Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1903-01-10
REMEDY FOR TRUST EVIL.
Administration Attitude on the
Subject Made Public.
SHELEeIsLATIoN RECOMMENDED

ciOuiu be IlrcCted Against IhOSe
Who Give Or Receive Illegal Ad-
vantages to Destroy Competition.
investigating Commission Proposed.
Washington. Jan. THE following
abstract of Attorney General Knox S
recommendations regarding trusts and
combinations, which were made pub
lie at some legnth yesterday, was given
out at the White House last night 1t
represents the general attitude of the
administration on this subject, and was
authorized by the president.
The people DC not desire the bust
ness of the country to be interfered
with beyond the regulation necessary
to control combinations where they
act improperly, and to correct any
tendency toward monopoly.
Small enterprises have certain ad-
vantages over large combinations, and
will live and thrive if assured of an
open and fair field. Rebates and dis
criminatory rates constitute one of the
chief restrictions OF competition. They
unjustly swell the earnings of favored
concerns and, supporting a vast vol
ume Of capital stock, which represents
nothing but unfair advantage over
rivals, contribute largely to the up
building of a monopoly.
The situation respecting transporta-
ton determinations and the entry of
independent capital into new indus
tries has lately been improved
Recommendation for immediate
legislation are: That all discrimina-
tory practices affecting interstate
trade be made offenses to be enjoined
and punished. Such legislation to be
directed alike against those who give
and those who receive illegal advan-
tages, and to cover discrimination in
prices as against competitors in par
ticular localities, resorted to for the
purpose of destroying competition.
In order to reach producers guilty
Of these offenses a penalty should be
imposed upon the interstate and for
eign transportation of goods nrndnoal
by them, and Federal courts should be
given power to restrain such trans
portation at the governments suit
The Casus omissus in the interstate
commerce act should now be supplied
by imposing a penalty upon carrier
and beneficiary alike, and by giving to
the courts the right to restrain all sucb
infractions of the law
1t should be made unlawful to trans
port traffic by carriers subject to the
interstate commerce act at less rate
than the published rate, and all who
participate in violating the law should
be punished.
Provision should also be made to
reach corporations and combinations
which produce wholly within a state,
but whose products enter interstate
commerce. This provision should re-
late, first. to concerns which fatten on
rebates; second, to concerns which sell
commodities below the general price
In particular localities or in any other
way in particular localities seek to de.
stroy competition.
There should be a comprehensive
plan to enable the government to get
at all the facts bearing upon the or.
ganization and practices of concerns
engaged in interstate commerce, not
with view to hampering any legiti
mate business of such concerns, but in
order to be in position to take action
IL necessary.
To this end commission or a spe
cial bureau in the proposed depart
ment of commerce should be created
whose duty it should be to investigate
the operations of concerns engaged in
interstate or foreign commerce, to
gather in formation and data enabling
it ii make recommendations for addi
tional legislation to report to the presi
dent. This would be first step in Sc
curing proper publicity. This commits
sion should have authority to inquire
into the management of any concern
doing an interstate business when
ever it becomes necessary or desir
ahsp