The Penn's Grove record., 1903-01-09
PRESIDENTS IRuSTP0leY
The Attitude d tie Administration
Officially Voiced
LEGISLATION IS RECOMMENDED


II u Urged That All Discriminatory Prac-
tices AAsctinK lnterstate Trade Be
Made omsnsss to Be Enjoined and Pun-
ished-The Formation Of ; Trust Conn-
mission su9gssted-Omcial Statement.
Washington, D. C.-President Roose-
welt has made an official declaration
as to what he wishes in the way Of
antitrust legislation.
The following abstract Of Attorney
General Knox's recommendations re-
garding trusts and combinations which
were made public at some length, was
given out at the White House. It
represents the general attitude Of the
Administration on this subject, and
was authorized by the President. It
Is as follows:
"Preliminary-The people do not de-
sire the business Of the country to be
interfered with beyond the regulation
necessary to control combinations
where they act improperly and to COR
rect any tendency toward monopoly.
In this country, where money is cheap
and abundant and within the reach Of
keen and capable men, monopoly will
be impossible II competition is kept
free.
Small enterprises have certain adj
vantages over large combinations, and
will live and thrive IL assured of all
open and fair field. Rebates and dis
criminatory rates constitute n Of the
chief restrictions on competition. They
unjustly swell the earnings Of favored
concerns, and, supporting a vast vol
ume of capital stock which represents
nothing but unfair advantage over
rivals, contribute largely to the up
building of monopoly.
Individual Industrial experience,
with the certainty Of securing employ
ment of capital, may be trusted to
compete effectively with such selfish
combinations as are not formed Tor
sound economic reasons, but merely in
order to capitalize the country's pros
perity for the benefit of their promot-
eRs. The existence OF most of these
combinations has not increased the
productive capacity. of the country;
they have merely acquired the owner
ship OF pre-existing industries.
Recommendations for immediate
legislation-That all discriminatory
practices affecting interstate trade be
made offenses to be enjoined and pun
ished.
"Such legislation to be directed alike
against those who give and those who
receive illegal advantages and to cover
discrimination in prices as against
competitors in particular localities re-
sorted to for the purpose Of destroying
competition.
"In order to reach producers guilty
of these offenseS, who are as producers
merely beyond national control, a pen
atty should be imposed upon the in
terstate and foreign transportation of
goods produced by them, and Federal
courts should be given power to re-
strain such transportation at the Gov
ernment's suit.
'sSuch legislation is necessary be-
cause the existing interstate com
merce law does not give an effective
remedy In this class of cases against
either shipper or carrier.
"The casus Omissus in the interstate
commerce should now be supplied by
imposing a penalty upon carrier and
beneficiary alike, and by giving to the
courts the right to restrain all such in
fractions Of the law.
provision should also be made to
reach corporations and combinations
which produce wholly within a State,
but whose products enter interstate
commerce. This provision should re-
late, first, to concerns which fatten on
rebates; second, to concerns which
sell commodities below the general
price in particular localities or in any
other way In particular localities seek
to destroy competition.
There should be a comprehensive
plan to enable the Government to get
at all the facts bearing upon the or
~ganization and practices of concerns
engaged in interstate commerce, not
with a view to hampering any legiti-
mate business OF such concerns, but In
order to be In position to take action
IL necessary.
"To this end a commission or a spe-
cial bureau in the proposed Depart
ment Of Commerce should be created,
whose duty 1t should be to investigate
the operations Of concerns engaged In
interstate or foreign commerce, and to
gather information and data enabling
it to make recommendations for add
tional legislation to report to the Presi-
dent.
''This would be a first step in secur-
ing proper publicity. This commission
should have authority to inquire into
the management of any concern doing
an interstate business whenever it be-
comes necessary or desirable; 1t should
have the authority to call for reports
from them, to compel testimony from
all witnesses and by the production OF
books, papers, etc.
"These recommendations are based
on the central thought that the first
step should be taken by a law aimed at
what are certainly known to be I'M
reasonable practices directly restrictive
Of freedom of commerce, and by a law
securing some governmental supervis-
ion. as outlined above. A special act
should be passed at nee to speed the
final decision of cases pending or to
be raised under the present antitrust
law, providing for the hearing OF such
cases by a full bench Of Circuit Judges,
and for a direct appeal from the Cir
cult Courts to the Supreme Court OF