries OF life
snould DC required 10 conduct their bust
ness as regularly and reasonably 10 sup-
ply the public needs
Ihey should be subject TO vistorial su-
perVislon and full and accurate informa-
uon as to their operations should be
maue regularly al reasonable intervals
secrecy In the conduct and results OF OPP
stockholders. and should. as well for rea-
sons OF state. be prohibited by law
II these serious evils were eradicated
and higher measure OF administrative
responsibility required in corporate Off
GERS long step would be taken toward
aIIylng the reasonable apprehension that
the unchecked aggression of the trusts
VIII result in practical monopoly OF the
important business OF the country
:, Under the Sherman antitrust law sc-
ton was begun by the United States
against the sugar trust. corporation
OF the state OF New Jersey. which had
acquired the stock OF a number OF sugar
In ~ ha.f t,f H.
an exchange OF Its own shares for the
shares OF the vending stockholders OF
those companies
The contract CHALLENGED was one vast
ing in The trust the last OF the independ-
ent retinerles but one I'm the United
states states, thereby giving II the almost com
pete monopoly Of a necessary Of lfc. Its
control was 81 per cent OF the whole
The supreme court decided that as the
monopoly was In the production or manu-
facture Of sugar and It's sale or distri-
button among the states and TO foreign
countries was but Incidental thereto II
was not within the prohibition OF the
law. saying that manufacturing. although
II precedHs commerce, IS not part OF II,
and that the act only applied 10 restraints
OF commerce.
In subsequent case the government
destroyed e combination known as the
Addyson pipe combina :on, but upon the
ground that IL was a conspiracy among
Independent producers OF pipe 10 restrain
It's sale and distribution among the states
The combination In this case operated di-
THE ANTITRUST Law.
These cases seem TO define the scope OF
the antitrust law and show how little
there is now LEFT for the statute 20 oper-
ate upon. Conceding that the present
law is not effective throughout the situa-
tion, we come II the fnal alternative:
May not congress. under the existing con-
sututional grants, amend ard extend the
law and thus remedy It's defects and so
enectvely regulate national and foreign
commerce as 10 prevent the sitting OF
competition, tho regula ting ~ output and |
price and the restraining ~ national and |
trade?
Who shall set limits now. In advance OF |
a carefully framed and iudiciany tisted |
law, To the competence Of congress 10 |
regulate commerce I'm the way suggested |
and I'm the wide discretion conhded TO lty |
Who shall say that the power OF congress |
does not extend so far7 I think Il does. |
am quite sure no one can now say that |
And now a word as to what has been |
ana accomplished under |
many and peculiar embarraHgmcnts IN /
the way OF executing existing laws
TO the knowledge OF the president that
great railway systems In the Middle
West upon which every section Of the
country is dependent for the movement |
9f brcadstufs. had entered into unlaw-
ments OF a few favored grain buyers at
rates much below the tarr charges i'm
posed upon smaller dealers and tho gen
sral public
The Interstate Commerce commission
reported TO the department ~ Justice
hat the six largest meat-packlng con-
,crns, popularity known as the Beef
trust" were I'm n combination with each
,ther and with many great railway lines.
whereby they secured large secret con-
'essions in rates for the transportation
" their products. which enabled them 10
practically monopolize the fresh and |
'urcd meat industry OF the United States. 4