The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-09-06

tion OF Federal Antitrust Laws.
Does Not Expect That Appropris.
ton viii Ever Be Used Except In
Prosecution Of Corporations, but
Objects to Principle Involved.
st. Paul, Mimi. Set. 6.-Filly
$4,000 persons heard President Taft
speak at the state fair grounds. They
we're generous with their signs OF ap-
provsl. cheering and waving flags
whenever the speaker said something
which struck their fancy.
The president was blunt when he
talked about class legislation; he
WAS opposed to II.
But there is kind of legislation"
ne said, ito which would refer, that
does come under the head of vicious
class legislation. and l hope l can
make the distinction clear between
this and what ! have been describ-
ing. number of statutes have been
passed in the states against combina-
tlons or eonspiracies to restrain
trade, to suppress competition. or to
maintain prices; and there has been
sometimes an attempt to insert in
such statutes proviso or section ex-
empting farmers or other classes
from the operation OF the statutes so
as TO enable the exempt classes to
corner products and raise prices
while no other class in the commu-
nifty can do so. The supreme court
OF the United States has held that
such law gives undue privilege to
. particular class in the community,
creates an unjust exemption from the
operation Of useful law, denies the
equal protection of the laws, violates
the constitution and is invalid
again, the federal antitrust law
has been held by the supreme court
TO denounce combinations to obstruct
or restrain interstate trade, and to
prohibit therefore illegal boycotts to
tAjure the interstate trade of any per
son In the last session OF congress,
An Al appropriation bill, some $780,
nent OF the antitrust law To this
appropriation an amendment was
ptoposed proyiding that no part OF
the $500. .000 should be used in the
prosecution of workingmen engaged
IN boycott in viplsion OF the stat
ute. That Is not the way the amend
ment read. but that was its neces-
sary effect. The majority OF the
house, after a very heated discussion,
rejected the amendment on the
ground that 1t was vicious class leg
islation. AS a matter of fact, the
money thus previously appropriated
TO enforce the antitrust law had
never been used for the prosecution
OF workingmen In such boycott, be-
cause there was no occasion for such
use. and in all probability the money
now appropriated will never be used
for such a purpose. But il was the
proper view OF the majority, who
voted against the amendment, that on
principle such a class exemption or
privilege should not be declared and
approved in a statute OF the govern
msnt. haven't the slightest expec-
tation that the money will ever be
used for anything but the prosecution
Of corporations and business firms
engaged in combinations in restraint
OF trade; but TO tie the hands of the
executive against an unlawful combi-
nation Of workingmen or any other
men, II such a combination existed.
and thus make any group a privi-
legged class OF lawOreakers, is neither
Justice nor wisdom nor good states
manship."
In the hotel lobbies, where the pol
iticians congregate, the verdict was
he made q great speech at the con
servation congress" Some went so
far a. to say II was the best speech,
the most comprehensive, the most
straight from the shoulder" talk that
ne has ever made. The shadow Of
Mr. Roosevelt. who comes to talk to
the conservators today, did not stalk
before. Mr.. Taft praised him freely,
frequently and in unstinted terms.
The first mention of the coloneps
name brought cheers long enough
and strong enough to make the presi-
dent pause, but that was all, His
own entrance into st. Paul and Min
neapolis and his appearance at the
conservation congress brought forth
applause that surpassed that given