The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-08-22
EVIDENCE READY
To SEND TRUST
MEN TO PRISON
Prosecutions of "Wealthy
Malefactors'' Are Soon
to Begin
MUCH WORK is DONE
Government Agents Gather
Facts About Violations
of the Laws
NO FAVOR IS SHOWN
Sherman and Rate Acts to
Be Bases of Criminal
Accusations
NO FAVOR is SHOWN
Special BY Leased Wire TO The Call
WASHINGTON, Aug. 21.-

OPCCtut Oy LcdSSu w NC ~ TIC (utt
WASHINGTON, Aug. 2l.-
The conviction is becoming
strong here that the adninistra-
ton before long will carry out
its threat to strike at certain
malefactors of great wealth
through criminal prosecutions
that will probably result in prison
sentences.
Until recently the talk of GRIM
inal prosecutions for violation of
the Sherman antitrust, antire-
batting and similar laws has not
been taken very seriously, but the
declarations of Attorney General
Bonaparte, Secretary Taft and
the president himself have raised
the inquiry whether the admins
tration has not evolved plans of
pretty definite sort to begin criminal
prosecutions of individuals to break
up the bad trusts
Just where the first blow will fall
it is impossible to predict 1t is said
by officials in position to know that
the department of commerce has been
quietly gathering information to be
used in criminal prosecution of in
diyiduals
Things have arrived at pass in the
enforcement of the Sherman law where
radical steps must be taken or the law
may as well be allowed to lapse. It
was with knowledge of this fact that
the department of justice announced
the receivership proposition. This has
been, so i'll received that the fine and
Imprisonment features of the law have
had to be considered. The Sherman law
reaches to every person engaged in any
combination. monopoly or attempted
monopoly, making him liable to a $780,
600 fine, or imprisonment for one year,
or both
The government has cases under the
Sherman law against the Standard oil
company, the tobacco trust the powder
trust and various others. No surprise
will be felt here if high personages in
these concerns are struck at The gov
ernment also is probing into the
smelter and the lumber trusts among
other Investigations.
Now that the president has outlined
in a general way in three speeches
Jamestown, indianapolis and Province
town-his ideas as to additional cor
poration legislation that should be en-
acted at the coming session of congress,
he will soon set TO work on his Dc
eemher message, which will, it is taken
for granted, embrace his somewhat
general observations of the summer
and put them in the form Of specific
recommendations.
Members of. congress who are hero
say they are not yet quite clear as to
what the president VIII ask congress
to do at the coming session. They will
therefore look forward with the keen
est interest to his message They
realize that he intends to urge legisIa-
tion which will give the federal gov
ernment control over all corporations
doing an interstate business. Earlier
/ in tho year he spoke of desiring a law
under which all such corporations
would be licensed by the department. OF
commerce and labor and subjected 10
regular examinations.
In his speech of yesterday he spoke
as IL he desired federal incorpora-
tion law. which, according TO members
OF congress, is a somewhat different
proposition. At any rate. it is well
understood that the president will in
his message ask for some measure OF
federal control over corporations en-
gagged IN interstate business. He will
no doubt ask more power for the in
terstate commerce commission. lie de-
sires that the commission shall have
power to control the capitalization OF
Continued on Page 2, Column