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

under adequate penalties the giving and
as well tie demanding or receiving OF
such preferences, and provides the pre-
VentNe remedy OF injunction. The Wig
orous administration Of this law and It
VIII be enforced. Will It is hoped af-
ford substantial remedy for certain
trust evils which have attracted public
attention and have created public UNI
rest
REGULATION or TRANsPORTA-
TION.
This law represents a noteworthy
and important advance toward just
nd effective regulation Of transporta-
ION, Moreover, It's passage has been
supplemented by the enactment Of
aw 60 expedite the hearing of actions
ot public moment under the antitrust
act known as the Sherman law, and
under the act 20 regulate commerce, at
the request of the attorney-gene
ma furthermore, additional funds have
leen appropriated TO be expended I'M
Ter the direction of the attorneygen-
tral In the enforcement OF these laws.
ATTY, GEN COMMENDED,
IAN Of this represents great and
ubstantial advance In legislation But
more important even than legislation Is
The tdminsnhtion Of the law, and ] ask
$our attcrtiOn for a moment to the way
In Which the law has been administered
by the rrolound jurist and fearless pub.
lie servant who now occupies the posi-
ton OF attorney general, Mr. Knox. The
Constitution eniolns upon the president
that he shan take care that the laws
be faithfully executed, and under this
provision the attorney-genera formu-
lated policy which was in effect moth
ing hut the rigid enforcement, by suits
nap0ged with consummate skin and
ability, bctl. OF the antitrust law and
OF the imperfect provisions of the act
to regulate commerce.
NORTHERN SECURITIES CASE,
1.-THE first step taken was the prose-
cution of IA suits against the prlnci-
pal railroads Of the middle west. re-
straining them by injunction from fur
her violations Of either Of the laws In
question.
About the same time the case
against the Northern Securities COM
lany was initiated. This was a cor
loratlon organized under the laws OF
The state of New Jersey with a capital
IF SiCO 100000, the alleged purpose being
20 control the Great Northern and the
Northern Pacific railroad companies,
iwo competing and parallel lines eX-
tending across the northern tier of
states from the Mississippi river to the
Pacific ocean. Whatever the purpose It's
contamination would have resulted in
the control of the two great railway
systems upon which the people OF the
northwestern states We're so largely
dependent for their supplies and to get
their products TO market being practi-
cally merged into the New Jersey cor
poration.
TO PREVENT THE MERGER.
THE proposition that these ndepend.
ent systems Of railroad should be
merged under a single control alarmed
the people of the states concerned, lest
they be subjected to what they deemed
a monopoly of Interstate transportation
and the suppression Of competition. The
governors Of the states most deeply af-
fected held meeting 20 consider how
10 prevent the merger becoming effec-
tive and passed resolutions calling up
on the national government 90 enforce
the antitrust laws against the alleged
combination. When these resolutions
We're referred 10 the attorney general
Tor consideration and advice, he report
ed that IN his opinion the Northern Sc
cureties company and It's control Of the
railroads mentioned was a combination
in restrain of trade and was attempting
"A monopoly In violation Of the national
antitrust law. Therefore n suit In
equity, which is now pending, was be-
gun by the government TO test the va
lidity Of this transaction under the
Sherman law.
THE MEAT TRUST.
AT nearly the same time the dis
closures respecting the secret rebates
enjoyed by the great packinghouse
companies, coupled with the very high
price Of meats, led the encouragement
to direct an investigation into the
methods Of the so-caled beef trust The
result was that he filed bills for injunc-
ton against six Of the principal pack
lnghouse companies, and restrained
them from combining and agreeing up
on prices at which they would sell their
products IN states other than those In
which their meats were prepared for
market. Writs Of Injunction were is-
sued accordingly, and since then, after
full argument, the United States CIR
cult court has made the Injunction per-
petual.
POOL AGAINST COTTON MEN.
"The cotton interests Of the south, in
Guiding growers, buyers and shippers,
made complaint that they were suf-
fering great injury in their Dustin So
from the methods Of the southern rail-
roads In the handling and transporta-
ton OF cotton. They alleged that these
railroads, by combined action under a
pooling Arrangement 10 support their
rate schedules, had denied TO the ship
pers the right TO elect over what roads
their commodities should be shipped.
and that by dividing upon fixed basis
the cotton crop of the south all in
ducement TO compete in rates for the
transportation thereof was eliminated.
Proceedings were instituted by the at
torney.general under the antitrust law
which resulted in the destruction of the
pool and In restoring TO the growers
and shippers OF the south the right TO
ship their products over any road they
elected thus removing the restraint
upon the freedom of commerce.
SUIT AGAINST SALT TRUST.
in November, 1902, the attorney gen
eral directed that bill for an injunc-
ton be filed In the United States cir
cnit court at San Francisco against the
Federal Salt company--a corporation
which had been organized under the
laws OF an eastern state but had is
main office and principal place Of busi-
ness In California-and against con-
shutting what was known as the salt
trust. These injunctions were to re-
Y nj toll