The sun., 1908-12-27
7AFT'S TRUST BUSTING PLAN
oCICK ENFORCEMENT OF TIE
Law ITS CHIEF OBJECT.
He Proposes 60 Relieve the interstate
Comrnissien u lts Duties as an In
,estigstlns Body and Rxtend Juris-
dlction Of the Dureau Of Corporations

"cuo" Va sAsp ASsN Nsb " GufpOTau
AUGUSTA. Ga. Dec 2e.--From MFR.
Taft's friends 1t is learned that he is work.
ing out the details of plan designed to
ucrease the efficiency of Government
regulation Of corporations do!ns an
interstate business MIR. Taft declines to
discuss the plan for publication, hut per-
tons who have talked with him say that
it will follow the lines suggested by him
in his campaign speeches aud will have
AS lis chief object the quick enforcement
If laws already on the statute books, In
other words. IL will be one Of Mr., Tafts
first steps to make good his campaign
rromse that he would do everything In
his power to aclinch the Roosevelt poll
cies."
Mr.. Taft's friends say that the proposed
ran will need legislation from Congress
decreasing the powers Of the Interstate
Commerce Commission, greatly increasing
The powers Of the Bureau Of Corpora
lions in the Department Of Labor and
Commerce and creating 4 practically
rev bureau in the Department of Justice.
The general outline of the plan is de-
,cribed as follows: The Interstate Com
merce Commission is to be relieved of Its
duties as an investigating body IL Is
- be commission exercising only
Quasi judicial functions The jurisdio-
ton of the Bureau Of Corporations, on the
other hand, 10 to be extended over all,
CORPORATIONS doing an interstate bust
ess 1t will be charged with the de-
tailed work OF investigating and prepar-
ng cases
This bureau. acting upon individual
complaints or upon its own initiative,
will lay the results of its investigations
hefore the Intsrstate Commerce Com
mission for decision. 1t will originate all
cases. The new bureau in the Depart
ment OF Justice viii work in cooperation
With the Bureau Of Corporations and the
Interstate CommsFos Commission when
legal aid 10 necessary.
Mr.. Taft's friends say that the pro-
rosAd plan doss not contemplate the
licensing Of corporations, but that under
il corporations will probably be obliged
10 submit 10 closer scrutiny by the Bureau
Of Corporations.
II is plain that Mr.. Taft's purpose Is
10 avoid the overlapping and duplication
Of work which have been complained OF
under the present system. The plan also
is in direct line with Mr.. Taft's frequently
expressed wish to do everything in his
power to expedite the administration Of
Justice in this country. In I'm speech OF
acceptance last July Mr. Taft indicated
plainly enough that he regarded the
Interstate Commerce Commission as an
overworked body.
Under a plan such as Mr. Taft's friends
suggest the Department OF Comnnerce
and Labor, containing the Bureau OF Cor
porations, will become a Cabinet post
Of the first importance. It is said that Mr..
Taft is fully alive to this fact AID that he
is devoting a great deal OF attention to
the selection OF man for that port
folio.
Mr.. and Mrs. Taft and their children
spent the day at Aiken, 8. G. They made
the trip from this city. o distance Of
twenty-four miles. in o private trolley
car. Mr.. and Mrs. John Hays Hammond
went with them. The party had lunched
at the Palmetto Club and Mr.. Taft and
Mr.. Hammond took u turn over the links.
II was z O'Clock in the evening before1
the party returned to Augusta.
Mr.. Taft was the guest Of honor To-
night at a dinner given by Henry G. Max
well. Among the guests were several
prominent Federal iceholdersin Georgia.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2e.-Federal ofdcers
are greatly interested in reports from
augusta, Ca, that Judge Taft has evolved
a comprehensive plan for the regulation
Of interstate corporations that be VIII
ask Congress TO put into the form OF law.
Complaint has been made that the pres
ent system of, dealing with the corpora
lions subject TO regulatory laws is un-
wieldly. resulting in an overlapping OF
work that has frequently tended TO con-
fusion and in some instances to delay
IN the prosecution OF cases instituted by
one or the other Of tho three branches
Of the Government which had jurisdio-
ton. While officials here are divided
on this point. the view held by many
is that the recent decision Of the United
States Supreme Court in the Hartman
case further oomplicates the situation
Some express the belief that the decision
will prove far reaching in its effects; that
i not only seriously ourtailed the power
Of the Interstate Commerce Commission
10 make inquiries such as were made In
The case Of the Hartman lines but that
il places limitation on the power OF the
Commissioner OF Corporations In his
relations with industrial corporations.
This difference. it 10 held. merely empha-
sizes the necessity for such changes In
rhe law as will clearly define the powers
If the Interstate Commerce Commission.
the Bureau OF Corporations and the Depart
ment Of Justice in their relations to cor
porations doing an interstate business.
The Hartman case. which came TO the
supreme Court on appeal from q decision
of the Circuit Court for the Southern Dis
'rict of New York, involved the right
Of the commission 20. institute proceed
ngs oil it's own voiition and without
Complaint. The Supreme Court held
hat the commission had no right to Under |
take any such investigation as that OF the |
so.caied Alton deal In the absence Of a |
formal complaint by party In interest.
HarrimAn's refusal therefore to answer
questions put to him relating to tranafers |
# stock OF various railroads was upheld
While the members OF the Interstate
commerce Commtssion are unwilling
at this fine TO discuss the effect Of the