Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-04-04

Inent Of commerce tnd labor, and fur
ther, providing therein under the sec
rotary OF commerce and labor for q
commissioner Of corporations, charged
with the duty of supervision Of and o
making intelligent investigation int
the organization ana conduct Of cor
porations engaged In interstate com
meTce, His powers to expose illega
or hurtful practices and to obtain ali
information needful for the purposes OF
further intelligent legislation seem ade-
quate; and the publicity justiflab Bile and
proper for public purposes Is satlsfac
torily guaranteed. The law was passed
&C the very end Of the session OF Con
gress. Owing TO the lateness Of Is
passage Congress was not able to pro-
vide proper equipment for the new de-
partment; and the first few months
must necessarily be spent In the work
Of organization, and the first investlga-
tons must necessarily be Of tentative
character. The satisfactory develop
ment Of such system requires time
and great labor
WILL ADMINISTER LAW.
"Those who are intrusted with the
administration Of the new law win as
suredly administer IL In a spirit of abb
solute fairness and justice and OF en-
tire fearlessness with the firm purpose
not to hurt any corporation doing
legitimate business--on the contrary TO
help it-and on the other hand. not to
spare any corporation which may be
guilty Of Illegal practices, or the meth
DDS OF which may make II menace
10 the public welfare. Some substan-
lial good VIII be done In the immediate
future and as the department gets
fairlv 10 work under the law an ever
larger vista for good work Will be
opened along the lines indicated. The
enactment Of this law is one OF the
most significant contributions which
have been made In our time toward
the proper solution OF the problem Of
the relations to the people Of the great
corporations and corporate comblna-
lions.
REPORT ON TRUSTS.
"But much though this is, II is only
a part of what has been done in the
effort TO ascertain and correct improper
trust or monOpolstic pactices. Some
eighteen months ago the Industrial
commission, an able and nonpartisan
OF their investigation Of trusts and in
dustrial combinations. One OF the most
important Of their conclusions was that
Determinations IN freight rates and ia
clllties We're granted favored shippers
by the railroads and that these discrm-
nations clearly tended toward the con-
troll Of production and prices In many
fields OF business by large combina-
lions.
CONCLUSION WAS UNSUITABLE.
THAT this conclusion was justlhabe
was shown by the disclosures In the
investigation Of railroad methods pur-
sued In the fall and winter Of l90l-lsO2
II was then shown that certain trunk
lines had entered into unlawful agree
ments as TO the transportation OF food
products from the west 10 the Atlantic
seaboard. giving few favored shippers
rates much below the tariff charges
imposed upon the smaller dealers and
the general public These unjust prao-
tees had prevailed 10 such an extent
and for 30 long a time that many Of
the smaller shippers had been driven
out of business, until practically one
buyer OF grain on each railway system
had been able by his illegal advantages
TO secure Il monopoly on the line with
which hlssecret compact was made this
monopoly enabling him to fix the price
TO both producer and consumer.
COMBINE OF THE PACKERS.
MANY of the great packing house
concerns were shown 10 he In combina-
ton with each other and with most OF
the great railway lines, whereby they
enjoyed large secret concessions In
rates and thus obtained a practical
monopoly Of the fresh and cured meat
Industry Of the country. These fusions,
though violative of the statute, had
prevailed unchecked for so many years
that they had become intrenched IN and
interviewer with the commercial life Of
certain large distributing localities, al
though this was Of course at the ex-
pense of the vast body OF lawabiding
merchants. the general public, and par
ticularly OF unfavored localities
Under those circumstances It was a
serious problem TO determine the wise
course to follow In vitallzing law
which had IN part become obsolete or
proved Incapable OF enforcement. OF
what the attorney generl did In enforc-
4
of the courts upon the law had be-
trayed weaknesses and imperfections,
some CT them so serious as TO render
abortlve efforts TO apply any effective
remedy for the existing evils.
CARRIERS AS TRUSTEES.
1T is clear that corporations created
for quasi public purposes. clothed for
that reason with the ultimate power OF
the state TO take private property
against the will OF the owner hold their
corporate powers as carriers In trust
for the fairly impartial service Of all
the public Fayorltisin In the use OF
such powers, upjustly enriohing some
and unjustly impoverishing others, dis
In favor Of some places and
against others. is palpably ylolatlye OF
plain principles Of justice. Such prac-
tise unchecked is hurtfui In many ways