The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1910-01-13

fish. should not r. permitted. provided,
copies Of such agreements be promptly
filed with the commission, but subject TO
all the provisions Of the Interstate com.
merce act and subject to the right or
any parties to such agreement TO cancel
II as to all or any Of the agreed rates,
days' notice In writing to the other par
ties and to the commission"
Other Amendments Urged.
In accord with other declarations Of the
Republican platform Of 1903, the president
further recommends that the interstate
commerce law be amended so as to pro
vide. that no railroad company subject
to tho commerce act shall, directly or IN
directly, acquire any interests of any
KIND in capital stock, or purchase or
lease any railroad, or any other corpora
business to which the interstate com
merce act applies; that law be enact
ed providing that no railroad corpora
ton subject to the interstate commerce
act shall hereafter for any purpose con-
nected with or relating to any part OF IT'S
business governed by said act, issue any
taneous payment to II of not less man
the par value Of such stock, or any bonds
or other obligations except notes matur-
ing not more than one year from the
date OF their issue, without the previ-
Gus or simultaneous payment to such cor
poration OF not less than the par value
Of such bonds, or other obligations, or,
II issued at less than their par value,
then not without such payment of the
reasonable market value Of such bonds
or obligations as ascertained by the In
terstate commerce commission: and that
no property, service, or other thing than
money, shall be taken in payment to such
carrier corporation. of the par or other
required price of such stock. bond or 9TH
err obligation. except the fair value of
such property, services or other thing as
certained by the commission
Would Prevent Wrong Practices.
The president continues:
Il believe these suggested notifications
In and amendments to the Interstate com
merce act would make ii complete and
effective measure tor securing reasonable
ness of rates and fairness of practices in
the operation of Interstate railroad lines,
without, undue preference to any individu-
al or class over any others
by my direction the attorney general
has drafted bill to carry, out these
recommendations, which will be fur
committee whenever 1t may be desired.
I'm addition to the foregoing amend
ments of the interstate commerce. law,
the Interstate commerce commission
should be given the power after a hear
Ing, to determine upon the uniform con-
struction of these appliances-such as sill
steps, ladders roof hand holds, running
boards and hand brakes on freight cars
engaged in interstate commerce-used by
the defects and lack of uniformity in
which are apt to produce accidents and
Injuries to railway trainmen. The, won.
derful reforms effected in the number of
switchmen and trainmen injured by coup
ling accidents, due to the enforced IN
PRODUCTION of safety coupers. is a demon
stration of what can be done If railroads
are compelled to adopt proper safety APP
planes
1.-The question has arisen in the opera
tons of the interstate commerce employ
ers liability act, as to whether suit can
be brought against the employer com
pany in any place other than that of its
home office. The right to bring the suit
under this act should be as easy of en-
forcement as the right of a private per-
H. Nl.Nx HttA
on an ordinary claim. and process IN each
suit should be sufficiently served IL upon
the station agent of the company upon
whom service is authorized Is made, to
bond the company in ordinary actions
arising under state laws Bills for both
the foregoing purposes have been CON
sidered by the house of representatives
and have been passed. and are now be-
of the senate. | earnestly urge that they
be enacted into law"
Control Of the Trusts.
The second part OF the message Is de-
voted to the control of trusts. Attvr a
lengthy discussion of trusts, good and
bad, and the success of prosecutions un-
der the Sherman ANTITRUST act, Mr., Taft
says:
1T Is the duty and purpose of the exec
utive to direct an investigation by the de-
partment of justice, through the grand
jury or otherwise, into the history, organ
izatlon, and purposes of all the Industrial
companies with respect to which there is
any reasonable ground for suspicion that
they have been organized for purpose,
and are conducting business on plan
which is in violation of the antitrust
law. The work is heavy one, but 1t
is not beyond the power of the depart
ment of justice, If sufficient funds are
furnished to carry on the Investigations
and to pay the counsel engaged in the
work. But such an investigation and
possible prosecution of corporations whose
prosperity or destruction affects the com
fort not only of stockholders but millions
of wage earners, employees, and associated
tradesmen must necessarily tend to dis
turb the confidence of the business COM
munity, to dry up the now flowing sources
of capital from its places OF boarding and
produce halt in our present prosperity
Cumstances among the innocent many for
faults of the guilty few. The question
which / wish in this message TO bring
clearly to the consideration and decision
| of the congress whether to avoid business
| danger something cannot be done by
| which these business combinations may
| be offered means. without great finan-
| cial disturbance, OF changing the char
| acter, organization and extent of their
law under federal control and supervision,
| securing compliance with the antitrust
| statutes.
For Government Control.
Generally. in the industrial combina-
| ness Is the sale of goods in many states
| and in foreign markets; in other words.
the interstate, and foreign business far
1
state. This fact will justify the fed
| eral government in granting a federal
| charter to such a combination to make
| and sell In interstate and foreign COM
merce the products of useful manufac-
ture under such limitations as will Sc
| cure compliance with the antitrust
| law. II Is possible so to frame a statute
| that while it offers protection to a fed
| eral company against harmful, veXatious
| and unnecessary invasion by the states,
| it shall subject II to reasonable taxation
| and control by the states, with respect to
| its purely local business
| MANY people conducting great busi-
nesses have cherished a hope and a be-
lief that In some way or other a line
may be drawn between good trusts and
| bad trusts and that 1t is possible by
| amendment 10 the antitrust law to make
| a distinction under which good comblna-
| tons may be permitted to organize, sup
| press competition control prices, and do
| II all legally II only they do not abuse
the power by taking too great profit out
OF the business. They point with force to
| certain notorious trusts as having grown
| into power through criminal methods by
| the use of Illegal rebates and plain cheat
| ing, and by various acts utterly Violative
| OF business honesty or morality, and urge
/ the establishment OF some legal line OF
| separation by which criminal trusts OF
this kind can be punished, and they, on
the other hand be permitted under the