Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-04-28

INC local concerns, and many oil the
largest corporations in the United
States, engaged In manufacturing or
furnishing structural steel for use in
any part of New England; it affected
the states, the cities aud towns. the
railroads and street railways. and
generally all persons having occasion
TO use iron or steel for any purpose
in that section of the country. AS
regards inc city of Boston, tho com.
bination resulted in parcolng out the
work by colusivc bids. plainly dis
honest, ana supported by false affirm
atoms. In its conclusion. Inc commits
sion recommends as follows:
Comment on the moral meaning of
these methods and transactions would
seem superiluous: bur as they were
defended ut the public hearings of the
commission and asserted to be common
and entirely proper incidents OF husi
ness life. and us these practices have
been freely rcsortcd TO ly some of tho
largest industrial corporations that
the world has over known. the com
mission dcems 1t proper to record It's
own opinion.
TO support these mlsrcprcscn,a
tions by false ailirInations in writing
mat tho bids are submitted In goo,
faith, and without fraud collision, o.
connection With any other bidder. is Il
positive and deliberate fraud: the sue
cessiul bidder In the competition Ia
guilty of obtaining money by false
prctcnscs; and the others have made
themselves parties to conspiracy
clearly unlawful ut the common law.
Where, as in the case of the Dos.
ton Agreement number OF the
most important manufacturers and
dealers in structural steel in this
country, including the American
Bridge Company. ono OF the consti-
tncnt members Of the United States
steel Corporation, have combined 10.
gcthcr for the purpose of raising
prices by means of rcpugnant to com.
mon honesty, but is plainly obnoxious
10 the Federal statute known as the
Sherman ar antitrust law.
"Tho commission believes that an
example should be made of these mon.
and that the members of the Boston
Agreement or Mt least all those who.
In October and November, 1905, enter
Cd in the fraudulent competitions for
the Cove Street draw span and the
brooklyn Street bridge, should be
brought before n Federal grand jury
for violation of the act of Congress OF
July 2, 1890. Tho tree years limita.
tion for participation In these trans
actions has not yet elapsed. and the
evidence obtained by the commission
is so complete that there should he
no difficulty in the governments Sc
curing n conviction In this case"
have submitted this report To the
department of Justice for thorough in
vesttsation and for action if action
shall prove practicable.
Need of Further Legislation.
Surely such a state of affairs as
that above set forth emphasizes the
need of further Federal legislation,
not merely because of the material
benefits such Legislation will secure
but above all because this Federal ac-
ton should he part. and large part,
of the campaign 70 waken orr people
as a whole to lively and effective
condemnation of the low standard of
morality implied in such conduct on
the part of great business concerns.
The first duty of every man Is to pro
vide n livelihood for himself and for
those dependent upon him. 1t is from
every standpoint desirable that each
of our citizens should endeavor by
hard work and honorable methods TO
secure for him and his such compe.
tence as will carry with il the oppor
tunity to enjoy in reasonable fashion
the comforts and refinements of life.
and, furthermore, the man of great
business ability who obtains for.
tune in upright fashion inevitably in
so doing coDfers benefit upon the
community as n whole and is entitled
to reward, to respect and to admirn-
ton. But among the many kinds of
evil, social. Industrial, and political.
which 1t Is our duty as a nation stern
~ TO combat. there Is none at the
same time more base and more dan
gerous than the greed which treats
the plain and simple rules of honesty
with cynical contempt If they inter.
fere with making profit; ard as 1
nation we can not be held guiltless II
we condone such action. The man
who breaches hatred of wealth hon.
estly acquired, who inoulcates envy
and jealousy and slanderous. Ill will!
toward those of his fellows who by
thrift, energy, and industry have he.
come men of means. is n menace 10
the community. But his counterpart
in evil is to be foind in that particii-
lar kind of multimillionairo who is al.
most the least enviabe and is Ger
tainly one of the least admirable. of
all eur citizens: man of whom II
has been we'll said that his face has
grown hard and cruel while his body
has grown soft; whose nominal pleas
ures are at best those of tastelcss
and extravagant luxury, and whose
real delight. whose real life work, Is
the accumulation and use of mower in