Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1903-04-04
and provides the prev, stiyr renedy Of ~
junction.
Work of Attorney General.


Work of Attorney General.
| This law represents noteworthy ans
| important advance toward Just and effec-
| tive regulation or transportation Move
| over, its passIge has been supplemented
by the enactment Of a law to expedite the
| hearing Of actirls Of public moment IN
| der the anti-tru@ act known as the Sher-
| man law. and under the act ~ regulate
commerce; and furthermore, additional
| funds have been appropriated to be ex-
| pended under the direction Of the attorney
! general in the enforcement OF these laws.
All of this represents great and sub
| stantial advance In legislation. But more
| important even than legislation Is the adj
ministration Of the law. and [ ask your
attention for a moment to the way In
which the law has been administered ~
the profound jurist and fearless public
servant who now occupies the position OF
attorney general, Mr.. Knox. The Goa
stitution enjoins upon the president that
he shall take care that the laws be faith
fully executed, and under this provision
the attorney general formulated a policy
which was in effect nothing but the rigid
enforcement. by suits managed with con-
summate skill and ability, both of the
antitrust law and of the imperfect pro-
visions of the act to regulate commerce.
The first step taken was the prosecution
of IA suits against the principal railroads
of the middle west, restraining them by
Injunction from further violations Of
either of the laws in question.
About the same time the case against
the Northern Securities company, which is
now pending, was begun by the govern
ment to test the validity of this transac.
ton under the Sherman law
The disclosures respecting the secret re-
bates enjoyed by the great packing house
companies. coupled with the very high
price of meats, led the attorney general
to direct an investigation into the meth
DDS of the so-called beef trust The re-
suit was that he filed bills for injunction
against six Of the principal packing house
companies. and restrained them from com.
bining and agreeing upon prices at which
they would sell their products in stat -
other than those in which their meats
were prepared for market writs of in
junction We're issued accordingly. and
since then after full argument, the United
States circuit court has made the ininnc-
tion perpetual.
The cotton interests of the south In
Guiding growers, buyers and shippers
made complaint that they were suffering
great injury In their business from the
methods of the southern railroads in the
handling and transportation of cotton.
Proceedings were instituted by the attar
ney general under the antitrust law
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 free
dom of commerce
The same action was taken against tho
salt trust. and it is understood that the
Federal Salt company is now about to be
dissolved.
Law Must Be Obeyed.
FTfl.s, L. ~
portant steps, legislative and administrat.
i've, taken during the past Is months in
the direction II solving what we call the
trust problem. They represent sum OF
very substantial achievement. They rep.
resent a successful effort TO devise and
apply real remedies; an effort which so
far succeeded because 1t was made NOT
only with resolute purpose and determine
ton, but also in spirit Of common sense
and Justice In the same spirit the laws
will continue TO be enforced. Not only
Is the legislation recently enacted effective,
but in my judgment it was impracticabe
to attempt more. We have endeavored to
provide a discriminating adaptation of the
remedy to The real mischief
Many of the alleged remedies advocated
are of the unpleasantly drastic type which
seeks ito destroy the disease by killing the
patient. Others are so obviously futile
that 1t Is somewhat difficult to treat them
seriously or as being advanced in good
faith. High among the latter / place the
effort to reach the trust question by
means of the tariff You can, of course
put an end to the prosperity of the trusts
by putting an end to the prosperity of the
nation, but the price for such action seems
high. The alternative is to do exactly
what has been done during the life of the
congress- which has just closed-that is
to endeavor not to destroy corporations,
but to regulate them with view of doing
away with whatever is of evil in them and
of making them subserve the public use
We are no more against organizations of
capital than against organizations of labor
We welcome both, demanding only that
each shall do right and shall remember
its duty to the republic Such a course
we consider not merely a benefit to the
poor man, but benefit to the rich man
We do no man an injustice when we re.
quire him to obey the law. On the con.
tTary, IL he is man whose safety aud
well being depend in peculiar degree
upon the existence Of the spirit of law AMI
order, we are rendering him the greatest
service when we require him to be him
self an exemplar Of that spirit
President Roosevelt was frequently
interrupted with applause throughout
the delivery of his speech He took
occasion to depart from his manu-.
script in one instance, stating that
Attorney General Knox did not insti-
tute a suit against any alleged COM
bination unless he thought he would
win it.
1t was nearly midnight when the
president concluded his address and
as his train was due to leave over tbs
Chicago and Milwaukee road at mid
night. he left the banquet hall before
the program had been completed
When the president arose it seemed
to be the signal for a general de.
parture of the guests and the pro
gram proceeded no further The pres
idential party left for La Crosse AMI
Minneapolis soon after midnight
Awful Accident Averted.
Lake Mills, Wis, April A terri
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