The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-12-05


.....s
: The antil-trust law should not (:
=: be repealed; but It should be made I:
: both more efficient and more in /:
/: harmony with actual conditions. /:
/: 1t should be amended so as to F.:
/: forbid only the kind of combin- /:
{: alton which does harm to the gem |:
: eral public. such amendment to /:
{: be accompanied by, or to be an {:
q: incident OF, a grant OF supervisory =:
: power to the government over {:
: these big concerns engaged in in {:
terstate business. This should be {:
{: accompanied by provision for the {:
: compulsory publication of accounts ::
!: and the subsection OF books and {:
: papers TO the inspection of the {:
: government officials. A beginning {:
A.; a already been made for such /:
4: supervision by the establishment /:
{: of the bureau of corporations. 4:
The antitrust law Should not pro-
hibit combinations that do no injustice
to the public, still less those the ex-
istence OF which is on the whole of
benefit to tho public. But even IL this
feature OF the law were abolished,
there would remain as an equally OBJ
jectionable feature the difficulty and
delay now incident to its enforcement.
The government must now submit to
irksome and repeated delay before OBJ
tanning a final decision of the courts
upon proceedings instituted, and even
a favorable decree may mean an empty
victory. Moreover, to attempt to con-
troll these corporations by law suits
near to impose upon both the depart
ment OF justice and the courts an Inn
possible burden; 1t is not feasible to
carry on more than a limited number
OF such suits. Such a law to be really
nfFAnkfxra 1,NN-k . - n.,. L. lk-
istered by an executive body, and not
merely by means of law suits. The de-
Sign should be to prevent the abuses
incident to the creation OF unhealthy
and improper combinations, instead of
waiting until they are in existence and
then attempting to destroy them by
civil or criminal proceedings.
Condemns Trusts in Necessities.
: A combination should not be toll
1: Grated IL it abuse the power ac- !:
/: Quired by coordination to the pub
: lie detriment. No corporation or /:
!: association of ANY kind should be /:
: permitted to engage in foreign or I:
{: interstate commerce that is formed
I: for the purpose of, o II whose OPP
/: erations create, a monopoly or gen. (:
{: erai control os the production, sale, (:
{: or distribution OF any one or more /:
(: of the prime necessities OF life or
articles OF general use and neces- :
:: sity. Such combinations are :
{: against public policy; they violate
=: the common law: the doors of the
/: courts are closed to those who are
(: parties to them, and l believe the
|: congress can close the channels Of /:
/: interstate commerce against them /:
/: for its protection. The law should !:
/: make its prohibitions and permis- /:
: sions as clear and definite as pos :
/: sib!e, leaving the least possible +:
!: room for arbitrary action, or al
(: legation Of such action, on the part {:
(: interpretations by the courts. :
/: Among the points to be aimed at
/: should be the prohibition of un-
/: healthy competition such as by :.
{: rendering service at an actual loss !:
+: for the purpose of crushing out
/: competition, the prevention OF In
+: fiation of capital and the prohi- (:
{: bition OF a corporations making {:
/: exclusive trade with itself a con- :
4: dition of having any trade with {:
D.: itself. Reasonable agreements be-
{: tween. or combinations OF corpora /:
/: tions should be permitted, provided {:
{: they are first submitted to and ap-
{: proved by some appropriate gov
/: eminent body.
THE CONGRESS HAS THE pow
ER TO CHARTER CORPORATIONS
TO ENGAGE IN INTERSTATE AND
FOREIGN COMMERCE, AND A GEN