Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-08-12

Str;iihl oil competition. whether harm
FIJI or beneficial has hccn ill-julscd;
Will Is needed is not 81 much the cf-
loft To prevent combination rs IA vigil
ant and effective control of the com
binationS formed. Su rs To secure lust
and equitable dealing on their part
alike toward the public generally to.
ward their smaller competitors. and
toward the waScworkcrs in their en-.
ploy.
Many Difficulties in the Way.
Under the present laws We have in
the last four years accomplished much
that Is nj substantial value: but the
difficulties in The way have been so
great as tn prove That further lcgisla-
ton is advisable. Many corporations
show themselves honorahly dcsirous
To obey the law hut, unfortunately,
some corporations, and very wealthy
ones M that. exhaust every effort
which can he suggested by the high
est ability, or secured by the most law
ish expenditure of money, to defeat
I he purpose of the laws on tho statute
books
Violations Antitrust Law.
The violations of the law known as
the antitrust law which was meant
To meet the conditions thus arising,
have moro anil more hccomc confined
to the larger combinations. tho very
ones against whose policy of monopoly
and oppression the policy of the law
WAS chiefly directed. Many Of these
combinations by secret methods AMI
by proiraCtcd litigation are still nm
wisely seeking 10 avoid the consc.
nnenccs nj their illegal action The
government has very properly excr-
cis"t moderation in attempting To en-
force the criminal provisions of the
statute: but il has bccomc our convic.
| ton that in some cases. such ms thni
of at least certain of The beef packers
recently indicted in Chicago, it is inn
possible longer to show lcnicncy.
Moreover. If tho existing law proves
| to be inadequate. so that under cstab-
| lishcd rules Of evidence clear viola
| tons may not be readily proved, de
iiancc of the law must inevitably lead
To further legislation. This lcgsla-
ton may he more drastic than ! would
prefer. II so, IL must he distinctly I'M
dcrstood that it will he because of the
stubborn determination of some of the
great combinations in striving To pre-.
vent the enforcement Of the law as It
stands, by every device. legal and H.
| legal. Very many nf these mon seem
To think that the alternative Is simply
between submitting to the mild kind
of governmental control We alvocat @
and the absolute freedom to Ito what
ever they think hest. They are greatly
in error. Either thcy will have tn sub
nit 10 reasonable supervision and reg
nlation by the national authorities or
else they will ultimately have to sub.
nit to governmental action of Il far
more drastic typo.
Opposes Drastic Action.
| Personally, think our people
would he most unwisc if they let any
evaporation dine to the acts of certain
great corporations drive them into
drastic action. and should oppose
such action. But the great corpora
lions are themselves To blame if by
their opposition To what is legal and
ing which tells for such drastic
action
1T may well he that we shall find
that the only effective way of cxcr-
cising this supervision is To require
all corporations engaged in Interstate
commerce To produce proof sntisfac.
tory, say. to the department Of com
mcrcc. that they aC not parties to
any contract or combination or cngng-
cd III any monopoly in interstate trade
i'll violation of the antitrust law, and
that their conduct on certain other
specified points is proncr; and, more
lover, that these corporations shall
laGrec, with Il penalty OF forfeiture of
their right tn engage in such com
mcrcc TO furnish any evidence of
any kind as to their trade between the
States whenever so required by the
department of commerce.
Feared by Some Good People
There are good people who are
afraid of each type Of legislation: and
much the same kind Of argument that
Is now advanced against the effort To
regulate big corporations has been
again and again advanced against the
effort to secure proper employers lia-
hility laws or proper factory laws with
reference to women and children
much the same kind of argument was
advanced bnt five years ago against
tho franch!sc-iaX law enacted in this
State while was governor.
"Of course there is always the dan.
ger OF abuse if legislation of this type
is approached in hysterical or scnli.
mental spirit. or. above all, if it is ap.
prOachcd in a spirit of envy Id hatred
toward men of wealth
I'VE must not try to 30 too fast,
under penalty of finding that VIC may
he going in the wrong directions and
in any event, We ought always to pro
coed by evolution and not by rcvolu.
ton. The laws must be conceived and
executed in Il spirit OF sanity and jus.
ticc. ana with exactly as much regard
for the rights of the big man as for