The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-07
TRUSTS DISCUSSED
BY ATTORNEY CEN.
KNOX
He Gives His Idea as to Need
ed Legislation, Holding
That Existing Laws Are
Not Sufficient = Recon-
mends a Commission to
Investigate.

investigate.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. S.-At-
torney General Knox has addressed
! identical letters to Senator Hoar, chair
man of the senate judiciary committee,
and Representative Littleield chair
man of the subcommittee of the house
judiciary committee, giving his views
| on trusts. These letters are in reply
TO communications sent him by Sena-
tor Hoar and Mr.. Littlefield asking his
views. The letters embrace three sub
Jects, the questions which have been
| decided by the courts, the questions
Whlch are pending in the courts and
| suggestions respecting further legisla-
tlon' Under the latter head Mr.. Knox
says:
In view of the wide experience of
the committee in dealing legislatively
with legal and economic questions. T
venture upon the line of suggestion
with much hesitation and feeling that
the utmost the committee desires in
thls respect is that some concrete thing
De set down that may be considered,
III connection with other views that
may be presented, as to what might
De zone within the short period al
lowed for consideration during the life
OF tnls present congress. think it
proper enough to briefly premise such
suggestions as 1 shall make for irn1ne-
date action by a statement of some
OF the reasons upon which they are
based.
Regulated, Not Destroyed.
The end desired by the overwhelm-
ing majority Of the people of all sec
ions OF the country is that combina-
IONS OF capital should be regulated and
not destroyed, and that measures
should be taken to correct the tendency
toward monopolization of the Industrial
BUSINESS or the country. 1 assume a
tnlng TO be avoided, even by sugges-
tlon, is legislation regulating the bust
ness interests of the country beyond
ali such as will accomplish this end.
In my judgment, monopoly in anv
INDUSTRY would be impossible in this
country, Where money is abundant and
cheap and in the hands or within the
redch OF Keen and capable men if COM
pelltlon were assured of a fair and
open held and protected against unfair
dfuHclal and discriminating practices.
Two or more persons or corpora
'Ions cannot by any combination or
arrangement between themselves. either
contract or expand the rights of others
TO engage in similar business. The
utmost they can do is to disco11ra pc
the disposition to do so by restricting
the opportunities, or by securing to
themselves some exclusive facilities or
the enjoyment of some common facil-
! tiles upon exclusive terms
The Small Producer.
If the law will guarantee to the
| smaller producer protection against
plratical methods in connection and
Keep the highways to the market omen
and available to him for the same tolls
charged to his powerful competitor. he
viii manage to live and thrive to an
| astonishing degree.
Indlvldualism in production has its
! advantages as we'll as combination
Small individual enterprises not un
| commonly spring up and thrive within
the shadow of the larger ones, though
enjoying none of their supposed ad-
Vantages Of control of sources of raw
material fuel and transportation IA
cllltles, yet realizing large profit per
ton of output because of the close econ
emies possible through direct, personal.
1 interested Management"
| Mr.. Knox suggests legislation direct
ed against those who give and receive
! advantages enabling discrimination in
| prices as against competitors. This. to
| take the form of penalizing the trans
portatfon of goods, and federal courts
should be given the power to restrain
| such transportation. He says the pres
ent law is not sufficient to meet exist
ing conditions. The operation of anv
law on the subject, he thinks, should
be limited to common carriers subject
to the act to regulate commerce.
Commission Recommended.
An additional provision should be
mace, ne says, to reach corporations.
combinations and associations which
! produce and manufacture wholly with
in state, but whose products or sales
enter into interstate commerce. It
should relate, first, to such concerns
! as fatten on rebates in transportation.
/ and, second, to concerns which sell be-
| low the general price of a commodity.
or wantonly seek to destroy competi-
ton.
A comprehensive plan should be
framed to enable the government to
get at all the facts bearing upon the
/ organization and practices of concerns
! engaged in interstate and foreign COM
merce essential to full understanding
and to compel observation of the law.
He recommends a commission to aid in
carrying out the act of July 2. 1890.
which shall make an investigation into
the operations of corporations and
combinations, with authority to make
1 such inquiries and have power to re-
quire reports from them and their of
| f1cers. No person should be excused
from producing books, contracts, etc.
| in courts. Mr.. Knox says:
Legislation to correct trust abuses
should be developed with great care,
for it is not nearly so important to act
quickly as to act wisely"
! He recommends legislation to hurry
final decision in cases now pending and
which may be raised under the anti
| trust law.
An abstract of the attorney generals
recommendations was given out at the
| White house tonight. 1t represents the
general attitude of the administration
| on the subject of trusts and was au-
thorized by the president. 1t adds
nothing material to the attorney gem
erals letter quoted above.
Antitrust Bill.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 6.-Senator
Clay today introduced bill to provide
4 he