The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1910-01-12

business to which the interstate COM
merce act applies; that law pe enact
tic ton pt supjecs to the Interstate commerce
act shall hereafter for any purpose con
nected with or relating to any part OF 1ts
capital stock without previous Or stimuli
taneous payment to 1t OF not less tnan
the par value Of such stock. OF any 1Hnns
date Of their issue). without. the previ-
Gus q ian The 70 par value
Of such bonds, or other obligations, or,
II issued at less than their par value,
then not without suc c3,, paym s,1ch q bonds
or obligations as ascertained by the in
terstate commerce commission; ana t inas
money, shall be taken in payment to such
carrier corporation, of the par or other
required price of such Stock bond . or otn n
such property. services or other thing as
certained by the commission"
Would Prevent Wrong Practices.
The president continues:
IT believe these suggested notifications
merce act would make 1t complete and
effective measure for 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
recom %asaada which win be fur.
nished upon request to the appropriate
committee. whenever it may be desired sired
ments of the interstate commerce law,
the interstate commerce commission
should 70 BE- se sn the sppo he aH
struction Of these applances--such as sill
steps, ladders roof hand holds, running
boards and hand brakes on no, Ire1gn EN- ears hs
the trainmen in the operation Of trains,
the defects and lack of uniformity IN
Whch are apt TO The
derful reforms effected in the number OF
switchmen and trainmen injured by coup
PRODUCTION of safety couplers, is demon
stration of what can be done If railroads
are compelled to adopt proper SAFETY ap-
| planes.
"The question has arisen In the opera
tons Of the interstate commerce employ
| ers' liability act, as to whether suit can
psny IN any a pace Others f Of so
home Office The right to bring the suit
under this act should be as easy OF en-
SON not in the company's employ to sue
| on an ordinary claim, and process IN each
suit should be sufficiently served IT 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-
fore the interstate commerce COMMITTEES }n1 tee
| of the senate. I 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. After q
| lengthy discussion of trusts, good and
bad, and the success of prosecutions un-
der the Sherman antitrust act, Mr.. Taft
says .s1+ is Tine autv and purpose of the exec
| iv,xya
partment of justice, through the grand
jury or otherwise, into the history, organ,
izaton, and purposes OF all the industria a
any reasonable ground for suspicion that
they have been organized for purpose,
H Which are Is cH IN Violation Of the anti
law The work. is a heavy one, but It
is not beyond the power :. of the depart te
furnished, to carry on the investigations
and to pay the counsel engaged in the
work. But such an investigation and
prosperity or destruction affects the com
fort not only of stockholders but millions
of wage earners, employees, and assocla 1a
| tradesmen must necessarily tend TO as
turb the confidence of the business com
munity, to dry up the now flowing sources
of capital from it's places OF boarding, an.
produce halt in our present prosperity
that will cause suffering and strained CIR
cumstances among the. innocent many foI
he Of w hG f IN THIS fem 70 br'
clearly to the consideration and decision
of the congress whether to avoid business
which these business combinations ma,
be offered a meanss without great man man
cial disturbance. of changing the char t,,ai
business into one within the lines of TIN
law under federal control and supervision
securing compliance with the anti-trus
statutes.
For Government Control.
Generally in the industrial combina
tions called trusts the principal bust
, ness is the sale of goods In many state
) the the interstate and foreign business ia
t state. This fact will justify the fed
charter to such combination to max
: and sell in interstate and foreign com
, merce the products Of useful man ;y &C
, cure a compliance with the anti-trus
i | law. 1t is possible so to frame a statut
that while it offers protection to ied
eral company against harmful. ,vexatiou
and unnecessary. invasion by, the states
\ ! it shall subject it to reasonable taxatio
e and control by the states, with respect
t it's purely local business:
4 MANY people conducting great bus
: nesses have cherished hope and bt
lief that in some way .o or other trIsts In
8 bad trusts and that 1t is possible b
n amendment to the antitrust law to max
n umaep ch 10 e1pa sum
press competition, control prices, and d
it all legally if only they do, not abus
8 the power by taking too great profit OF
t of the business. They point with force
certain notorious trusts as having grow
: into power through criminal methods b
e the use of illegal rebates and plain chea
: ing. and by various acts utterly violatiN
t of business honesty or morality, and urs
8 the establishment of some legal line
! separation by which criminal trusts {
: this kind can be punished. and they, 9
v the other hand, be permitted under tt
: law to carry on their business. Nov
s the public, and especially the bushes
r idea that such distinction is practi