Albuquerque morning journal., 1910-12-13

railroads can demand an advance in
freight rates. Upon the contrary,
they proYe conolusively that railroad
rates are already too high And yet
practically all the railroads in the
United States have formed a gigantic
combination to increase freight rates.
which the shippers who have investi-
gated the matter claim will ultimate
ly enormously increase the cost of
freight transportation.
The advanced freight rates de-
manded by the railroads, and now be-
ing considered by the interstate COM
merce commission, We're agreed to by
the combined railroads OF the United
States, and are, therefore clearly in
violation of the sherman antitrust
law. | submit to you, gentlemen, the
proposition that il is unwise and con-
trary to sound public policy for the
federal government to permit these
railroads openly and flagrantly to vio-
late the antitrust laws by combining
for the purpose of advancing freight
rates, and through their unlawful acts
enormously to increase the cost OF
transportation to the American peo-
pie. If the railroads are thus permit
ted to violate the federal laws with
impunity, in broad daylight, and
thereby increase their profits millions
Of dollars per annum, what incentive
has any citizen to respect the law,
when he can increase his income by
breaking it.?
THE amount of tax money collected
by the British empire from the Am
erican colonists, without representa-
tion, probably would not amount to
one per cent of the tribute and extor-
ton which the consuming American
public are now compelled to pay to
Illegal combinations, trusts and mo-"
nopolies every year. The honor, man
hood and moral character of our re-
public are involved in the relation of
the federal government to this mon
strous condition. which offends every
sense of justice, decency and moral
ity.
I'VE have passed beyond the stage
where self-respecting public officials
can barter and dicker and compromise
with lawbreakers, rich or poor, high
or low, great or small, on the theory
that the rigid enforcement of law,
without fear or favor, will injure bus
mess.
THE relation of the federal gov
ernment to these unlawful commercial
institutions organized for purposes of
spoils and plumber is one of the most
and disgraceful chapters
in American history. The plain duty
and task set for this generation is to
once and forever the su-
pregnancy of law and its power to con-
troll organized corporations, firms or
who directly or indirectly
from combinations in restraint of
trade. and thereby destroy free COM
petition and equal opportunity in the
commerce of the nation.
THE Sherman antitrust law pro-
vides that a combination in restraint
of trade is a crime punishable by fine
or imprisonment or both. The judge
on the bench who insists on holding
the corporation responsible for vio-
lation of law, and, not being able to
send the corporation to prison, as
sesses a fine against it as punishment
for robblng the public of thousands
of millions of dollars. through Illegal
con- binations in re itraint Of trade, and
the officers who get the
money and are the real criminals in
the case, is wholly unfit to occupy so
responsible a public office
Il do not in any sense share the
opinion sometimes expressed that the
official acts of judge are too sacred
to be criticised. No citizen of this
republic occupies q more honorable
or desirable position than a just judge
who honors his office But there Is
no more disreputable citizen than the
unjust judge who brings discredit and
disgrace to the office that should be
held sacred and used solely for the
purpose of melting out justice to all
kinds and classes of persons.
"A judge belonging to the last nam
ed class is and ought to be a proper
subject for public criticism, and he
ought to be publicly branded so that
he could be forever after identified"
Governor Stubbs strongly opposed
of or election of judges
for a life term; urged an income tax
law; a mandatory law providing
prison sentence for persons or Off
GERS of corporations who are response
BILE for unlawful combinations in re-
5traint of trade and also providing
a receiver shall operate such corpor4
ations until assurance is given they
viii obey the law. When congress
enacts these laws and they are rigidly
enforced. extortion, injustice and com
mercial cruelty OF monopolies will be
placed on the same basis as other
crimes and will be no more respected
IN the community" said Governor
Stubbs.
The speaker favored the Develop
ment of the Mississippi, Missouri and
Ohio rivers. and declared that the
American people are being robbed
every year of enough money by nm
lawful combinations, trusts and mo-
nopolies to build this entire work"