Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-03-16
Wholesale Attacks on Big Cor
porations Not Contemplated
by the Government
EXPECTED TO OBEY LAW
Believed Taht the Merger Decision Will
Be Respected by Combinations and
Contemplated Combinations Which
Might Be in Violation of the Law
Miscellaneous News.

Washington, March l6-No more
| railroad combinations or mergers will
be hauled into court by the govern
ment provided the managers of such
corporations as are now on the verge
of violating law take steps to correct
their practices and conform to the de-
cision of the supreme court handed
down yesterday. This became clear
after cabinet meeting yesterday. Tho
Attorney General Knox properly de-
eMnes to discuss his future program, 1t
was we'll understood in the cabinet that
the president had no desire to make
trouble" for other corporations. He is
we'll content with the success in estab-
fishing the principle laid down by the
court and has no desire to start out on
a campaign of prosecution, which to the
financial world might look like perse-
cution.
Both the president and Attorney Gen
eral Knox believe the railroad mana
gers of the country will put their
houses in order and comply with the
ruling of the court. There is no evil
dence that any other combination, not
even the Standard Oil Company, nor
the Pennsylvania Railroad, nor the
New York, New Haven and Hartford,
is violating the law. None of these is
operating thru holding company. SO
far as is known. Nor is it known that
any other company has overstepped the
bounds. Ii any corporations are near
the limit the president and his advisers
believe they wiM quickly take stock of
their position and get upon solid ground
as speedily as possible. No good pub
nc purpose is TO be served by starting IL
crusade and none will be started A
reasonable time Will be allowed for
compliance with the rulings of the court
before any other prosecutions are even
thought of by the administration.
No legislation amending the Sher-
man anti-trust law will be attempted
by the republican leaders In congress
at this session. In the first place it is
not yet clear that any such legislation
is needed. If it shall be held that it
Is needed, there are such serious diff
ferences of opinion as to what should
be done, that it would be idle to at
tempt legislation in the few weeks re-
naming of this session.
Naturally the republican leaders are
inclined to stand pat on the political
situation as It is today From their
standpoint it could not be herter. All
day members of the administration.
senators and represe natives OF the
republican faith have been congratu-
lating themselves on their good for
tune. Not for many moons have they
been SO happy. What better campaign
material could be desired, they ask,
than the fact that a republican presi
dent and his attorney general brought
suit against the most powerful railroad
leaders in the country and secured Il
judgment against them with every
vote composing a majority of the SUI
preme court that of a justice who was
a republican when appointed, and every
Justice who was a democrat when APP
pointed voting the other way in favor
of the trusts?
On this record the republican leaders
are glad to go before the country in
the coming presidential campaign