Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-04-08
TREATS OF TRUSTS.
President Roosevelt Delivers Ad-
dress Reviewing the Problem.
FuhiicitS q" he Broosht About
rhrouEh New Department OF Com
ncrce and Inbor-Suits Pros
ccuted ny the Government
address delivered ut Milwaukee Apri,
1851


In consequence of The cXtraordin-
airy industrial changes OF the last
halt century. and notably of the last
two or thee decades, changes due
mainly 90 lhe rapjdity ard complex
'ty OF our Industrial growth. we are
confronted with problems which i'm
their present shape were unknown TO
our torcfathers. Our great prosper.
n.y. with its accompanying concentra-
ton of population and uf wealth. its
extreme specialization of faculties.
ana It's Development of giant indus
trlal leaders. has brought much good
and some evil. and IL is ~ foolish tn
ignore the good as willfully to blind
ourselves TO the evil
The evil has been partly the i'm.
eNhaoic accompaniment OF the So
clal changes, and where this is the
case II can he cured neither by law
nor by the administration of the law.
the only remedy lying i'm the slow
change OF character and of economic
environment. But for portion of
the evil. at least. we think that RENE
dies can he found.
In ltS wisdom congress enacted the
very important law providing de
partment OF commerce and labor, and
further providing therein under the
secretary of commerce and labor for
n commissioner OF corporations
| charged with the duty of supervision
OF and of making intelligent invcsti-
CATION into the organization and con
duct of corporations engaged i'm inter
4 "A
pose illegal or hurtful practices and
TO obtain all information needful for
the purposes of further intelligent
| legislation seem adequate: and the
| publicity justiiable and proper for
public purposes is satisfactorily
guaranteed
But much though this is. IL is only
| a part of what has been done i'm the
eHort To ascertain and correct i'm
proper trust or monopolistic prac-
| tees. Some Is months ago the in
dustrial commission. an able and non
partisan body, reported to congress
the result Of their investigation of
| trusts and industrial combinations
One OF the most important of their
conclusions was that determinations
IL freight rates and facilities were
granted favored shippers by the rail
roads and that these discriminn tions
clearly tended toward the control of
production and prices i'm many fields
of business by large combinations
| That this conclusion was iustiia5le
| was shown by the disclosures i'm the
| investigation of railroad methods pur-
| sued in the fall and winter of 1907
1902. II was then shown that GER
tain trunk lines had entered into un-
| lawful agreements aS to the trans
portation of food products from the
west to the Atlantic seaboard. giv-
ing few favored shippers rates
much below the tariff charges inn
posed upon the smaller dealers and
the general public. These unjust
practices had prevailed 10 such an ex-
tent and for so long time that
many of the smaller shippers had
been driven out of business. until
| practically ore buyer OF grain on
each railway System had been able
by his Illegal advantages 10 secure n
monopoly ON the line with which his
| -ccrct compact was made: this mo-
| mop ~ enabling him to fiN the price
10 both producer ard consumer
II j. clear chat corporation, Great
| I'd for quasi public purposes. clothed
| for that reason with the ultimate
| power Of the state to take private
prop rty ngain~; the viii Of the own
er hold their corporate powers as
carriers in trust for the fairly impair
til service Of all the public. Favor
| iiism in the use Of such powers. I'M
| Justly erriching some and uniu>tly
| impovcris hing othcr-. discriminating
IN favor Of some places and against
| uthers, j. palpably yiOlatiyc Of plain
principles Of Justice. Such n practice
| unchecked is hurtful in many ways.
Congress. having had it's attention
drawn 10 the matter. enacted most
important anti-rebate law. which
greatly strengthens the interstate.
commerce law. This new law prohib-
its under adequate penalties the Civ
ing and a well the demanding or re-
ceiving of such preferences. and pro-
vides the preventive remedy Of in
junction.
All Of this represents great and
substantial advance i'm legisla don.
But more important even than legis-
lation Is the administration Of the
law. and ] ask your attention for
moment TO the way in which the law
has Leen administered by the pro-
found iurist and fearless public serv-
ant who now occupies the position Of
attorney general. Mr.. Knox The
constitution enjoins upon he presi-
dent that he shall take care that the
laws be faithfully executed. and I'M
der this provision the attorney gem
craI formulated q policy which was
IN effect nothing hut the rigid en-