Bisbee daily review., 1910-04-12
(speeial 70 Review.l

NACftlN01ONs -. - Alin -
As the tire approaches for the de-
cisien OF the U. S. Supreme Court in
the American Tobacco company aad
the STANDARD Oil company eases. the
bag corporations are manifestinc
spirit OF uneasiness that sug0rs iii fer
business during the summer. Prior 20
the enactment Of the corporation tax
Il was estimated that there were IN
round numbers some 400 900 corpora
tions. U3 20 the present tine returns
TO the Treasury Department show
that approximately 245.000 corpora
tions have made their returns. How
many 81 these will come under the
operations Of the sherman Antitrust
aot & Is impossible TO tell, but that
= great many are liable is not 70 be
aoukted and the uncertainty OF what
corperations will be affected injurious
D., ADDS 10 their anxiety. The White
House and Treasury have oeeA
fooaed with letters from corporations
shoving the deep interest taken II
the two cases mentioned and the case
OF the corporation tax. Oheiais o.
the administration in close touch WIN
tba situation frankly admit that they
are A. a loss 10 advse in the present
situation. They expect the supreme
Court 10 uphold the government
contentious in both the Tobacco ahu
on cases. and by it's decisions point
ont way Of dealing with comoi-ia-
lions in restraint Of trade. both large
and small
President Taft holds that the sher-
man Antitrust law makes unlawiui
certain methods OF carrying on busi-
ness which. before its passage. were
REGARDED as evidence OF business
saeacitv and success. and that they
were denounced in this act not be
cause of their intrinsic immortality
I'm, becsuse OF the dangerous results
toward which they tended.He holds
thar "a the first section OF the anu
trust law every contract. combination
+, she form OF trust or otherwise, or
consn;rscy in restraint of interstate
or foreign commerce is unlawful
The question follows as 20 how
President proposes TO enforce the
sherman act If the decisions are IN
fsvor Of the government He consid-
ers ia his duty and says II is ms
purpose through the Department OF
r,stics 10 Investigate the history, or
aanirafioa and purposes of all IN
which there is any reasonable ground
Tor suspicion that they have been or
gsnized Tor a purpose a1d are con
ducnnE BUSINESS on a plan which is IN
violation Of the Sherman act He al
nits the task is gigantic. but De-
lieves it not 70 be beyond the power
of the depar .ment Of Justice if con
gress win allow sufficient funds 70
carry on the investigation and pay
the counsel engaged in the work
Much work OF this character has al
ready been done and there are gooe
grounds for the belief that the Depart
rneat of Justice is only waiting Tor th'
decisions in the Tobacco and Oh cases
"a Yroceasf q. the prosecution OF haA
q dozen or more of the combination
most conspicuous in their violation o
tbe law. The President 'foresees lua
such an investigation and possiD'
prosecution Of corporations whos'
nrosDerity or destruction affects IN
comfort not only of stockholders ou
NJ millions of wage-earners. empioye
and associated tradesmen. must nee
essarily tend to disturb the COM
denee Of the business comm'raity' I
dry up resources of capital and PR
dree halt in our prosperity ina
viii cause suffering and strained cli
s.msfances among the innocent man
for the fausts Of the guilty few. a
The same time. as he is unwilling u
responsibiHty Of deciding between ID
-.aeod and bad" trusts shou
turned over 10 the courts it is eltirei
improbable that he will care 10 a
sgme them himself. Through an CO.
sideration Of the question he iasis'
that the suppression of compeuuo'
tse controlling Of prices, ana u
monopoly or attempt to noaopohl
in iuter7aate commerce, are not on
unlawful but contrary TO the pub
good. and they must be restralh'
and punished until ended