The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-04-28

Obviously an organization not formed for profit should not be required to furnish statistics in any way as com plete as those furnished by organiza- tions for profit. Moreover, so far as labor is engaged in production only, it's claims to be exempted from the an u-trust law are sound, This would substantially cover the right of labor CTS to combine. to strike peaceably and to enter into trade agreements with the employers. But when labor under takes In a wron gful manner to pre- vent the distribution and sale of the of the boycottI 1t has left the field of production and Its action may plainly be In restraint. of interstate trade and necessarily be subject to inquiry, ex- bination:for the same purpose, so as to trsry to ssutd plbiis policy.
 The heartiest encouragement should be given to wage workers to form la bor unions and to enter into agreement with their employers and their right to strike so long Ss, they act peaceably, must be preserved. But we should list which would be illegal at common
 "Both .oftthe measures I advocate are In the iRfeFest both of decent corpora tions aud aA!wabidlng unions. They are moreover -eminently In the interest of the public In my judgment. From this time on, the mighty organization of capital necessary for the transaction of business under modern conditions. while elcouraged so long as they act honestly and in the interest of the gem eral public. are to be subjected to care tul provision and regulation of a kind so effective as to insure their acting in the interest of the people as q whole.
 Evil Corporation Again.
 Allegations are often made to the effect that there is no real need for these laws lnokinR to the more effective control of the great corporations upon the ground that they will do their work well without such control. call your attention to the accompanying copy of a report just submitted by Mir. Nathan Matthews. Chairman of the Fl- nance Committee. to the Mayor and City Council of Boston. relating to cer- tain evil practices of various corpora tlons which have been bidders for fur nishing to the city iron and steel. 5 This report shows that there have been extensive. combinations formed among the various corporations which have business with the city of Boston. ly all the local concerns and many of the larger corporations in the United States engaged In manufacturing or furnishing structural steel for use in ton of New England. As regards the city of Boston, the combination result ed In parccling out the work by col luslve bids plainly dishonest and sup ported by false affirmation.
 Tn the connection. the Commission as follows:
 "'Comment on the moral meaning of these methods and transactions would seem superfiuous. but as they were de- tended at the public hearing of the Comm ission and asserted to be common and entirely proper incidents of busi- ness life. and as these practices have a kTr Nf largest industrial corporations the world has ever known. the Commission deems 1t proper to record It's own opin- ion. The Commission dislikes to be- lleWe that these practices are as al- legged. established by the general cus- tom of the business community. and this defense Itself. If unchallenged. to a grave accusation against the honesty of present business meth
 ITO answer an invitation for public pr private work by sending In whaf to be genuine bids but what In reality are collusIve figures, pur- loosely made higher than the bid which Is known to be submitted by one of the competitors. Is an act of plain
 TO support these misrepresenta- tions by false afflrmations In writing. hat the bids are submitted in good faith and without fraud, collusion or with any other bidder, is f pQslLlFE anu blAC successful bidder In the competition is guilty of obtaining money by false pretense and the others have made parties to a conspiracy clearly unis wfuI at the common law.
 Whereas. as in the case of the Bos- ton agreement a number of the most important manufacturers and dealers m structural steel In thls country, in- cluding the American Bridge Company, one of the constituent members of the United States Steel Corporation, have combined together for the purpose of raising prices by means of colIusive bids and false representations. their conduct is not only repugnant to com mon honesty, but Is plainly obnoxious 10 the Federal statute known as the Sherman anti-trust law.
 "'The Commission believes that an example sh ould be made of these men ana that the members of tha Boston l greement' sh ould be brought before
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