Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-04-03

l Otner measure Wnlcn WOui0 achieve the
desired end Bearing this in mind, ] would.
suggest, merely tentatively. the following
changes In the law.
The substantive part Of the antitrust
law should enlai as at present. that H..
every contract In restraint OF trade or
commerce among the several states or
with foreign nations should continue "a
be declared illegal. provided. however.
that some proper government authority
(such as the commissioner OF corporations
acting under the secretary OF commerce.
and labor be allowed to pass on any such
contracts. Probabiy the best method OF
providing for this would be to enact that
any contract. subject TO the prohibition
contained In the antitrust law, into which
IL was desired 20 enter, might be filed
with the bureau OF corporations or other
appropriate executive body. This would
the h~llng-which period could be extended
by order Of the department whenever for
any reason II did not give the department
sufficient time for a thorough examine
tion--the executive department having
power might forbid the contract, which
would then become subject to the pro-
visions OF the antitrust law, Ii at all In
restraint of trade.
III no such prohibition was issued, the
contract would then only be liable to at
tack on the ground that IL constituted
an unreasonable restraint OF trade. When
ever the period OF filing had passed with
out any such prohibition, the contracts
or combinations could be disapproved or
forbidden only after notice and hearing
with a reasonable provision for summary
review on appeal by the courts. Labor
organizations. farmers organizations. and
other organizations not organized for pur-
poses Of profit. should be allowed to reg
ister under the law by giving the location
Of the head office. the charter and bylaws.
and the names and addresses OF their
principal officers. In the interest OF all
these Observation-Disclosures, labor, and
farmers organizations alike-the present
provision permitting the recovery OF three
fold damages should be abolished. and as
a substitute therefor the right OF recovery
allowed for should be only the damages
sustained by the plaintiff and the cost
OF suit, including a reasonable attorneys
The law should not affect pending suits:
a short statute of limitations should be
provided. so far as the past is concerned,
not to exceed a year. Moreover, and even
more I'm the interest of labor than OF
business combinations. all such suits
brought for causes of action heretofore
occurred should be brought only IL tho
contract or combination complained OF
we'll to remember that all OF the suits
hitherto brought by the government under
the antitrust law have been in cases
where the combination or contract was
In fact unfair. unreasonable, and against
the public interest.
Strikes Legal.
1t is important that we should encour-
age trade agreements between employer
and employee where they are just and fair.
A strike Is a clumsy weapon for Fighting
wrongs done to labor, and we should ex-
tend. so far as possible, the process OF
Cancellation and arbitration as a substitute
for strikes. Moreover, violence, disorder.
and coercion, when committed In connec-
ton with strikes, should be as promptly
mitted In any other connection. But
strikes themselves are, and should be. rec
ognized to be entirely legal. Combina-
lions OF workingmen nave a peculiar rea-
son for their existence. The very wealthy
individual employer. and still more the
very wealthy corporation, stand at an
enormous advantage when compared to
the individual w~orkingman; and while
there are many cases where II may not
be necessary for Iaborers TO form a union.
in many other cases X Is Indispensable.
for otherwise the thousands of small units
the thousands OF individual workingmen.
will be left helpless In their dealings with
the one big unit. the big individual or
corporate employer.
Twenty-Five years ago. by the act OF
June 20, 1885. trades unions were recog-
nized by law, and the right of laboring
people TO combine for all lawful purposes
was formerly recognized. this right In
GLIDING combination for mutual protection
and benefits. the regulation OF wages,
hours and conditions OF labor. and the
protection Of the individual rights OF tina
workmen in the prosecution of their trade
or trades. and In the act OF June l. 1898.
strikes were recognized as legal in the
same provision that forbade participation
In or instigation OF force or violence
tempt to prevent others from working.
by violence, threat, or intimidation. The
business man must be protected In person
and propert and SO must the farmer
and the w~ageworker; and as regards all
alike, the right OF peaceful combination
for all lawful purposes should be explicitly
recognized.
The right OF employers to combine and
contract with one another and with their
employees should be explicitly recognized,
and so should the right OF the employees
10 combine and 10 contract with one an
other and with the employers. and to seek
peaceably to persuade others to accept
their views. and to strike for the purpose
of peaceably obtaining from employers
satisfactory terms for their labor. Moth
ing should be done TO legalize either q
blacklist or a boycott that would be n
OF boycott defined and condemned by the
anthracite strike commission.
Establish Postal Banks.
The question of financial legislation is
now receiving such attention In both
houses that we have a right to expect
action before the close of the session. IT,
Is urgently necessary that there shoul
be such action. Moreover, action should
be taken TO establish postal savings banks.
These postal savings banks are impera-
lively needed for the benefit of the wage
workers and men of sman means. and
Will be q valuable adjunct to our whole
Revise Tariff.
The time has come when We should pre-
pare for a revision OF the tariff, This
should be. and indeed must be, preceded
by careful Investigation. II Is peculiarly
the province of the congress and not or
the president. and indeed peculiarly the
province OF the House OF Representatives.
TO originate q tariff bill and to determine
upon lis terms; and this I fully realize.
YET IL seems TO me that before the close
of this session provision should be made
for collecting full material which will en-
able the congress elected next fall to act
Immediately after II comes into existence.
This would necessitate some action by
the congress- at Its present session, per-
haps In the shape of directing the proper
committee to gather the necessary in
formation. both through the committee It
self and through government agents who
should report TO the and should
lay before IL the facts which would per-
nit II TO act with prompt and Intelligent
fairness. These government agents. II &c
Is not deemed wise to appoint individuals
from outside the public service, might
with advantage be member of the execu-
tive departments. designated by the presi-
dent, on his own motion or on the request
of the COMMITTEES, TO act with II.
! am of the opinion. however. that ono
change In the tariff could with advantage
be made forthwith. Our forests need ev-
cry protection. and one method OF pro-
tectlng them would be to put upon the
free list wood pulp. with q corresponding
reduction upon paper made from wood
pulp, when they come from any country
that does not put an export duty upon
! them.