Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1908-03-19
LAWS.
An Important Conferences Held at
White House May Bring
Fs Results Later.
70 AMEND SHERMAN ACT
,ns plan Favors Regulation Of inter
state Corporations Along Lines
Now Employed In Re
spect to Railroads.


Washington, Mar. 13.-An important
conference was held at the White
House Wednesday night, and, In
sense was continued Thursday re-
spectIng amendments to the sherman
ANTITRUST law. The changes In the
law. It is expected, will be proposed
along the lines suggested by the con
ference of the Civic Federation held In
Chicago a few weeks ago. No CON
crete results were reached, and 1t is
likely that further conferences will be
held. The president, 1t is understood
Is DESTROYS that M embodying the
conclusions of the conference, II any
be reached, be submitted to congress
for passage at this session.
Participating in the conference were
the president, Secretary Root, Secre-
tarv Garfield, Attorney General Bona
uarte. Herbert Knox Smith, commits
sioner of corporations; Seth Low, for-
mer mayor of New York; Samuel
Gompers, president Of the American
Federation of Labor; Victor Morawetz
general counsel for the Atchison, 10
neka & Santa Fe railroad, and Francis
Lynd Stetson, OF the firm OF ]. F. Nor
gan & Co., OF New York.
Mr.. Smith presented in tentative
shape some Of the ideas offered at the
Civic Federation conference in Chica-
On. The form in which the sugges-
I tions were made was in that Of bill,
but It had not been reduced to definite
shane. It is said that the proposed
changes are Of sweeping importance
and interest, inasmuch as, II crystal
ICED into law 1t would mean practical
| " a rejuvenation Of the Sherman anti
trust act. j..
While no agreement was reached
the trend of the discussion indicated
that common ground Of understand
ing shortly will be reached and that
perhaps within a week measure Will
be drafted which will be satisfactory
to all parties.
The particular interest Of the labor
officers is to secure an amendment TO
the Sherman law which will exempt
them from the practical operation OF
the act as conspiracies in restraint Of
trade. A proposition Of that kind now
| ia pending In congress, but IN the
! npipion of some OF the participants in
Ifhe White House conference 1t would
be unconstitutional If enacted in Its
present shape.
| Amendments were proposed relating
to the operation OF railroads, one pro
viding that pooling, under proper re
strictIons ought to be permitted by
law. 1t also was suggested that con
solidations and traffic arrangements
ought not to be permitted by connect
/, ing lines under such arrangements al
would permit Of abuse of that privilege
An important amendment was alst
proposed by which there would b
further regulation Of corporations do
, ing an Interstate business and provid
. ing for reports from such officers Il
, the department of commerce ant
labor, along the lines Of the report
now made by the railroads to the In
, terstate commerce commission. Sucl
an amendment, It was pointed out
] would insure proper publicity OF tn
/ operations Of interstate corporation
} ana insure the utmost fairness In al
/, dealings with the people.
: II was pointed out that, with tn
/. enactment OF the amendments pr
4 posed. the government might besi
; anew its work of dealing with col
n porations. In fact, 1t was propose
e that prosecutions now in contempli
ton by the government against Co
e porations under the provisions OF tn
g Sherman act be abandoned II the pr
Il posed amendments should be enacte
e into law.