Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-23
FAIR DEAL FOR TRUSTS
Administration Anxious to Al
lay Uniustified Alarm.
AWAITS DEFINING OF LAW
Decision of Tobacco Case Will De-
termine Future Course.
LEGITIMATE BUSINESS SAFE
No Purpose to Follow Up Victory
Over Standard Oil With Whole
sale Prosecutions.
AWAITS DEFINING OF LAW
LEGITIMATE BUSINESS SAFE

|
ment's victory over the Standard OF
istration toward President Zelaya of Mic
aragua.
AS to the latter there is little difference
of opinion in administration circles. Mr.
Zelaya will be required to toe the mari
and answer for the butchering Of Ameri
can citizens.
! AS to the complications and phases in
cident to the antitrust decision in tn,
Standard Oil case there is much for Sc
| ious consideration, mostly between th
President and his Attorney General, with
out being brought before the entire cab
met for detailed discussion.
Trusts Expected to Take Alarm.
| There is widespread disposition or
the part Of officials of trusts and combi
nations to become frightened. Their,
looms before the administration the pos
sibility that reiteration of wild rumors a
to what the administration will do In fol
lowing up its victory may temporaril.
unsettle business prospects that wer
| dawning so brightly
| The conservatism shown by the Presi
| dent and his Attorney General will b
] lost sight of in the avidity with which
corporation interests will absorb variOu:
| reports as to the intention of the govern
ment to rush into general overhaulins
| of corporations, regardless of whether
| they may be termed good" or lawless.
Generally speaking. it may be stated or
unquestioned authority that the admins.
tration will proceed along lines popular
in the last administration-the punish.
ment of bad trusts. However. there will
be little noise connected with the work
Intelligent discrimination will be used in
attacking those deemed to be purposely
employed in trying to restrict trade and
stif1e competition.
Tobacco Ruling Awaited.
A point of deep concern is that, while
the administration will proceed in the fu-
ture with greater confidence and clear
ness as to what the courts will hold in
similar cases. it will await, to a large
degree, the final decision of the United
States Supreme Court in the American
Tobacco Company cases and in the ap-
peal in the Standard OIL case.
or equal importance to the Standard
Oil case is that of the American Tobac-
CO Company, now before. the Supreme
Court and in process of final adjudication.
The Standard case will not reach the Su-
preme Court for more than q year. The
American Tobacco Company case Is close
to decision.
Upon the latter case will largely depend
the future course OF the government as
to trusts under the Sherman antitrust
laws. That decision will mean more to
the government or the corporations. as
the case may be, than the disposition OF
the Standard Oil case, owing to the init
mate business relations it maintains with
the retail business of the country.
Trust Busting to 60 Slow.
The trust breaking machinery of the
administration has proceeded. so far, witt
much caution, and has dropped some suits
partially begun under the last admins.
| tration. This was because Of grave doubt
as to whether the corporations proceeded
| against were willfully violating the laws
and could be successfully attacked and
| because the questions involved were al
| ready before the courts in other cases
| The administration has been as much
| at sea as the corporations as to the clear
| ing up by the last court of the land OF
| the perplexing phases of the Sherman
| antitrust law. Until there Is somethins
definite from that court as a basis upor
which to proceed the mere pushing of al
| sorts OF cases against corporations woulG
! have no other effect than to frighter
| legitimate business concerns.
| The decision in -he American Tobacco
Company case is generally expected t.
| furnish clarification and let both the gov
ernment and the corporations know how
The administration s plans will undoubt
edly be to quietly proceed according tt
| schedule heretofore agreed upon, but t.
keep its work within lines that VII, no.
| lessen the confidence of the business
world.
President Gets Gold Medal.
| A committee from the recent Hudson
Fulton celebration in New York called a.
the White House today and presented t.
| President Taft. for the United State
government. an official gold medal com
memorating the anniversaries that wer
celebrated. The committee requested tha
the medal be deposited in the archives
| or the government, not only as me
mento. but as token Of appreciation
''of New York's devotion to the govern
ment. of which you are the honoret
| head"
The committee consisted of Gen
Stewart l.. Woodford, Col. uenry w
| Sackett and Dr. Edward Haggamann Hall
| Gen. WOOdford will sail for Europe in
few days to present medals to Germany
France. Great Britain. Italy and thu
| Netherlands. Mexico and the Argentin,
| Republic will also be given medals.
President Taft's answer to the commit
THE White House.
Washington, November q, 1909.
| Gentlemen:
I'm response to your letter of Novembe
Ii and your personal presence with whic
you honor me. l beg to thank you for tn
| official gold medal struck by your COIN
mission in commemoration of the 3OOth an
nivorsary Of the explO alton Of the Hud
son river by Henry Hudson in 1909, an
the Tooth anniversary OF the successfu
| inauguration of steam navigation upO
that river by Robert Fulton in 1907.
Il congratulate you upon the great sue
which you inaugurated and carried on,
and 1 am very glad to receive at you
| hands this permanent memorial prepare
by you to indicate the cordial co-operatio
| of the national government in all Ii
branches in making the celebration a sue
| cess.
! As you request. l shall cause the media
to Le deposited in the archives Of tn
State Department as a memento of tn
celebration and as a token Of your appre
citation and as a pledge OF New York's de
votion to the government Of the Unite
| States.
Very sincerely yours.
| 'WM. H. TAFT"
| ITO the Hudson-F>ulton celebration com
mission of the state of New York. tn
Tribune building. New York, N. Y"
Carrying Nails Improbable.
Ralph Peters. president OF the Long Is