The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1910-02-11
SUPREME court
soon TO DECIDE
The American Tobacco
Company Case.
Sherman Anti Trust Law Will be
Again Tested-Doings Of
National Capital.
Washington. d. c., Feb. s. 1s1O-The

Washington. d. c., Feb. 5. 191O-Th'
greatest anxiety prevails among think
ing men in the administration, in
cMding the leaders Of Congress, re-
garding the forthcoming decision OF
the Supreme Court of the United
States in the case of the Ameri-
can Tobacco Company. If the decision
of the lower court is sustained 1t
will mean the appointment of a re-
ceiver for the tobacco trust. The
directors of that great corporation
will be discharged from further re-
sponsibility and receiver will as
sumo charge of its affairs, mot for
the purpose Of administering them
in the interest of stockholders, but
for the purpose of winding up the
affairs of the company of dispensing
of its assets, presumably to the high
est bidder and of casting adrift on
the financial sea the integral parts
of that great aggregation OF concerns.
This will inevitably result in fear
full loss 10 those who own securities
of. the organization. Moreover. The
affirmation by the court of last re-
sort of the principle involved win leave
the administration no alternative but
immediately to institute suit against
practically every concern which has
been constructed on similar lines.
One does not need to be a pessimist
to Gee a condition bordering on in
dustrial chaos as a result of the
dlsintegration Of the chief corpo-
rations of the country. But If they
/. are found to exist in violation of
the law they must come down and
it is President Taft's belief that
1t Is far better to see some chaotic
conditions for q short time than to
allow the Illegal corporations to OBJ
tain a grasp upon the country which
night never be shaken off.
There is no likelihood that the ad-
ministration federal Incorporation
measure will receive favorable ac-
tion by either House Of Congress al
this session. There has been some
reluctance on the part of the headers
to admit this fact but they havee fina
ly concluded that there is no good end
to be served by concealing it. Two
factors contribute ito this situation.
First 10 would be impossible to adopt
Legislation of such far reaching impor
lance in the face of determined cp-
position Of the minority. 1t would
be talked to death in the SeAate even
were it possible under whip ana Apur
TO obtain a majority for it in the
House. In the second place there Is
4 grave question regarding the political
, sxpediency of such legislation. Demo-
craticw administrations regarded the
Sherman law as a dead letter and fl
nally it fell to Republican administra
ton; the law came under the direc-
ton OF Philander Knox the then At
( toNey-general and he recusiaIted it
and secured for it such judicial in
depreciation as gave 1t force. Since the
decision in the Northern Securities
case Republican administrations have
been seeking assiduously TO enforce
the statute. The wisdom of seeking
now, at time when the end sought
seems about TO be attained, to msti-
gate its effects Is seriously ques-
toned, especially in view Of
tn presneet temper of the peo-
pie. Were the only sufferers
those managers of great combinations
who have brought them into being
there would be no hesitation what
ever about permitting them to take
rho consequences Of their own lawless
ness but the anxiety that is felt Is
due to a vast number of innocent
people whom 1t would be impossible
to save from punishment intended Tor
few.
Amreican generally little realize
the important part which the Nation
al Red Gross may play in the dip
lomatic affairs of this nation. That
the services rendrd by that organi-
zation at Bluefields contributed mater
tally to ally the resentment aroused
among the supporters of Zelaya by the
acton Of the United States has become
obvious. That the generosity and time