The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-05-01
LESS NOISY WAR
ON M0N0P0L|ES
BY W|CKERSHAM
Taft's Attorney-General Out
lines Policy of Administration
Toward Business interests.
MAY TRY TO AMEND THE
SHERMAN ANTITRUST ACT
Obedience to Law, He Says, Is
the Price Of Peace-Guest
at Banquet.

new YORK, May Before an as
sembiage of lawyers which Comprised,
almost without exception, every Justice
of the Supreme Court, every justice OF
the Appellate Division, every judge OF
the United States Circuit Court sitting
in or near New York. and practically
every lawyer of prominence in the
city. Attornes-Genera wickersham last
night outlined his program concerning
the administration Of his Office in GER
eraI and the execution Of the Sherman
antitrust law in particular. Seldorh
II ever have as many leaders OF the
bar of this and other States come to-
gether to do honor to one man as gath
cred at Sherry's to wish the new at
torney-general success in his new UNI
dertaking.
Passing on to a consideration Of the
laws which it would be his duty to see
enforced Mr.. Wiekersham said:
.phe work of the present admins
tration Is not less important than
was that of the last in continuing TO
enforce the laws of the country, and in
endeavoring to effectuate the intent cf
L people, speaking through Congress,
In preventing the things which Tie
people have come to believe to be in
consistent with the welfare of the re-
public; but the methods which were
necessary to awaken the business coir-
munity to a recognition of the exist
enee and vitality Of these laws are no
longer essential.
L,enient, But Firm.
we have heard frequently OF late
from representatives Of certain business
interests of the country cries Of Let
us have peace and Let US alone The
price of peace Is obedience to law;
those who honestly try to keep the law
need not fear prosecution. | am per-
Ifectly well aware that there Is an un-
certainty az to the precise scope and
meaning Of that law which most closely
touches all business activities Of the
country. namely, the Sherman anti
trust law. and / should be the last
to authorize the institution Of . crimi-
nal proceeding against men who, with
out intent to violate the law, have,
nevertheless, acted in technical contra
vention of IN extreme and most drastic
construction Of that enactment.
But certain Of the principles ia
lying that law are assuredly now un-
derstood, and any attempt at this time,
with the present construction OF inst
law agreed upon by all the higher
courts, to combine, In the form OF q
trust or otherwise, with the obvious In
tention of restraining among
the States or of creating a. monopoly
of an important part of that commerce,
would evidence such deliberate inten-
ton to break the law as to justify aud
compel the government to use. all Or
any of the remedies given by law ade-
quate to prevent the accomplishment
of such purpose and to punish the at
tempt.
May Amend Law.
ut is to be hoped that the Supreme
! Court will at an early day suthortts-
lively define the full scope and effect
of the antitrust law. and that. If a
construction should be given to it by
that court as far-reachinR as some OF
the Judges of the Court Of Appeals 10
this circuit gave in the tobacco ca~gs
Congress may so amend the act as TO
except from its provisions the ordi-
nary agreements which are the neces-
sary result of healthy business condi-
lions, while still effectively prohibiting
the creation of those f~ar-reaching
monopoIies which are believed to be in
compatible with the wholesome growth
and progress of the republic. This
matter is under consideration by the
present administration, with a view TO
submitting to the next Congress pro-
/ pn-od r,ordroants ~ fha 1aw"