Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-05-06
''OBEY THE LAW
ATTORNEY GENERAL WIckEH
SHAM SAYS THAT is PRICE
OF PEACE.
WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION
Lass Noise viii 30 Made Than IN tn'
past But the Good Work VIII
GO On Just the
Same.

-
santiago of lawyers which comprlseo
almost every justice Of the supreme
court. every justice Of the appellats
division. every Judge Of the uniteo
states circuit court sitting In or near
New York, and practically every
prominent personality in the legal pro
;esaIon Attorney General wicker
sham last night outlined his program
concerning the administration OF Ma
ONCE in general and the exercise u
the sherman antitrust law In parucu
lar. u.,d
"perhaps in this connection" saio
Mr. Wlckersham, ut may be appro
nriate to state In a few words my
IDEAS of the proper attitude OF the De
partment Of justice with respect !.
the enforcement Of laws affecting tnt
husIness interests Of the country YOU
ali know that the attitude OF very
large part Of the business community
towards some Of the laws enacted Oy
congress was prior to six or seven
Years ago. one Of Indifference when
not Of hostility. ,ou
"There was a prevailing impression
that many of the laws dealing wlt1
economic subjects had been passed u
he pointed to with pride, rather tnal
to he enforced. Then there came
rude awakening. The last admlnls'ra
tion set to work with vigor, Win ell
erev which was accompanied a
times with newspaper clamor, to en-
force these lays Business men wn'
eight years ago had not read the sner
man antitrust law, to-day know II p'
heart; and railroad men and Shippers
alike have an intimate personal &C
ouaintance with the interstate com
merce act.
ut may be; 1t probably is true ina
in the movement to impress upon INT
whole business world the meaning ant
force of certain laws, and the neces
sity of obedience to them, some sun
were instituted without ADEQUATE
cause. !.
"When such conditions are found =
exist, the present administration VII
not hesitate to withdraw the suits o
dismiss the prosecutions. Such actiol
must not, however, be taken as an,
indication Of an intention by this ac
mInistratlon to abondon in the sllsn'
est degree the vigorous, imparual 81
forcement of the law, or to UNDO u
any degree the splendid work OF In
last administration.
1--WE have heard frequently OF iate
Of the representatives of certain BUS
ness interests in the country, cries Q
Let us have peace, and Let us alone
The price of peace Is obedience 7.
law. those who honestly try =
keen the law need not fear prosecr
tion. am perfectly well aware tina
there is an uncertainty as to the PR
else scope and meaning OF the ia'
which most closely touches all Du'
mess activities Of the country-nam'
w. the Sherman antitrust law-an
I should be the last to authorize IN
insr,tution Of criminal proceedin
| asalust men who, without intent t
violate the law, have nevertheless &C
cd in technical contravention OF an q
treme and most drastic constructio
of that enactment.
"But certain Of the principles undel
living that law are assuredly now VI
derstood and any attempt made al I'M
| time with the present construction {
that law agreed upon by all the niel
er courts, to combine in the form OF
trust or otherwise. with the obxiou
intention Of restraining commerce
among the states or Of creating
monopoly Of an important part
that commerce, would evidence sue
deliberate intention to break the laV
As to Justify and compel the cover
ment to use all or any Of the rem
dies given by law adequate to prever
the accomplishment OF such purpos
and to punish the attempt.