Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1910-02-11
TAFT DISCUSSES
TRUST PROBLEM
WILL AWAIT FORTHCOMING DE
CISION OF THE SUPREME
COURT.
Action win DEPEND on Which Way
Court Decides.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. IL
"A conference hela at the White
House last night between President
Taft and Senator Aldrich was only
the forerunner of others in the near
futre, the outcome of which prob
ably will be the issde of statement
dealing with the possible conse-
quences, financially, industrially and
politically, hanging upon the decis-
ions Of the supreme court of the
United States in the cases of the
American Tobacco company and the
Standard Oil company.
The Immediate subject of last
nights conference between the presi-
dent and Senator Aldrich was the
Administrations proposed amend
ments to the interstate commerce
law, but the effect of the supreme
court decisions in the tobacco and
oil cases were discussed also and
will be further discussed on Mon
day.
President ON Party Pledges.
Meanwhile, the president will
speak in New York Saturday night
on the subject, it is said, of Party
pledges and how they should be
kept" and he is attempting no con-
..aaIpoaot ~ y,odiaontfo- oF ri. a.
tentions to make the decisions of the
supreme court the action in regard
to the corporations charged with vio-
lations of the Sherman antitrust
law. ne makes it plain, too, to all
inquirers that he has in no wise
changedhis view of what in his mess
age to congress, he described as his
duty to investigate the conduct of ali
trusts. Mr.. Taft says he will not
be swerved therefrom by rumors or
flurries o rother manifestations in
Wall street.
AS for the scope of the antitrust
cases before the supreme court. here
is what Attorney General Wicker
sham said in connection with his mo.
tion to advance the Standard Oil case
before the supreme court to imme-
diate hearing:
The tobacco case, just argued
and submitted to tie court, and the
Standard Oil case, present to the
court practically the entire range
of modern industrial organizations IN
this country, and substantially every
feature of the ao-called trust prob
lem in so far as it is affected by the
Sherman act. 1t ha!
been the policy of the government
to select a few extreme instances o
great combinations, apparently con
trolling the greater part of the trade
anC commerce in a particular lint
of industry, and to make them test
Of The full meaning and application
of the statute.
The Standard Oil case is tn,
most important of all these cases
affecting, as 1t does, the widest rang
of combinations and contracts whicl
may be claimed TO offend agains
the act of congress. Under these cir
cumstances and as this act in it
general scope affects an enormou
number of business and industrial
organizations throughout the coun
try, it Is of momentous public i'm
portanee that this court shall defin
and apply the act in reference to thi
character of organization"
The Great Problem.
''If the trusts win, and congress
is helpless to assist in the situatio
either way, where We are We at?
asked a republican leader yesterday
This is the topic most discussed
Washington just now. - is the sui
ieet uppermost in every quarter.
has thus far been discussed wit
the soft pedal on" and, as 1t wert
In whispers; but leaders in eongres
admitted yesterday that it would b
impossible much longer to eonfin
1t to private conversation.