Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-09-16
Chairman Knapp, Of Commerce
Commission, Says Antitrust
Act Would Cause Chaos
COOPERATION
HOPE
Legal Efforts to Enforce Competition
Declared to Be Behind the Times -
Pooling Not Necessary = Govern
ment Supervision of Corporations
Not Socialism.

Chicago, Sept. 16.-Co-operation.
| not competition, is the hope of the flu
ture.' declared Martin A. Knapp, chair
man of the intestate commerce COM
mission, as he explained his attack on
the Sherman antitrust law at the
meeting OF the American Association
of Freight Traffic Officers, Saturday.
THAT law" he continued, defeats
the purpose for which it was passed,
and if the railroads of the country did
not violate it, as interpreted by the SUI
preme court, we would have a chaotic
condition suited only for savagery.
AS / am optimistic, / hope to see
either the supreme court of the United
States come around to my way of
thinking or congress pass a law pro-
viding a legal status to these traffic
associations all over the country. They
are absolutely necessary to tho con-
duct of railroad business, If the pro-
visions of the new rate law with ref
erenee to Determinations are main
tanned"
Then you believe in polling the
traffic of the great systems?" Mr..
Knapp was asked.
Not at ALL" he replied. Ten years
ago this might have been good thing,
but it is no longer necessary. The mu-
tual interest which one common car
rier has in another accomplishes the
same purpose with less confusion"
What ii one man or set of men
secure control over all the roads,"
\ 1T is not FAR from that now, and it
antitrust law has been one of the
agencies which caused the condition.
The small roads, which under other
conditions might have retained their
identity and separate management,
have been gobbled Nup. 1t was the OBJ
vious result. and to complicate matters
the owners of two great systems reach
tacit agreement which cannot be
discovered by the forces back OF the
anti thrust law. In many instances this
agreement Is of such character that
it cannot he attacked and it serves the
purpose even better.
THE law was founded on the ex-
,ploded belief that competition. the
Ifiercer and more bitter the better, is
best for the general public. In the old
days of stage coaches. this may have
been so, but the higher civilization
which has brought railroads, steam
boats, telephones, electric lights, and
all these modern conveniences can new
er thrive on that kind of nourishment.
The ultimate end of such competition
is that one of the parties to 1t must
be forced to the wall. / cannot see
that this is thing to be desired.
How much better it would be if an
agreement, not necessarily as to prices
but as to territory, could be arrived at.
This would not kill competition, the
healthy competition which says that
the man who can manufacture his pro-
ducts at less cost may undersell his
competitor We would have, however,
more of cooperation, more of help,
and less of this fierce desire to down
rhe other fellow"
What about supervision?" Mr..
Knapp was asked.
Certainly, that is an essential, and
no one is greater believer in it than
L. Now. this is not socialism or gov
eminent ownership but to my mind it
is far better. 1t leaves incentive,
which comes with the possession of a
great business, and yet conserves the
rights of the public"