New-York tribune., 1903-04-04

seem adequate. and the publiClIN 1uStlDanie
and proper for public purposes is satisfactorily
guaranteed. The law passed at the very
end of the session of Congress. Owing TO the
latenesS of its passage Congness Was not abie
TO provide proper equipment fer the nev-depart-
snent: and the first few months must necessarily
be spent I'm the work Of organization. and the
tative character The satisfactory development
OF such a system requires time and great labor
NEW DEPARTMENTS WORK.
Those who are intrIIsted with the administra-
tion of the new law Will assuredly administer
81 in spirit Of absolute fairness and justice
and of entire fearessness. with the firm purpose
not 30 hurt any corporation doing legitimate
husineSs-o1 the contrary to help it-and, on
the other hand not 10 spare any corporation
which may be guilty Of illegal practices or the
methods of which may make IL a menace to
the public welfare. Some substantial good VIII
be done in the immediate future: and as the DC
partment gets fairly TO work under the law an
ever larger vista for coed work will he opened
6long the lines indicated The enactment or
this law is one Of the most significant contri-
buttons which have been made in our time to TO
ward the proper solution of the problem OF the
relations to the people of the great corporations
and corporate combinations
CHECKING FREIGHT DISCRIMINATION.
But much though this is it is only part Of
what has been done in the effort 70 ascertal
and correct improper trust monopolistlc prac-
tices Some eighteen months ago the incustrlaA
Commission. an able and non-partisan body re
ported to Congress the result of their inVestiSa-
zion of trust and industrial combinations
One Of the most important OF their con-
ClrSionS that determinations IN 1TelSHL
rates and facilities were granted favored SNIP
pers by the railroads and that these dlscrinl-
nations clearly tended toward the control OF
production and prices In many heids OF business
by large combinations
That this conclusion was 1ustifable was shown
1 -he disclosures trl the investigation OF rail
road methods pursued I'm the fall and winter Of
1901 90. II was then shown that certain
trunk lines had entered into unlaWful agree
rnents as to the transportation Of food products
from the West 10 the Atlantic Seaboard, giving
G few favored shippers rates nuch beIo" the
tariff charges imposed upon the smaller dealers
snd the general public THESE uh1ust pTacIiCe9
had prevailed 10 such an extent ana Tor so lohg
r time that many OF the smaller shippers had
been driven out Of business until practicalIy one
l7TTver Of grain on each railway system had been
able hy his illegal advantages to secure a mo-
,lopolv on the line with which his secret com
Fact was made: this monopoly enabling him 10
FIX the price 10 both producer ana consumer.
Many of the great packing house concerns ~eIe
shown 10 he IN combination with each other ana
with rnost Of the great railway lines, Whereoy
they enjoyed large secret concessions In rates
and thus obtained a practical monopoly OF the
fresh and cured meat industry Of the country
These f'lsions though violative Of the staiute
had prevailed unchecked for so many years Is. tnaC
they had become intrenched IN ana 1Iter"oHeIi
with the commercial life of certain large dls-
trihuring localities; although this was OF course
at the expense Of the vast body OF Ia"
merchants the general public, and particularly
OF unfavored localities
THE NEW ANTITRUST LAWS
Under those circumstances IL was serious
problem to determine the wise course 10 follow
IN xfraifZiuE a law WHICH DdG III pdlA 'CCOiii-
obsolete or proved incapable of enforcement OF
what the Attorney General did IN enforcing II
shall speak later. The decisions OF the courts !
upon the law had betrayed weaknesses anu anu IN m
rqerfeCtions some OF them so serious as 10 reotr
abortive efforts to apply any eHectlVe remedy
for the existing evils r..
guasa PTsiG P,sh the intimate Of the state
take private Pr@Pertg naarasa no,vsrs w na
carriers for the fairly iTPT Ittni t reT Sse
of such powers, untustIy enrichfnE some ana
nn5ustly tmpovsrishlnE oinfas ana a@ainst
ofEers. IS paIpabIy vioIative of plain prinei-
Ps-.p q T1r-(tfce unchecked is hurtfuI in many
-,-ays congress having had its attention
drawn 20 the matter enacted most important
anti-rebate law which greatly strengthens the
interstate commerce law This new Jaw pro-
hibits under adequate penalties the giving ana
as well the demanding or receiving OF suGh
preferences and provides the preventive remedy
laW-and il VIII De en1orceo-"llA' II u HoPeL,
afford a substantial remedy for certain trust
evils which have attracted public attention ana
have created public unrest.
This law represents a noteworthy and iTnpoT-
tant advance toward just and effective regula-
SION Of rransportation Moreover. its passage
17as been sJrnleUented by the enactment of a
law TO expedite the hearing OF actions OF public
moment under the antitrust act, known as the
commerce at the request Of the Attorney Gen
eral. and Furthermore, additional funds have
been appropriated to be expended under the di-
Tection Of the Attorney General In the ENFORCE
ment Of these laws.
ATTORNEY GENERAL KNOX PRAISED.
All Of this represents q great and substantial
advance in legislation But more important
even than legislation is the administration OF the
law and ! ask your attention for a moment 10
the way in which the law has been administered
by the profound jurist and fearless pubic ser
~ant who now occupies the position or attorney
General Mr. Knox The constitution enjoins
upon the President that he shall take care that
the laws be faithfully executed, and under this
r1-ovision the Attorney General formulated
policy which was in effect nothing but the rigid
enforcement. 10y suits managed with consum-
mate skill and ability. both CT the Antitrust
70 regulate commerce. Inc hIst step Iahet
Wae the prosecution OF fourteen suits against
the principal railroads Of the Middle West, re-
=tralnfng them by injunction from further Nio-
lations OF either Of the laws in question.
THE NORTHERN SECURITIES SUIT.
Ahcut the same time the against the
Northern Securities Company was initiated
This was a corporation organized under the
of 500 600 600 the alleged purpose being to con-
rro the Great Northern and the Northern Pa
cifc railroad companies, two parallel and CON.
peting lines extending across tne northern IleI u
States from the Mississippi River to the Paclnc
Ocean. Whatever the purpose, its consumma-
tton would have resulted in the control or the
TWO great railway systems upon which the peo-
1,le OF The Northwestern States were so largely
dependent for their supplies and to get their
products 20 market be ing practically merged
into the New-Jersey corporation.
The proposition that these independent sys
tens Of railroads should be merged under a sin
gle control alarmed the people OF the states con-
Carued lest they be subjected TO what they
deemed a monopoly Of interstate transporta ton
end the suppression Of competition. The Gov
ernors Of the States most deeply affected held
q meeting to consider how TO prevent the merger
becoming effective and passed resolutions call
ing upon the national government to enforce the
antitrust laws against the alleged combination
When these resolution were referred to the At
forney General for consideration and advice he
reported that in his opinion the Northern Secu-
nd of fha HG