The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1908-04-29

wolk by culusive bids, psHiH8 DIS
honest and supported 1y false aftir-
nations In i's conclusion he COM
mission recommends ais Follows:
Comment on the moral meaning
Of these methods and transactions
would seem supcrnuous hui as hey
We're defended at the pub ic hearings
of he commission and asserted to be
common and entirely proper incl
dents of business life. and as these
practices have been resorted 20 by
some of the largest industrial cor
porations that the world has ever
known. the commission deems il
proper to record its own opinion
The commission dislikes to believe
that these practices are as alleged,
established by the general custom Of
the business community and his de-
Tense itself if unchailenged amounts
TO a grave accusation against the
honesty of present business methods,
to answer an invitation for public or
private work by sending in what pur-
ports to be genuine bids, but what in
reality are eollusive figures. pur-
posely made higher than the bid
made by one of the supposed com
petitors, is plain dishonesty to sup
port these Misrepresentation by
false affirmations in writing that the
bids are submitted in good faith
and without fraud, collision or con-
nection with any other bidder is a
positive and deliberate fraud the
successful bidder in the competition
is guilty If Obtaining money by
false pretenses; and The others have
made themselves parties 70 a con-
spiracy clearly unlawful At HE COM
mon law.
Whereas in the case OF Boston
agreement number of the most
important manufactures aud dealers
in structural iron and -teel h this
country, including tbs American
Bridge company, one Of tine coustit-
uent members Of the United States
) eel corporation, have combined to-
gether Tor the purpose ot raising
prices bat means of co.lueiNe bias ANA
false representations. thea conduct
is not only repuenant to coMWoN
honesty but is plainly obnoxious to
lie federal statu known a. tbs
sherman antitrust laW. Iac om-
mission believes Stat an example
should We made of THESE a. NJ and
The members OF tac Boston grye=
mcnG or a least al 0i hasa, wNu
IN October ANA November. 1905. en-
Tered in thc flauda'em 8ae3iof
for the Cove street draw ~nan ANA
the Brooklyn street bridge oald
he brouG1 before federal -rand
jury for violation of the az IS cons
eress Of July p 1890. The thne
wears limitation tor participation ln
these transactions BIAS MOI re, elapsed
and The evidence obtained bE Ae
commission is SO complete that there
should be no difficulty in the COW
eminent securing conviction in this
case
have submitted this report 20 the
department of justice for thorough
investigation and for action if action
shall prove practicable.
Surely such a state OF affairs as
hat set forth above emphasizes the
need for further legislation. not
merely because of the material bene-
fits such legislation will secure, but
above all. because this federal action
should be part and large part, of
the campaign to awaken our people
as whole to the lively and effective
condemnation of the low standard Of
morality implied in such conduct OF
such concerns. The duty of every
man is TO provide a livelihood for
himself and for those dependent
upon him: it is from every stand
point desirable that each OF our citi-
zens should endeavor by hard work
and honorable methods 10 secure for
him and his such a competence as
will carry with it the opportunity to
enjoy in reasonable fashion the COM
forts and refnements of life; and
Furthermore, the man Of great bust
ness ability who obtains a fortune
in upright fashion inevitably in so
doing confers a benefit In humanity
as whole and is entitled 70 reward,
to respect and TO admiration. But
among the many kinds of evil, So
cial. industrial and political, which
it is our duty as nation sternly TO
combat, there is none AZ the same
time more base and more dangerous
than the greed which treats the
plain and simple rules of honesty
with cynical eonfaO1Dt II they inter-