Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-15
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER Id. 1907.
PRESIDENT SUPPORTS SOME
MONOPOLiES.


b. coming oyc7 President Roosevelt
in regard to the control OF corpora
lions. lie has made II plain that no
will recommend TO Congress that cor
tain changes be made to the sherman
antitrust law. as he believes thin.
some OF the mergers OF the railroads
and other corpo atlons have proven
beneficial to the people. and IL was
only few days ago that he had q
conference with two high officials Of
the Steel trust, and at It's conclusion
II was announced that the President
had given .sanction 10 certain plans
OF the corporation. the contamination
OF which meant a bigger ana greater
monopoly than ever for It in the iron
and steel trade. The plan was car.
ried out, and II IL evident that the
steel trust received tho much desired
dispensation from the White House
This setting aside OF the antitrust
law so astonlshes the Philadelphia
ledger that Il comments as follows:
"lf course OF policy We're in con.
temptation as TO the legality o. tho
regularity OF which there might be
reasonable doubt, the natura! recourse
would be to counsel learned in the
law. or perhaps to the Inv officer Of
the Federal Government forr an opln.
Ion ms TO whether the proposal Was
In contrayentlon of the statutes or II.
alse to be questioned by the law Off.
GERS OF the state. But the situation
presented by an appeal in tho first In
stance 10 the executive, presumably TO
ascertain whether particua: plan
was or was not in conflict with the
supposed policies of the admipistra
ton. is very different. II amounts TO
this. II the stories from Washington
correctly represent the meaning of
the recent conference al the White
House. that the President is asked
In advance to pass npon momentous
questions Of law and practice, and to
give assurances that he VIII or will
not interfere through the agencies OF
government under mis- control and di.
reotion. In other words. Ia the bust.
ness of the country in its national as.
poets, to be governed not by the ordl-
nary processes OF law. MS by lesisla-
ton established. but by the will OF
an individual?n
II has been an open secret for sew.
cral years that the United States
Steel Corporation had great influence
with the President, but the object les.
son With which the country WAS treat
ed, was little stronger than could
have been reasonably expected. There
is no doubt either in Washington or
New York as to the purpose or resul:
of the visit of the steel trusts on.
cials to the President. and the com
ment OF the p.css throughout the
country on the transac,lon, indicates
how great is the astonishment, for
nolhlhg Is SO cleaf as that the antitrust
law distinctly discountenances such
combinations as tho steel trust has
consumatcd. and that its provisions
can be invoked to prevent the merging
OF a competing corporation with a
trust that already controls so pei
cent of the steel and iron industry.
Aside from this the action OF the
administration Is SO different in th.
case OF the steel trust from that which
Il has taken Ia the case OF the oil
trust, that the country 10 sure to ash
why the administration should lsslst
lin the destruction Of q competition
~ the iron and steel industry. white