Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-27
TAFT FEARS FOR BUSINESS


TAFT FEARS FOR BUSINESS.
| 1t is understood Mr. Taft fears busi-
ness generally Will suffer II the SUI
| preme court afflrms the finding of the
circuit court In the dissolution case.
and that he strongly favors what might
be termed vaccination" of the body
corporate by the adoption OF legislative
remedy before the evil appears.
On the other hand. congressional lead
crs fear such course would supply i'm
munity to opponents by giving them
an excuse to charge the force of the
Taft regime is being used toward Gre
ating shelter for monopolies.
If the president should submit his
recommendations soon after Congress
reconvenes. and should follow what ,s
said TO be his present inclination, he
would ask for the passage of a federal
corporation law without delay. on the
ground that honest business Is menaced
under the Interpretation OF the Sherman
anti trust act given by the circuit court
decision in the Standard OIL case.
While the presidents view is shared
by congressional leaders, they recog-
nize that there will be serious opposi-
ton to any legislation apparently cal
culated to narrow the scope of the
Sherman law. They believe this oppo-
sition Is so strong that there would be
a protracted contest over such meas
ure, and that it would be the part of
wisdom, therefore to await the decision
of the supreme court
Mr.Taoft, it Is said. has reviewed per-
sonally the evidence In the Standard Oil
case. with the result that he believes
the decision correctly interprets tho
law. II so. he presumably expects the
decree will be sustained by the SUI
preme court The understanding OF
those with whom Mr.. Taft has dis
cussed the case is that he could recon-
mend the enactment of federal lncor-
poration tax without becoming amena-
BILE to a charge that he was seeking
to prejudice the supreme court.
BAD TIME FOR MESSAGE.
That the present is an unpropitious
time to send such a message to Con-
gress and that no matter how cau>
tious the president might be In the
wording of his recommendation, politl-
cal issue will certainly be made of 1t. is
the opinion of Republican leaders.
These do not agree that the supreme
court Will sustain the decision without
mitigating the force OF that interpreta-
ton of the Sherman law.
They point to the fact that the su-
preme court sustained the fight of
Congress to enact the legislation con-
Hepburn law, but that 1T did so in a
manner such as to make it virtually
non-effectivc.
1t is suggested as not impossible that
a decision with the edge dulled" In
like manner might be handed down in
tho Standard OIL case.
Past decisions of the supreme court
In cases brought under the Sherman
antitrust law have. In the main con-
flrmed the constitutionality of the law
and have given to 1t the broadest in
depreciation. Nevertheless, in view of
the FAR reaching. effect of the recent de-
cision In the Standard OIL case upon
corporations generally both good and
bad, Congress may well be asked by
the president to modify the force of the
act.
Tho record in the Standard case prob
ably will reach the supreme court by
Jan. g. and that counsel for the gov
eInment and the company will concur
in a request for advancement for 1t
may be argued carly I'm March. This
would give time to the attorneys to
prepare for the adjournment I'm May.
If dispatch is shown in getting final
adjudication, 1t is probable there still
would be opportunity for Congress to
consider remedial legislation in the
present session.