The Washington times., 1907-06-25

tial Roadway in its warfare on trusts
This is a question a good many per-
sons are asking not in an unfriendly
spirit toward the party in power or
the Federal Administration. but with
the view Of learning whether the pres
ent antitrust law Is all that such a law
should be- During the last FIVE years
every month has brought newspaper
stories OF some phase Of Federal pro-
ceedings against trusts. Regulate the
trusts" has been a sort Of motto
adopted by the Administration. Just
now official information Is being given
out almost daily about the preparations
70 attack several more great trusts. In
the list marked for attack are the To-
bacco trust. the Harvester trust, the
Lumber trust, the Hard Coal trust, and
the Powder trust. The most cursory
examination Of the facts reveals that
the Government has been industrious in
conducting Investigations. and in bring
ing proceedings under the Sherman
antitrust law. AS 10 what has actually
been accomplished that is Of genuine
benefit 10 any considerable number Of
citizens Of the country is a question
about which there is disagreement
Northern Securities Victory.
Since September. 1901. something ike
a score OF bills in equity have been
brought by direction OF the Department
OF Justice 70 dissolve trusts. Injunc-
uOns have been obtained IN about half
The cases. The most notable victory
won by the Government was In the
Northern Securities Company case. II
was at the suggestion Of Philander c.
Knox, Of Pennsylvania, at that time
Attorney General. that this case was
brought He carried II through the
United States clIcUit court for the dis
trict OF Minnesota. and through the
Supreme Court OF the United States,
and won a clean-cut victory. The Sc
curities Company vas dissolved. Here,
then. was an accomplishment worth
while. II stands out as the one great
victory under the Sherman antitrust
law during this Administration. and
everybody who knows the facts with
reference 10 how the case happened 20
be brought gives Mr. Knox the whole
credit for the success Of the litigation.
Attack on Beef Trust.
The next important move OF the
Government was 10 attack the Beef
trust, and Attorney General Moody vas
at the head OF the Department OF Jus
lice when the Government finally had
TO acknowledge that 1t was whipped.
In 1902 Attorney General Moody caused
an action 70 be brought In the Federal
court for the Northern district Of Hi
nois TO restrain the trust from carrying
on what was alleged 10 be an unlawful
conspiracy The court issued an order
perpetuaIly enJOiuing the packers al
legged 70 be In the trust from continuing
the further operations Of the trust
The Supreme Court affirmed the de-
cree. Within year after the trust had
been dissolved" complaints from vari-
Gus quarters were made 10 tue Depart
ment OF Justice that the combination
still continued 10 do business. The de-
partmeDt conducted an inquiry. and In
July, 1895. succeeded in having al the
packing firms in the alleged com
binauOn indicted in Chicago. The
court Overruled the indictments against
the corporations. aud the Governments
case fell fat. Since these indictments
were set aside the Government has not
made any attempt 10 interfere with the
business arrangements OF the packers.
So here was a case IN which the Gov
eminent absolutely failed 10 accomplish
anything.
Action Against Paper Trust.
In the fall OF 1904 Attorney General
Moody caused proceedings to be begun
against the General Paper Company.
the Paper trust, in the Federal court
for the district OF Minnesota. The de
PENDANTS to this suit did not make much
resistance, and in May. 1906, a judgment
was ordered dissolv1ng the ombination.
In a legal sense this was a clean-cut
victory. but the point is now being
made that. after al no one was the
gamer by the Governments victory.
The most serious charge made against
the trust was that Il was controlling
the paper trade and was maintaining
excessively high prices. Recently the
Department OF Justice has received in
formation TO the effect that the price
OF paper is now much higher than IL
was before the trust was dissolved
It is generally understood that the
paper companies have a working agree
ment OF some sort which is not a viola
ton OF the Sherman antitrust law.
Drug Trust Action.
The next notable case brought under
the Sherman antitrust law was that
against the National Association OF Re
tail Druggists. This case was filed in
the Federal court at indianapolis Only
a few weeks ago the defendants in this
case confessed judgment. and an order
was entered dissOlving the trust. 1t is
too early to say what the practical
effects Of the Governments VIC
tory IN this case viii be. Trade
papers devoted to the interests Of the
drug trade intimate that business will
be conducted pretty. much along the
lines that were followed before the
Government stepped in. so far the Gov
ernment's victory has not resulted in