New-York tribune., 1909-12-25
WOULD MAKE ANTI
TRUST LAW CLEAR
MR. TAFT NOT TO WAIT
FOR OIL DECISION.
Special Message VAL Suggest
Changes TO Render Statute
More Erplioit.
- - 60. Rur.au /,


rFron The Tribune Bureau
Washington. Dee. 2a.-The President
las decided 20 send a special message 20
congress dealing with the subject Of
amendments 10 the antitrust law. with
,rr waiting for the supreme Court 10
hand down ms decision IN the Standard
Dr case.
Nr. Tart rs ~ the opinion that. while
fhe-t may be a number OF wilful viola
rcns NJ the existing Law. there are also.
n aU probability. many violations
growing out of an inability 10 under
stsnd Just what The law requires or pro-
rfb,ts He believes the statute could. in
no rrt 81 experience gained since n
was enacted. he somewhat amplihed. 20
me end that it would be more explicit
ar rs prohibitions. This result would be
highly desirable not only because II
would more clearly point the wsy -
those who would not willingly violate
the 'sO. bur because n would in large
measure rob of that excuse those who
row claim their violations 20 he unwil-
ing
FEDERAL INCORPORATION
F-rsident Taft rs. moreover firmly
convinced thar some method Of federal
in-or7orstion should be provided. and is
snNo1s that the subject should receive
fhe early and serious consideration ~
roth houses of Congress Mr. Taft Is
greet believer IN the efficacy ~ public
uv The system Of federal incorpora-
would provide for regular reports from
sH large corporations 70 federal sd-
min strstive oflCe and would clothe
ths' Office with the power 20 verify and
enlarge by further Investigations these
reports and the facts connected there
rrir- He believes the law should pro
--6e for the publication IN concise and
INTEL gible form of all Tire important
facts - corporate opera tions which are
~ public interest safeguarding. al the
ssme time from unnecessary pubica-
t.ou an proper business secrets
Wr Taft Is disposed TO believe that. as
necessary corollsry OF federal incor-
poration. the government should extend
20 corporations which avail themselves
~ the privilege ~ the act and submit 20
the attendant supervision snd publicity
= the protection 10 which they are
properly emitted
Perhaps the most serious problem
vhlch attends the effort 70 establish
sdecuase fedora control Of corporations
rsEaEec IN interstate commerce Is pre-
se-ted by the inability Of the govern
r7err 10 protect such corporations from
Ersvelv detrimental state regulation
This difficulty already confronts the In
-e-state Commerce Commission IN its ef-
fo-ts 10 determine and compel just rates
co. transportation. In more than one
Instance the reasoning and orders OF the
commission have been thrown complete
'v cur 81 balance b. subsequent more or
less drastic state regulation. The difi-
r-,ties Of accomplishing Just and efec-
r've regulation Of corporations which
s-e clearly subject 20 Two masters are
obvious
STATES MAY RESIST.
T- ts clearly realized that precisely as
tre states of the original confederation
wsre long reluctant 10 delegate % cen
f-sI government those powers essential
20 rs existence, so nov practically all
rhe states viii resist any effort 20 cur
taf rheir POWERS 70 the end thar the fed
srs' government may the more ade-
e-sreiv and effectively control those cor
rCra--1ns which conduct an interstate
business and which have obviously out
grown the essentially narrow limitations
cf state control
As has been pointed out BY the Secre-
tHr7 NJ Commerce and Labor. the federal
government is. however. the only agency
whose Jurisdiction is commensurate with
~ ram tdcati0ns of the business 81 the
large rorporstions end the only one
which can prescribe uniform conditions
for rhe entire country. II Is also obvious
rtsf 20 considerable number of states
czr ever aFree IN establishing and main
tanning any one system. while no state
si0re can make its own system effective
A. Secretary Nagel has well put II. In
financial and commercial conditions the
business n the country has become ma
tonslzed. It's legal regulation also must
b. rstlouslized."
n is nor the purpose ~ President Taft
to propose 70 Congress legislation Of
refo' -torary or even ~ an extreme
character but rather 20 indicate the
steps which may now b. taken toward
the act leverneut OF the desired end and
io c.recr the mind Of Congress toward
those phases 81 this intricate problem
th' responsiblity for the solution OF
which must ultimately devolve on the
national legislature
Ths President expects 20 complete his
special message ON the interstate oom-
merce law and the conservation or the
national resources IN the recess of Con-
Eress, s0 that they may be submitted 70
The national legislature on January and
o. respectively