The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-09-06

Bath. Me-, Sept 6.-William III. Taft,
secretary OF war, addressed n large au-
dience at Alameda hall last night and
received an enthusiastic greeting 1t was
Secretary Tafts only appearance In the
Maine campaign.
He was introduced by Harold +. Sewall.
formerly United States consul at Hawaii,
whose guest ne was while here. Mr.. Sew
ell spoke OF Secretary Taft as the proba-
BILE successor OF President Roosevelt.
Tomorrow Secretary Taft will return
20 Murray Bay, Canada
Secretary Taft said In part: "I propose
this evening TO refer TO the evils arising
from the misuse and abuse OF the power
ful instrumentalities which the free OPP
portunity 10 organize and combine cap
ital has placed in the hands OF the com
Jaratively few. II would be easy to
gather the impression that all wealth and
all capital and all corporations are TO be
condemned; whereas when we look at
the matter straight In the face We know
that the prosperity OF this country and
the comfort that has been produced are
largely TO be attributed to the assembling
OF the savings OF the many into corporate
capital so that II may be used 10 estab-
lish and carry out the large enterprises
for production. manufacture and trans
portation
ORGANIZED CAPITAL ABUSES.
For the sake OF clearness In examining
into the character of the evils and abuses
which need restraint and punishment, we
may divide corporations guilty OF them
into Industrial corporations organized for
the purpose OF manufacture and sale Of
merchandise, and into railroad and other
corporations, organized for the transpor-
tation of passengers and goods.
Let us deal first with industrial cor
porations she temptation TO the man.
ayers when the enterprises become very
large, is TO suppress competition and
maintain prices and thus 10 deny TO the
public the proper share in the benefit
sought 70 be attained, and 10 appropriate
20 the corporate owners all the proht
derived from improved facilities OF pro-
duction. One method of suppressing COM
petition Is by agreements between all the
large concerns engaged in the same busi-
ness TO limit the output and maintain
prices.
The Republican congress OF 1890. in
the so-caled Sherman Antitrust Act
declared all agreements or combinations
IN restrain OF interstate trade or com
merce TO be Illegal and an offence. and
subject 10 fine and Imprisonment, and the
remedy 10 suppress them by bill and in
junction in equity was specifically con-
ferred. By another section the establish
ing of monopolies In any commodity I'm
Interstate trade was denounced as an
offence against the United States. II
was not to be expected that such a stat
ute, dependent as IL was upon judicial
Interpretation TO make II clear, could op
crate effectively at once: and the slow
course OF judicial decision had TO be
awaited before the general purpose OF
the act could be attained.
"Mr. Roosevelt. as president. from the
very first, devoted his great energies 10
facilitating and pressing on the work OF
suppressing the trust evil and the abuses
Of organized capital. There were seven
original proceedings for violation OF the
Antitrust act begun and prosecuted un-
der Mr.. Harrison. six under Mr. Cleveland
and three under Mr.. Mckinley. There
have been 1s thus far under Mr.. Roose-
welt.
RATE DISCRIMINATION
zone OF the largest elements going TO
make up the selling price OF a commodity
IN any part OF the country is the cost
OF transportation from the place of manu-
facture. IL one business concern can Sc
cure lower rates OF freight in the trans
portation OF its merchandise TO its GUS
toners than another the former will
necessarily drive the latter out OF busi-
ness.
1T was OF Importance that the Inter-
State commission should have the power.
when Il found a rate unrea sonable, to fix
what was a reasonable rate, or at least
10 say that any rate beyond a certain
maximum was unrea soma bic. This was the
great reform which Mr. Roosevelt in his
second administration recommended 10
congress. and which In one session OF
that congress has ben brought TO a sue
cessfu result. There were II original pro-
ceedings begun and prosecuted for viola
tion OF the Interstate commerce act un-
der Mr. Harrison. 30 under Mr.. Cleveland,
II under Mr.. Mckinley, and there have
begun and are being prosecuted more
than 60 under Mr.. Roosevelt.
THE PRESIDENTS POLICY.
"Mr. Roosevelt's policy is TO secure, by
national legislative and executive action.
within the somewhat narrow range Of
Federal Jurisdiction over interstate COM
merce, effective control OF those who man
age and operate organized capital so as