Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-06-23
No [[1-UP0N TRUSTS
PRESIDENT TAFT PLANS REoR.
eANIzATloN OF BUREAUS TO
STRENGTHEN THEM.
RAPIpiTY IN BUSINESS
is FIRST GREAT DESIRE
Commerce Commission and Corpora
tion Bureaus Will Be Given More
Power if Presidents Aims Are Full
fIled-No Backward Step in Trust
Prosecutions.

Prosecutions.
Washington, June 23.-Whatever
may be the plan of reorganization Of
the department of justice, the inter-
state commerce commission, and the
bureau of corporations which Presi-
dent Taft will submit to congress in
his first annual message, this much is
certain: the inquisitorial powers Of
the last named bureau will not be cur
tailed but in all probability will be
strengthened.
BY direction of the president the Of
flcials charged by him with the work
of preparing the basis for his recon-
n,endation will assemble Immediately
after congress adjourns and put in a
week or more in considering this prop
osition. When their conclusions are
submitted to the president he is ex-
pected to consult other experts in this
branch of governmental procedure and
then write a paragraph which will be
inserted in his message for the infor-
nation and guidance of congress and
the country.
The corporations, which entertain
wholesome fear of a governmental in
vestigation, probably will not receive
with any degree of satisfaction the
news of the complete rehabilitation of
the bureau of corporations.
When President Taft announced, in
his inaugural address, that he intend
ed ito secure freedom from alarm on
the part of those possessing proper and
progressive business methods" coup
ling therewith the statement of his
purpose to reorganize the department
of justice, thee bureau of corporations,
and the interstate commerce commits
sion, he did not mean that any of these
governmental agencies were to be de-
prived of their value as instruments
for the public good. Indeed, he stated
that this reorganization was needed to
secure a more rapid and certain en-
forcement of the laws affecting the in
1erstate railroads and industrial COM
binations.
Mr.. Taft has been in the White
House three months and a half and
during that time has had occasion to
confirm the general opinion as to the
worth of the bureau Of corporations
not only as a curb upon the combina-
tons existing and operating in viola
ton of the law but also in gathering
Information upon which future cor
receive legislation may be based.
| To friends with whom he talked he
let it be known that the bureau of COR
porations would be one of the two
agencies charged with collecting the
proposed tax on the net earnings Of
corporations, the bureau OF internal
revenue of the treasury department be-
ing the other.
Experience Will Prove Worth.
| Under the direction of Commissioner
Herbert Knox Smith the bureau of cor
poratons has organized an expert ac-
counting force. This force has had a
great deal of experience in getting at
the facts concerning the financial con-
dition of such institutions as the
! Standard Oil Company. the beef COM
bine, the United States Steel corpora
ton, and tobacco trust. It has run
across numerous devices employed to
cover up earnings and consequently
will be able to detect anything of the
kind in connection with the collection
| of the proposed tax.
| The bureau. as a whole, thru the
work of its accounting officers, will be
able TO gather information which will
| be most valuable to the department of
| justice in the prosecution of viola
tons of the Sherman antitrust law
In his message in reference to the pro-
posed tax, Mr.. Taft said that, If by a
perfectly legitimate and effective sys-
tenn of taxation we are able to possess
| knowledge of the real business trans
actions and the gains and profits OF
every corporation in the country, a
long step would be made toward that
supervisory control of corporations
which may prevent the further abuse
of power.
| The publicity feature of the work OF
the bureau of corporations has been
recognized as the best corrective OF
abuse the government has possessed
There is no intention to restrict this
power, and certainty none contemplate
ing it's suppression. At the same time
the administration does not intend tc
permit the business secrets of any cor
poration to be given away and it may
be stated emphatically that any com.
bination observing the law will not be
so embarrassed.
| Men to Join Conference.
The men who will participate in the
conference ordered by the president
will be those who already have consid-
cred the subject They include the at
torney general, the secretary of the in
terror, the secretary of comm cree and
labor, Chairman Knapp of the inter
state commerce commission, and, per-
haps, Representative Townsend OF
Michigan.
Since the first meeting these men
have been considering the views of the
lpresident as presented to them by Mr.
Wickersham The interstate commerce
. commission has devoted several ses.
sions to the consideration of reor-
ganization of it's duties in order to
meet the ideas that are in the pres
ident's mind. The commission denies
it has shown any dilatoriness in set.
ting the cases brought before 1t an6
} indeed the record Of the body proves
a rapidity Of disposition justifyina
commentator.
J At the same time the commission