Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1910-03-07


Wis says the president 10 his message
desired to dissipate the belief that
the law doesn't mean u.s. This
feeling, 1t Is described, is emphasized
by the fact that while many large
business concerns declare their In
ability to determine whether or not
they are within the law they very
readily pass on the question for their
competitora. Mr.. Davis then re-
lates the following incident:
Not long ago a delegation OF east
ern manufacturers called upon Pres
ident Taft upon such an eFrand.
They were In a Combination" that
is, they had made an agreement
among themselves as to some things
which they would or would not do.
The manner IN which the govern
ment was proceeding against certain
concerns for violation of the Sher-
man law, and the recent decisions OF
the courts In such cases, had set
them to thinking about themselves.
They were worried. They did not
believe that they were doing any
thing illegal. but they had begun to
suspect that the government might
think they were. So they went to
the president about 1t.
They took with them several Of
their contracts, which they wished
to submit to the president for his
personal perusal. They dllated upon
their misfortune in being unable to
secure from any authoritative source
an accurate charting Of the boun-
dairy between legal and illegal BUSH
ness operations. There must be
some such line. they were sure. But
the department OF justice would not
point 1t out for them, and nowhere
could they get responsible advice
Their spokesman addressed the pres
ident substantially thus:
"Mr. President we do not feel that
we are doing anything wrong, but we
want to know. We are engaged in a
legitimate business, in what we think
Is legitimate way. We do not burn,
or steal, or exact rebates, or use false
weights, Nov, we should like TO have
You look at our contracts and see for
yourself just what we are doing. 1t
seems to us there must be some line
that business can get within and be
safe, and We want to know where 1t
is. The department of justice cannot
give us advice, and SO we have come
to you."
But the president did not read their
contracts. He merely asked them two
questions. The first was: do you
seek to control prices?" and the Sec
and was: "Do you seek to limit or
control output"
To both Of these questions the an-
swer was In the Affirmative. There
upon the president spoke to this
effect:
That's all wish to know. don't
need to read your contracts. You ask
II you come under the Sherman law.
can tell you right now on the an
swers you have just giver that you
do"
OF course, In putting these words
In Quotation-marks. 1t Is not intended
to convey the impression that they
exactly reproduce all that conversa-
tion. but they do give substantially
and fairly the glst OF what was said
on both sides.
The presidents callers were sur
prised and disturbed at what he told
them; but they were more surprised
and more disturbed when he went on
to say that there was only one re-
course for them, and that was to
quit fooling around about what your
competitors are trying to do" and
get back to the good old system of
doing business contemplated by the
law, where competition has its free
and uninterrupted play.
This illustrates the position of the
president. II any company seeks to
control prices or seeks to limit or to
control output It's operations are in
violation OF the antitrust law.
| Applying the rule to the Boise meat
trust, In the light OF our own anti
trust law. what hollow mockery
the recent grand jury investigation
becomesl
| Mr.. Davis concludes his admirable
article with the statement that the
corollary Of federal incorporation is
federal supervision. He says that
with the power for proper regulation
and control in its hands 'the govern