The sun., 1910-06-03
.. Mr. MIcker.ham In.urEents

4 little less than five months ago
President TAFT. with his accustomed
clarity Of expression conlided To Con-
gress his personal and official views
concerning the propricty of traffic agree
ments We quote from the President s
special message Of January :. 1910:
,es no reason w, agreements between car
Hsr, slhNsr, 10 he set spsr.nin me ,assincs
uons ~ freight ami the rates. fares aud charges
for ns1spgrnuon Of passenger, and freight
vhi-h me, may agree 10 establish. should not
be permitted. provided rories Of such agres
msnis he promptly nod With The commission,
but ,uniert 10 sI the provisions Of me 10 isrstas
eommerrc act and ,ubicct to the r,ght Of any
parties 70 such agreement 10 canrel n OF any Of
the aErtsd rates. hre,. charges Or classiaca uons
b, thirty days notice IN urunE 70 ths other
arue' and 10 ths commission
Here is the President of the United
states specifically approving the legiti-
mate and necessary practice under
the Interstate commerce law which has
Attorney General. the Hon. GEORGE
". wIcKERsHAM, by means Of an injunc-
ton secretly obtained without notice or
a hearing, has now attacked under the
sherman antitrust act A. q conspiracy
ana combination In restraint of trade.
Mr. HEARsrs newspaper applauds Mr.
WICKERsHAMs exploit a. -onc ~ the
most dashing Coups in the history Of the
Department If Justice Dashing, in
deed Almost dash-dAshing in its eiiect
m the hopeful temperament in business
rircles. A An example II coherent and
consistent Administrative policy Il Is
much a. II the President should quote
the Bible to Justify a certain method Of
transacting necessary business and his
Acknowledgement should thereupOn pro-
oeed 70 consign the persons concerned 10
Gehenna on the strength Of an incidental
phrase in the Koran or the Book Of Nor
mon Nor il our reference 10 the Holy
Writ entirely eXtravagant 0r absurd. for
President TAFTs declared position with
regard totraific agreements II sanctioned
by the accepted creed of the Republican
party. We quote now from the Chicago
platform Of 1905
We believe that he interstate commerce
la ,hou a bs further smendsd % a. 70 Eiys rail
roads tho right 10 uake and publish rafhr agree
nsnIs. subject % the approval Of TIE commission.
but malntalning alvays ths prinrips of eonp,u
Hon 1ctvren naturally compsung lines and avoid
InE mo common con tro of such lines By any means
vhatsoeler
The railroad bill introduced as one
of the five carefully selected measures
which President TAF1 aslls the Sixty
hrst Congress 70 enact for the love Of
him end for the "ounty's good con-
tanned a section on the subject:
Agreements bctVser common carriers sub
fsrt 70 tt's ast specifying Jhs claiancauons Of
freight and the rAes fares ana charges ior
ram nor iauOn Of pass-nger, and freight which
tssy srrss 70 ~subnsh ,ban not be unaW 'ul
4udsr the Art 10 regulate commerce a. amended
Or under the act approved Juy 2. IsOD. rnuusd
.An act N protect trade and commerce against
unlawful restraints and monopolles or Other
wise II acopy Of such agreement IL nled WITH me
lrtsuAW Commerce Commission within txenty
csu after o. Is made and before or vhen any
:. Hel4.s Of any rate far, or rhsfs. Or any -las,
| tlldap made pursuant 10 ne agreemsnlra s.
Thus il was attempted by the Admin
b,rstion 70 incorporate in the railroad
Law the principle affirmed by the Repub-
hcan platform and enunciated by Presl-
dent IAYT in his message II last Janu-
ar. II will be observed that whoever
drafted the foregoing section borrowed
some of the words and phrases en-
ploved BY the President in his message
oi he subject The enterprise was
iaudable il contemplated q definite
enactment permitting a practice which
Has 9iwlys been a necessary part Of
tie railroad manager business, against
vl.rh none b,ir technical or indirect OBJ
jcri1uS have even been urged. 10 far as
va IN remember. and which both the
iaplb.i,sn platform and the Republican
'A'aN tIaAH' AAlNAA ~ Ilf1NFAiNnFW
q 'Isncss ana innocent ~ offence 10
tls 0ornUn Welfare
NE TAFT measure was knocked out
o. the pending railroad bill in the Senate
.'!ss .no north ago, that Is 70 SAY on
Nar % hv e combination Of Republican
AID Dcc'"oratic votes and on tho mn
rar r. the Democratic Senator CLAY Of
Georgia On tho same day m the House
O." dr-' al rro~i-,7u taking this car
-.-.' l-r-uout 90, from under tho
s.a'rlH ln,.rr,.s, .av vas killed bv
o. .... Cd. 30 10 al Both vo'es we're
In..i'u'. %. IN demonstration II IN.
s'-"n 'r,rrh aUch lnado Way a.
r..''... Joy - Oh" Car.'.l
. ..r .-' ~ go ,..,.t %. rri'rrigr.
d" .... .l7 .I., .lc,.,.i., Irm,rds
O. .- H..u l.-rrawga..! Tho rail-.
D. H- ...' ...'4l. r- ..,...-a .,o.r
i...-... .-..' r..--.a-..ir.. HOW.
s''-ii 'l'y .oa. ay asrssmsns. a, rec.