Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-04-28
x STRONG MESSAGE.
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ton embracing practically all the
firms and corporations engaged in
structural steel work in New Eng
land. This combination included sub
stantially all the local concerns, and
many Of the largest corporations in
the United States, engaged in manu-
featuring or furnishing structural
steel for use in any part OF New Eng
land; it affected the States, the cities
and 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 the city Of Bos-
ton, the combination resulted in par
ceiling out the work by collusive bids.
plainly dishonest, and supported by
false affirmations. In its conclusion,
the commission recommends as fol-
lows:
Comment on the moral meaning of
these methods and transactions would
seem superfluous; but as they we're de-
tended at the public hearings of the
Commission and asserted to be COM
mon and entirely proper incidents of
buEiness life, and as these practices
have been freely resorted to by some of
the largest industrial corporations
Commission deems it proper to record
Its own opinion.
The Commission dislikes to believe
that these practices are. as alleged. es-
tablished by the general custom of the
business community; and this defense
itself, II unchallenged,, amounts to q
grave accusation against the honesty
Of present business methods.
To answer an invitation for public
or private work by sending in what
purports to be genuine bids, but what
In reality are collusive figures purpose
~ made higher than the bid which is
known will be submitted by one Of the
supposed competitors is an act Of
plain dishonesty.
TO support these Misrepresentation
by false afflrmations 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 sue
cessful bidder In the competition is
guilty of obtaining money by false
pretenses; and the others have made
l-.ShoClNCS p0L tlSo w a NOIioPh oSy
clearly unlawful at the common law.
Where, as in the case of the Boston
Agreement" a number of the most
important manufacturers and dealers
in structural steel in this country, in
Guiding the American Bridge Company,
one of the constituent members of the
Urited States Steel Corporation, have
combined together for the purpose of
raising prices by means of collusive
bids and false representations. their
conduct is not only repugnant to COM
mon honesty. but is plainly obnoxious
to the Federal statute known as the
Sherman or antitrust law.
The Commission believes that an ex-
ample should be made of these men,
and that the members Of the Boston
Agreement" or at least all those who,
In October and November, 1905. en-
tered in the fraudulent competitions
for the Cove Street draw span and the
Brookline Street Bridge, should be
brought before Federal grand Jury
for violation of the act of Congress OF
July 2, 1890. The three years lfmita
ton for participation in these trans
actions has not yet elapsed. and the
evidence obtained by the Commission
Is SO complete that there should be no
difficulty In the Governments secur-
ing a conviction in this case
! have submitted this report to the
Department of Justice for thorough
Investigation and for action if action
shall prove practicable.
Surely such a state of affairs as thai
above set forth emphasizes the need OF
further Federal legislation. not merely
because of the material benefits such
legislation will secure. but above al
because this Federal action should bt
part. and large part. of the campaign
to waken our people as a whole to q
lively and effective condemnation of the
low standard of morality implied ir
such conduct on the part of grea,
business concerns. The first duty Of
every man is to provide livelihood
for himself and for those dependent
upon him: 1t Is from every standpoint
desirble that each of our citizen.
should endeavor by hard work ant
honorable methods to secure for hin
and his such a competence as viii
carry with it the opportunity to enjo.
III reasonable fashion the comforts ant
refinements Of life: and. Furthermore
the man of great business ability VIII,
obtains fortune In upright fashion
Inevitably In SO doing confers benefi
upon the community as whole and +!
entitled to reward. to respect, ant
to admiration. But among the man!
kinds Of evil, social, Industrial, ant
political, which II rs our duty as {
nation sterniy to combat, there is nom
at the same time more base and NOR
dangerous THAN the greed which treats
the plain and simple rules of honest.
with cynical contempt if they interfere
with making profit: and as nation
we can not be held guiltless If we con
done such action. The man VIII
breaches hatred of wealth honestl.
acquired. who inculcates envy an,
jealousy and slandcrous i'll will towar'
those of his fellows who by thrift
energy. and industry have become mel
of means. Is q menace to the com
munity. But his counterpart in evi
Is to be found In that particular kim
OF multilpiliionaire who Is almost III
least enviable, and is certainly one o
the least admirable, OF all our citizens
a man of whom It has been well SAT-
that his face has grown hard and-crue
x.yH,l1r hts tSsS3N hna nrrOu-n soft. who's