The Washington herald., 1908-04-05
TRUST NEXT
Administration Is Moved by
Cannon's Resolution.
EVIDENCE TO BE GATHERED
Criminal Statutes to BE Applied TO
Responsible Persons in Combine.
Case Proved Two Years AgO-FaiI-
uEe TO Reform IL TO he Punished
by the Administration.

The administration is after the paper
trust again. spurred on by Speaker Can
mons resolutions as to what has been
done and is being done 10 bring the Cen
eral Paper Company to hook.
It became known yesterdav that the
Department Of Justice thinks that a jail
is yawning for some OF the officers Of the
General Paper Company or allied corpora
tions The only question is one OF sum-
cient evidence 70 convict.
II was said on authority that the de-
partment is looking for evidence, and that
the paper combine may be prosecuted
again. this time under the criminal
statutes.
Conspiracy Long Proved.
The government, nearly TWO years ago.
proved to the satisfaction of a circuit
court that the General Paper Company
and twenty-three other corporations en-
gagged in the manufacture and sale of
paper. had entered into combination and
conspiracy Ito control. regulate. monopo-
lize and restrain" interstate trade IN news
print and other papers
The action was In the form OF a bill
in equity fled in the United States Circuli
Court for the district of Minnesota. Sub
sequently, TIE defendants and their on
GERS declined TO obey orders of the Cir
cult Court for the district of Minnesota
and for the Eastern district of Wisconsin.
requiring them 10 answer certain ques.
tiOns and to produce certain books and
papers
Appeals were taken to the Supreme
Court OF the United States, That tribunal
on March p. 1906. dismissed the appeals
In the Wisconsin cases and affirmed the
judgment in the Minnesota cases.
Combination Ordered Dissolved.
About two months later, that is. or
May II. Judgment was ordered in favor
OF the government by the Circuit Court
Of the district OF Minnesota. The court
ordered the combination Of paper manu-
facturers dissolved.
Since that decree was entered. the De-
partment OF Justice has been informed
that the combination still exists in such
form as to make il quite effective in con
trolling prices and monopolizing the paper
trade. The administration believes the
time has come for applying the criminal
statutes 10 responsible persons in the
paper combine.
Despite the sffiCial clamor regarding ths
enforcement Of criminal statutes affect
ing the responsible heads OF trusts and
combinations, the criminal provision,
have been invoked with comparative in,
frequency and no individual has suffered
any severer punishment than a fine The
fines have ranged all the way from $50
TO $4,000
Civil Prosecution First.
II May not be known generally thai
the policy OF the administration in deal
ing with the so-ealled trusts under tht
Sherman act is 10 institute civil pro,
ceedings. first. and TO apply to crimina
courts only after the bad trusts have
had an opportunity to reform,
Moreover, Il Is recognized that II Il
much more difficult to win a crimIna
action than a civil suit The rules of
evidence are different. and jury trial;
do not promise conviction unless the evi
dence is much stronger than would b'
required to win a suit In equity