The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-01-08

lSiSsSI sigl'ftStiSH ssilo rNii fHNssA~'s" -
Free Composition to &c Maze HE
aas-lmmeaiate Acton by Con
sress is Urged.
Washington, jan THE following
abstract OF the attorney generals
recommendations regarding trusts and
combines which were made puoiic yes
tepday, was given out at the white
house. 1t represents the general atti-
tude OF the administration on the sub
iect and was authorized by the presi-
dent: The people do not desire the
fered with beyond the regulation
necessary for the control OF corpora
tons and TO control any tendency to-
ward monopoly. In this country, where
money is cheap and abun5ant it will
be iIlposs!bie ii competition is kept
free Small enterprises have certain
advantages over large corporations
and will live and thrive ii assured OF
a fair end open field. Rebates and
discriminatory rates constitute one of
tne Chief restrictions on competition.
They unjusjiy swell the earnings of
favored concerns and support vas,
volume OF capital stock, Which repre-
sents nothing but uafair advantage
over rivals. and contributes largely to
the upbuilding Of monopoly. The sit
uation respecting transportation dis
examinations and entry of present
capital into new industries has lately
been improved. 1t is now known that
| the amount of capital embarked in in
dependent enterprises in the past two
| years at least equals the total capital
OF the great combinations formed
! within the previous twelve years.
/ Wish assurance against predatory
competition, this Improvement will
continue.
Recommendation for Legislation.
That all discriminatory practices
affecting interstate trade be made Of
! fenses TO be enjoined and punished.
! Such legislation to be directed alike
against those who give and those VINO
receive illegal advantages, and to COW
er discrimination in prices as against
! competitcrs in particular localities re
| sorted to for the purpose CT destroying
competition. In order to reach pro-
| duceys guilty Of these ofenses who
/ are. as producers merely. beyond ma,
! tional control a penalty should be i'm
! posed upon the interstate and foreign
! transportation OF goods produced by
| them and federal courts should be
| given power to restrain such trans
portati0n at the governments suit.
Such legislation is necessary because
the existing interstate commerce law
does not give an effective remedy in
this class of cases against either ship
! per or carrier.
The casus omissus in the interstate
commerce act should now be supplied
1 by imposing a penalty upon carrier
/ and beneficiary alike and by giving to
| the court the right to restrain all such
infractions of the law
The prohibition against carriers
should be limited to those subject to
/ the act to regulate commerce. Only
carriers operating q line OF railroad
or a rail and water line as one line
are required to publish their rates
and adhere to them. 1t is impractical
BILE TO control lines operating wholly
/ bv water Rates oil wafer transporta-
ton are necessarily open to the freest
/ competition are invariably low by
comparison and thus naturally furnish
the standard oil reasonableness with
! out express regulation. 1t should be
made unlawful 10 transport traffic by
! carriers subject to the Interstate com
metce aet al less rate than the pub
lished rate, and all who participate in
violating tne law should be punished,
Provision should also be made 10
reach corporations ana combinations
which produce wholly within state,
but whose products enter into inter
state commerce. This provision should
relate first 10 the concerns which fat
ten on rebates, second to concerns
which sell commodities below the gen
eral price in particular localities or
which seek to destroy competition.
There should be d comprehensive plan
to enable the government to. get at all
the iacts bearing upon the orsaniza.
tion aud practices OF concerns engaged
in interstate commerce.
To this end a commission of spe-
cial bureau III the proposed deparF
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 information and data enabling
it to make recommendations for addi
4 tional legislation, to report to
president. This would be