The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-03-31

imperative that some legislation should
be passed to CONTROL In the interest
IF the public. the buainsss use of the
enormous aggtegahons of corporate
wealth that are SO 2napked "a 9 feature
of the modern Industrial world. e But
the present antf trust slaMlgin its sens
Struction and working, has exempli-
fed only tee well, the Kind of IegIsla-
ton which, under the SsiSe Of being
thoroughgoings ise drawn up Ia such
sweeping fASSb aE tG kAc6me @bief,
gaeffe&tivsd or lsesnisdhfevous. u ~
ombinaticns-AsselsssIx Necessary.
i'm the modern industrial world COM
nations are absolutely :, necessary 6
hey are necessary hf6hg Abuhidsss
ZEN; they are necessary tsmaeng( lab1ss
rs men; they are becoming more and
ore necessary among xsfMelsi FsShbt
~ these combinations are among the
Gapst spo Wefftll of. all INSTRUMENTS efoE
Yrongdoing. Others offer the only ef-
,ksctin way ef meeting betdaa ngsMsss
needs. Ills mischievous and unwho1e-
Some to Keep SnHon' the statute Books
luhmodified "a ilawy like, the antitrust
law, which, while In practice only par
Tally effective against vicious combina-
'tions, has nevertheless in theory been
construed so as sweepingly to prohibit
every combination for the transaction
of modern business. Some real good
has resulted from this law. But the
time has come when it is imperative to
modify it. Such modification is urgent
ly needed for the sake of the business
men of the country, for the sake of the
wageworkers and for the sake of the
farmers. The congress cannot afford
to leave it on the statute books in its
present shape.
1t has now become uncertain how
far this law may involve all labor or
CARNATIONS and farmers organizations,
as well as all business organizations, in
conflict with the law, or, If we secure
literal compliance with the law, how
far it may result in the destruction Of
the organizations necessary for the
transaction of modern business, as
well as of all labor organizations and
farmers organizations, completely
check the wise movement for securing
business cooperation among farmers
and put back half century the prog
ress of the movement for the better
ment of labor. A bill has been pre-
sented in the congress to remedy this
situation. Some such measure as this
bill is needed in the interest of all
engaged in the Industries which are
essential to the country's well being
do not pretend to say the exact shape
that the bill should take, and the sug
gestions l have to offer are tentative
and my views would apply equally tC
any other measure which would
achieve the desired end Bearing this
in mind, I1would suggest, merely ten
tatiyely, the following changes in ths
law:
Should Not Draw the Teeth.
The substantive part of the anti
trust law should remain as at present
that is, every contract in restraint o.
trade or commerce among the severa
states or with foreign nations should
continue to be declared Illegal, pro
vided, however. that some proper gov
ornamental authority (such as the com
missioner OF corporations acting undel
the secretary of commerce and labor
be allowed to pass on any such con
tracts Probably the best method o
providing for this would be to enac
that any contract, subject to the pro
hibition contained in the antitrust law
into which it was desired to enter