The morning journal-courier., 1908-06-27
Fix Congressman from Maine Criticises Its Application and the Proposed
 Amendments.
HITS AT THE PRESIDENT
He Believes Business Men Arc Not Greatly Disturbed for Fear They Arc Constantly Facing
 Prison Cell.

Chicago, June 26, --- llx-Congress- man Charles F, Lttlenold of Maine, addressing lawyers and jurists in the closing session here to-day of the an- nual meeting of the Illinois Bar asso- clation made caustic criticism of the application of the sherman antitrust law He declared that the law itself Is indefinite, branded proposed amendments to the act as an attempt to infuse life Into something lifcless and closed with yelled attack upon President Roosevelt
 After questioning the efficiency of the antitrust law on the ground that 1t leaves too much Q the discretion of the jury as Co the rcasonablencss or unreasonableness of actions which might restrain trade. he endeavored to show that no similar laws with in definite purpose ever had been or ever could be enforced He said:
 Senator Lodge, in the republican national convention, said that PresI- dent Roosevelt had enforced the laws as he found them on the statute book Tho republican platform con graduates itself in enforcement of all the laws, In the light of cases l have cited to you, 1t would seem that proclamation and not performance constitute enforcement of the law.
 The distinguished publlcists think business men are very much disturbed for fear they are facing a prison cell for doing business under modern methods do not think that this ap- prehenson has any reasonable foun- | dation."
 The speaker pointed out that but seven convictions had been secured under the sherman law since Septem- Der fl, 1901 and continued; "It may bC that the predatory rich are lurking in every corner and that indicators Of great wealth abound. If this be true and they have been going about seek ! ing whom they may devour.' the extent to which the wicked have thus far gone unwhipped of justice borders upon tho ' consplracles in restraint of trade re- late Is an equaslon. on the one haut 1 you have labor and on thc other capl' tai. You hear more of capital In asso citation with restraint of trade than vol 1 do of labor, and then, again, little | said about a conspiracy tending ( create a monopoly After all IL Is not : bad thing that capital exists that | may provide for the excess of labor. :"
 Referring to the proposed amend ment to the antitrust law. Congress man Llttleheld said; When it become necessary 10 give force to a law b, that process the act does not commen itself to my good judgment Tn amendment Is said to have the objec Of requiring corporations or individn | als who seek to get the benefit of it provisions 10 register themselves wit the bureau of corporations that the may have conferred upon them bene fits and provisions that do not now ex that am at all times opposed 10 plac ing in the hands of any advancement bureau the power to supervise an regulate the business of s7,0O0, 900 Q people. But the most serious legal oh jection is the fact that 1t would nvali date the penal character of the act l this was lnvalidated there would not b enough of the act left for any extend ed discussion"