The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-07-29

National control 81 Interstate Com.
iiierce Corporation.
Another suggestion in respect to sub.
ordinate and ancillary machinery nee
essary to carry out Republican policies
3 s that Of the Incorporation under Ma
tional law or the licensing by National
license or enforced registry Of compa-
MES engaged In Interstate trade. . The
fact is that nearly all corpora tons do
Ing a commercial business are engaged
IN interstate commerce, and If they all
were required to take out a Federal
license or Federal charter, the bur
den upon the interstate business Of the
country would become intoaerahle
It Is necessary, therefore, to devise
some means for classifying and insur.
Ing Federal supervision Of such cor
pOrations as have the power and temp
tation to effect restraints Of Interstate
trade and monopolies. Such corpora
lions constitute a very small percent
age Of all engaged in interstate bust
ness. 81
Construction Of Anti Trust Law. 5
The possible operation Of the anti
trust law under existing rulings Of the
Supreme Court has given rise to sug-
gestions for Its necessary amendment
to prevent its application to cases
which it is believed were never IN the
contemplation Of the trainers Of the
statute. Take two instances: A mer-.
chant or manufacturer engaged in a
legitimate business that covers certain
States, wishes to sell his business and
his good will, and SO in the terms Of
the sale obligates himself to the pur-
chaser not to 60 into the same bust
ness In those States. Such restraint
of trade has always been enforced at
common law. Again, the employees Of
an interstate railway combine and en-
ter upon a peaceable and lawful strike
to secure better wages. At common
law this was not restraint of trade
or commerce OF violation Of the
rights Of the company or Of the public.
Neither case ought to be made viola
ton Of the antitrust law. Ny own
impression Is that the Supreme Court
would hold that neither of these in
stances is within it's inhibition, but, if
they are to be SO regarded, general leg
islat1on amending the law Is necessary.
The proposal to compel every cor
poration to sell it's commodities at the
same price the country over, allowing
for transportation, is utterly imprac-
hcable. If it can be shown that in or
der to drive out competition, corpo-
ration owning large part Of the plant
producing an article is selling in one
part Of the country, where it has COM
pettors, at low and improbable
price, and in another part of the coun-
try, where it has none, at an exorbi-
tant price, this is evidence that it is at
tempting an unlawful monopoly, and
justifes conviction under the antitrust
law; but the proposal to supervise the
business Of corporations in such way
as to fix the price of commodities and
compel the sale at such price is as alb
surd and socialistic plank as was
ever inserted in a Democratic political
platform. -. i
Advantage Of Combination of Capital.
The combination of capital in large
plants to manufacture goods with the
greatest economy Is just as necessary
as the assembling of the parts of
machine to. the economical and more
rapid manufacture of, what in old
times was made by hand. The Gov
eminent should not interfere with one
any more than the other. ~=< 4
What Is an Unlawful Trust7
When, however, such combinations
are not based on any. economic prin-
cip1e, but are made merely for the pur-
pose of controlling the market, to
maintain or raise prices, restrict output
and drive out competitors, the public
derives no benefit and we have mo-
nopoly. It is important, therefore,
that such large aggregahons Of cap.
ital and combination should be con-
trolled SO that the public may have
the advantage Of reasonable prices
and that the avenues Of enterprise
may be kept open to the individual and
the smaller corporation wishing to en-
gage in business.
Many enterprises have been organ
lied on the theory that mere aggrega.
ton Of all, or nearly all, existing plants
in line Of manufacture, without re
gard to economy of production, de.
stroys competition. They have, most
Of them, gone into bankruptcy. Com,
petition in profitable business will
not be affected by the mere aggrega.
ton Of many existing plants under one
company, unless the company thereby
effects great economy, the benefit OF
which it. shares with the public, OF
takes some Illegal method to avoid
competition and to perpetuate a hold
on the business.
Proper Treatment of Trusts. r. !
Unlawful trusts should be restrained
with all the efficiency of injunctive|
process, and the persons engaged in
maintaining them should be punished
with all the severity of criminal pros.
ecutiOn, in order that the methods pur.
sued in the operation of their business
shall be brought within the law. Tt !
destroy them and to eliminate the
wealth they represent from the pro.
ducing capital of the country would
entail enormous loss, and would throw
out OF employment myriads of work.
1ngmen and workingwomen, Such a
result is wholly unnecessary to the &C
complishment Of the needed reform
and viii jnf7iot rnon tho }nnooont 20 III