New-York tribune., 1910-01-25
LFrom The Tribune Bureau.

IFrom The Tribune Bureau.l
Washington, Jan. AL-President Taft has
taken occasion within the last few days to
make it perfectly clear to inouirers at the
White House that there will be entire con-
tnuity OF policy In this administration III
dealing with the trusts; that no effort will
be made academcally to distinguish be-
tween good" and bad trusts: that the
only test will be conformity with the law.
and~that those which are found to violate
the law viii be prosecuted without fear or
favor. This does not mean that the De-
partment OF Justice will run amuck, or that
IL VIII take any step for purely spectacular
purposes AT present there is perfectly
natural lull in the institution of prosecu-
tions. This is due to the fact that ques-
tions of the highest importance in con-
STRUNG the Sherman law are about to be
decided by the sun pme Court in its de-
cision In the Standard Oil case. That de-
cision is expected soon, and in the mean
time the energies of the Department of
Justice are being devoted to obtaining in
lormation on which TO base prosecutions if.
as Is expected. the contentious of the gov
eminent in the Standard Oil case are sus-
tanned, as they were in the Circuit Court
certain inQuirers who have ventured To
suggest to the Chief Executive the danger
panic as the possible result Of a fearless
and impartial enforcement of the Sherman
law, have encountered only rebuffs. and
they now appreciate that the present Chief
executives view of his duty implies the en-
1orcement of the law, without distinction
ana without regard for financial or polti-
cal considerations
In some instances the apparent violations
OF the Sherman law have been so faprant
that there has been no occasion to await
the decision of the Supreme Court in the
Standard Oil case, as. for instance in the
case OF the Beef Trust Wherever such
conditions are found the prosecutions will
pe begun Immediately. The President is
ulsposed TO believe that, in part al least
uie eAstihg hlgh cost of food products may
be due to violations of the antitrust law,
and wherever the Investigations of the law
oHicers OF the government Indicate the ex-
istence of unlawful combinations the bat
teries OF the law will be brought to bear on
the offenders. The existence of an ,nlav
lul comomation among the great packers
mas long been suspected In fact an ex-
haustive investigation of their operations
was conducted by the Bureau of Corpora
tiohs feW years ago, but without tangible
results Since then, however an investiga-
tion has been conducted, with more Salts
factory results and as a consequence the
prosecution just instituted was decided on.
The Secretary of Agriculture is greatly
exercised over the increased cost of living
Mr. wilson is the most experienced poll
uclan Ill the administration, and he appre-
clafes keenly the disastrous effect which
THIS form of hardship may have on the
welfare of the Republican party if no rem
edy can be found. Mr. Wilson appeared
before the special committee of the House
District Committee to-day and gave the
members the benefit of his Investigations
and views. He declared that the farmers
were not profiting TO any material extent
from the enhanced prices, but that the
greatest margin existed between the prices
they receive for their produce and that ex-
acted from the consumers. He said WASH
lngton consumers were the worst sufferers
IN the country. In other cities the retailers
were content with a profit of from II to 20
per cent, whereas in Washington he found
also that American farm products are being
sold cheaper abroad than in this country,
and suggested the existence of illegal COM
binations which have advanced retail prices
10 point which works great hardship TO
the consumers. Apropos of the prices of
beef, Secretary Wilson declared that the
two-year-old steer, which nowadays is the
mature steer. brings more on the farm
than it did two years ago.