The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-01-09
ATTORNEY GENERAL KNOX AN.
sWERs BY LETTER.
SUGGESTIONS ARE OFFERED
Legislation Directed Against Those
Who Give and Receive Discrim-
mating Advantages.

Washington, Jan. 7.-Attorney Gen
eral Knox has addressed identical let.
tiers to Senator Hoar, chairman of
the senate Judiciary committee, and
Representative L~ittlefield, chairman
OF the subcommittee of the house
Judiciary committee, giving his views
on the subject of trusts. These let
tiers are in reply to communications
sent him by Senator Hoar and Mr..
Littlefield, asking the views of Mr..
Knox. The letters embrace three
subjects, the questions which have
been decided by the Courts, the ques-
lions which are pending in the courts.
and suggestions respecting further
legislation.
Under the latter head, Mr.. Knox
says: "In view of the wide exper-
fence of the committee in dealing
legislatively with legal and economic
questions, venture upon the line of
suggestion with much hesitation and
feeling that the utmost the committee
desires in this respect is that some
thing be set down that may be con
sidered in connection with other views
that may be presented, as to what
might be done within the short period
allowed for consideration during the
life CT this present congress-.
1-
81 think it proper enough to briefly
premise such suggestions as 1 shall
make for immediate action by a state
ment of some of the reasons upon
which they are based.
"The end desired by the overwhelm-
ing majority Of the people of all Sec
tions of the country is that combina-
tions of capital should be regulated
and not destroyed, and that meas
ures should be taken to correct the
tendency toward monopolization of
the industrial business of the country.
l assume a thing to be avoided, even
by suggestion, is legislation regulat-
ing the business interests of the coun-
try beyond such as will accomplish
this end.
''In my judgment a monopoly in
any industry would be impossible in
this country, where money is abund-
ant and cheap and in the hands or
within the reach of keen and capable
men if competition were assured of
a fair and open field, and protected
against unfair, artificial and discrim-
mating practices.
1.-TWO or more persons or corpora
tons cannot by any combination or
arrangement between themselves
either contract or expand the rights
OF others to engage in a similar bust
ness. The utmost they can do is to
discourage the disposition to do so
By restricting the opportunities, or by
securing to themselves some exclusive
facilities or the enjoyment of some
common facilities upon exclusive
terms. 4
h r. Ii inv VIII SuoA AACSO W ~
smaller producer protection against
piratical methods in competition and
keep the pathways to the marke.
open and available to him for the
same tolls charged to his powerful
competitor, he will manage to live
and live to an astounding degree.
"~lndividualisln in production has it's
advantages as we'll as combination.
Small individual enterprises not un-
spring up and they live
within the shadow of larger ones,
though enjoying none of their sup
posed advantages of control of sources
Of raw material, fuel and t~ransporta-
ton facilities, yet realizing large
profits per ton Of output because of
the close economics possible through
direct, personal, interested manage
Mr.. Knox suggests legislation di-