Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-08
SENATOR HoAR EXPLAINS HIS BILL

senator HOar is a learned and able
lawyer. He knows as well as anyone
the limitations upon the powers Of con-
gress imposed by the constitution. He
framed his antitrust bill In the full
light Of this knowledge, with care and
elaboration, and those who question the
constitutionality of its provisions, as
Representative Jenkins, chairman of the
house committee on judiciary, and some
Others have done, must be prepared to
give very conclusive reasons for their
Opinion. The country will not accept a
hastily formed judgment adverse to the
antitrust measure Of the eminent
Massachusetts senator, who is in the
trent rank Of constitutional lawyers.
In his speech Tuesday explanatory of
his bill Senator Hoar did not claim for
1t perfection or infallibility. He said it
was tentative and experimental, as any
legislation Of this nature must neces-
sarlly be. No mortal wisdom can dis
Germ at once all that is required for the
proper and adequate supervision and
regulation of the great industrial COM
binations. 1t is a comparatively new
question, arising from an extraordinary
evolution in industrial and economic
conditions the import of which is not
yet clearly and perfectly understood.
I'VE should proceed safely, step by
STEP" said Senator Hoar. That is the
view of thoughtful, conservative men.
They see the danger inherent in the con-
centration of vast financial, industrial
and commercial power in combinations
controlled by a few men. They realize
that such q situation is pregnant with
possibilities Of very great evils and
abuses, some of which have been
already developed. But in seeking n
remedy men like Senator Hoar, who un-
derstand the obstacles and difficulties,
endeavor to find a way that will cor
rect evils and avert danger without shat
tering the entire industrial system and
hating progress and prosperity. The
conservative and rational plan, the only
plan that can be certainly and perma-
bNAlAg tAAtNNANN . 10 NhdA VI lESu ldllOA anu
control. This will not be destructive,
nor will 1t interfere with legitimate in,
dustrial progress on sound and safe eco.
nOmic lines. AS was said by Senator
Hoar, great wealth should be controlled
as the servant of man end of the gov.
eminent and should not be given the
reins Of control. We must keep contro.
over agencies which can make cities
grow or wither."
1t is necessary in dealing with this
complex problem to avoid whatever
would be essentially revolutionary in ii,
operation. II must be borne in MIND
that If It were practicable TO destroy tn,
combinations this could not be accom-
plished without more or less injury t,
the entire Industrial system Of the coun
try. Every independent enterprise tina
now completes with the combination.
would be unfavorably affected. 1t 4
not n revolutionary but a remedial pol
icy that is TO be desired and il is thi
which is provided in Senator HOar's bill
Some changes and notifications of tina
measure may be found expedient, but a
! we have heretofore said, it is in its gen
! eral terms the most practical and con
: prehensive bill for the supervision an
regulation of the corporations and az
I sOciations to which II applies thus IA
r submitted 10 congress.