The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1909-12-31
DOES TAFT FEAR
TO ENFORCE LAW?
Want Action Held Up Pending su.
preme Courts Standard oil
Decision.

Decision.
Washington, Dec. 27.-serlous con.
sideration is being given by President
Taft and leaders in congress, lnclud.
ing Senator Aldrieh and Speaker Can
noon, TO the question of the advisable
ity of attempting to enact federal
incorporation act in advance of a
final judicial decision in the Standard
Oil dissolution case
There appears to be an Important
difference of opinion between Mr Taft
and his advisers, who want him to
withhold the message which he has
announced he will send 20 congress.
To "vaecinate" Corporations.
It is understood that Mr. Taft fears
that business generally will suffer II
the supreme court in the dissolution
case and that he strongly favors what
might be termed vaccination" OF the
body corporate by the administration
of legislative remedy before the evil
appears.
On the other hand, congressional
leaders fear such course would
merely supply ammunition to the OPP
ponents OF the administration by Civ.
ing them an excuse 10 charge that the
force of the Taft regime is being dl-
rected toward creating a shelter for
monopolies.
If the president should submit His
recommendation soon after congress
reconyenes and should follow what
Is said to be his present inclination,
he would ask for the passage Of a fed.
eral corporation law, without delay on
the ground that honest business is
menaced under the Interpretation of
the Sherman antitrust act given by
the circuit court decision In the Stand
ard oil case.
President Reviews Asked.
While the presidents view la shared
by the leaders named they recognize
the fact that there win Re serious op.
position to any legislation apparently
calculated to narrow the scope OF the
Sherman law. They believe that this
Opposition is so strong that there would
be protracted contest over such
measure, and that It would be the part
of wisdom, therefore. TO await the de.
eision Of the supreme court
Mr.. Taft, It is said. has reviewed
personally the evidence IN the stand
ard OH case with the result that he be.
lieves the decision by the circuit court
correctly interprets the law; If so, he
presumably expects that the DEGREES
viii be sustained by the supreme
court.
The understanding Of those with
whom Mr.. Taft has discussed the case
is that he could recommend the enact
ment of a federal incorporation law
without becoming amenable to a
charge that he was seeking to preiu-
dice the supreme court.
May Dull Decisions Edge.
That the present is an unpropitlous
time TO send such a message TO con
gress and that no matter how cautious
the president might be IN the wording
OF his recommendation political issue
win certainly be made Of It Is the opln.
ion Of the republican leaders These
leaders do not all agree that the su-
preme court will sustain the decision
Of the circuit court without mitigating
the force Of that Interpretation Of the
sherman law
They point TO the fact that the 81.
preme court sustained the right OF
congress to enact the Legislation con-
tanned in the commodities clause Of
the Hepburn law, but that It did so IN
a manner such as to make It virtually
non-eifectiYe II Is suggested as not
Impossible that a decision with the
edge dnlled IN like manner might be
hafded down IN the Standard oil
case.
My Modify the Act.
Past decisions BY the supreme court
IN cases brought under the Sherman
antitrust law. have IN the main. con
lhrmed the constitutionality Of the law
and have given to It the broadest ap-
pneetiof Il is argued. nevertheless.
in view Of the far reaching effect Of
the reeeLt decision in the standard
o.. case upon corporations generally.
both GOOD and bad. congress may well
be asked by the president to take time
by the foreloek and to modify the
force Of the aes.
The record IN the Standard oil case
in all probability VIII reach the su
preme court some time before It recon.