The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-09-17
KNAPP UTTERANCE
CAUSES SENSATION
Interstate Commissioners At
tack on Antitrust Law1Big
Surprise.
EFFECT OF SUCH ACTION !!
illumination Of Competition and
Government Regulation His
Idea.
EFFECT OF SUCH ACTION.
Times Dispatch Bureau.
Munscy Building,
washington, D. G.. sept. II

b g +. l..
washington. D. c.. Sept. 10.
The outspoken and entirely uneqniv-
ocal attack upon the Sherman anti
trust law. which Chairman Knapp. of
tho Interstate Commerce Commission.
made in the course OF his address
In Chicago Saturday. has excited sur
I'rised comment in Washington. It is
freely predicted that the President will
allow the public to know in the course
OF short time that he does not APP
prove OF the utterances OF the chair
man of the commission by making him
feel the weight OF his dspleasure,
or. II there be no after-clap. and
Chairman Knapp Is allowed to pursue
the even tenor of his way (if the way
}of a member OF the Interstate Com
pnerce Commission these days can be
regarded az being in the slightest de-
gree evem, II may be safely asserted
that Mr.. Roosevelt believes the sher-
Snan law was not conceived in wis
dom.
The position taken by Chairman
Knapp that capital should be allowed
and even encouraged to combine, and
trusts should be allowed to exist and
,nonopolies should flourish, provided
there is tho closest kind Of govern
,nent regulation to prevent the evils
the antitrust law was designed TO
prohibit, is striking, but not new.
For years, n certain class OF people in
thls country have urged that there
should be no more than one railroad
system In America, and this without
urging rigid government regulation
OF charges. 1t is argued that the rail-
road itself would not dare to do that
which would hurt, its business and
dwarf It's income. as would result from
the imposition OF unfair charges for
Transportation. but that It would do
ali possible to develop the country.
and thus stimulate the production OF
everything which would be likely to
become an article, of freight.
The chief argument of this class Is
that by eliminating competition. which
is often ruinous to the transportation
company and of no lasting benefit to
tic shipper. every company engaged In
transporting passengers and freight Is
given opportunity to reap the maxi
mum OF reward, and would at the
same time be restrained by healthy
self-interest from depressing the peo-
pie who supplied the traffic.
1t is also argued that all the people
would be much benefited by the elimf-
OF sohlioi w
transportation. that governmental
pyer-action which Thomas Jefferson so
much feared, is fuller of danger than
monopoly of the railway lines.
1t goes without saying that the fore
going is far from being in accord with
the view OF the majority of the Ameri-
can people, especially at this time.
/, when the clamor against trusts, much
I of II entirely justified. Is so strong.
But there Is bound to be recession
Of the wave. The pendulum Will swing
back It may very we'll be that when
we attain the normal again in our atti-
fude towards corporations and com
binations, 1T will be found that we are
advocating monopolies. with govern
,nent supervision and regulation In
eases where righteous self-interest' Is
not sufficiently strong to make resuia-
ton by law unnecessary.
But nevertheless and notwithstand-
ing Chairman Knapp Is not at pres
ent In full accord with the majority
in his attitude towards trusts.