Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-06-24
P[AN new TRUST SUITS
Uncle Sam to GiveiAttention to
Powder, Tobacco. Harvester
and Watch Combines|
HIGH PRICES A BIG BURDEN
Tariff Revision Advocated in Some
Quarters as Remedy Against Pools
Supply and Demand Factor-sec-
rotary Taft Has New Views Since
Western Trip.

Washington, June 24.-As parting
shot before entering upon his sum-
mer vacation Attorney General Bona
parte will issue this week statement
dealing further with the trust prosecu
tons by the government.
The combinations in powder and to-
bacco will be targets for the attorney
! generals legal breechloader. Some
thing also will be said about the har-
vester combination ard the agreement
which exists between the bituminous
| coal carrying roads and allied compan-
les. Exhaustive investigation of the
| charges against the so-called watch
trust first made by Representative
Rainey of Illinois, satisfied the depart
ment of justice that thus far no evil
dence is presented to establish the ex-
! istence Of com bination in restraint Of
trade.
Altogether, from 81 legal point of
view, the administration feels 1t could
be making better progress in enforcing
the Sherman antitrust law. 1t is push
ing vigorously prosecution Of the
Standard Oil. Only a few days ago 1t
instituted proceedings against the an
thracite coal trust. II succeeded IN
breaking up the drug trust and the
par trust. It's attacks upon the sug-
ar and beef trusts failed, but in spite
Of adverse decisions of the supreme
court in these cases it has the COM
binations under scrutiny: If evidence Is
| obtained establishing violations Of law
they will be prosecuted.
Admittedly the limitations Of pro-
ceedngs against the trusts usually in
creases the price of products. This
may be due in part TO the effect of the
natural law of supply and demand. In
the case Of beef, for example, Secre-
tary Wilson attributes the advance
ment in price to the fact that the AM
erican population is growing so rapid
ly and is eating meat three, times
day, while there has been no cores
ponding increase in beef production.
"a short time ago." said the secre-
tary. II made careful inquiry in Chi
| cage to ascertain whether the packers
control the beef output. Intelligent
commission men informed me they sold
large percentage of hogs and sheep
in the eastern markets. They thought
probably the bulk of cattle which come
| to Chicago are bltchered there, tho
quite proportion is shipped east 1t
| was the consensus of opinion, how
ever. that the packers of Chicago can
not control the market for hogs and
sheep and there is great deal Of
eastern competition for cattle.
NO, l do not believe the beef trust
controls the supply in those products.
The percentage of profit the retail
dealer wants is high Several years
ago l made a statement that large
part of the price for which meat is
sold goes to the retailer. A man in
Washington took me up and said the
retail dealer made only 40 per cent.
That is a good deal of money. Forty
per cent goes a long way towards run
ming up the price. Now there is no
doubt in my mind that the packers are
not in business for their health; but
they do not and cannot control the
whole situation. OF course, trust is
a we'll organized institution. 1t has
to be. It must command enormous
sums of money to handle a product.
Secretary Taft found on his western
trip the keenest interest in the tar
if question and was asked by a large
number of persons to repeat the views
in favor of revision which he ex-
pressed at Bath Me, during the con-
gressional campaign last fall. 1t would
not surprise any one should the sec.
rotary come out in a short time in an
informal declaration for tariff revision
Immediately after the Inauguration,
March 4, 1909. 1t is claimed if the
tariff should be revised the trusts
would be compelled to sell at home
at the same price they sell abroad, or
else be undersold by foreign competi-
tors.
In the case Of the watch trust, for
instance, against which the depart
ment of justice claims to find no evil
dence to support the charges Of illegal
combination, Representative Rainey
asserted its existence is attributable
peculiarly to the present tariff law. He
cited instances in which the trust has
driven men out OF business by cut
throat policy and other methods ana
declared it dictated prices and the
kind of goods jobbeSs should handle.