The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-03-11
OPPOSE LICENSING
OF CORPORATIONS
Measure '!as Active Opposition
Among Statesmen of
Both Parties. 9
NOT LIKELY TO GO THROUGH
Little Probability That the ei, VIII
Pass at This session-PresIdent
Wants Full Truth in inves.
tlgation into Cost Of
High Living.


Washington. - The administration
bill for the federal license Of corpora.
lions engaged in interstate commerce
finally is before congress. 1t has been
introduced into the house by Repre-
sentative r. w. Parker, chairman of
the house committee on judicial af-
fairs. and in the senate by Senator
Clarence D. Clark, chairman of the
corresponding committee in the upper
house.
There 10 little likelihood that this
measure. in which President Tafts
heart is greatly engaged. will pass con.
sress at this session. While there may
not be great amount of opposition to
the measure, as general proposition
there is very bitter opposition in the
ranks of both the Republicans and
democrats to some of the bill details.
Inc most of the Democrats do not like
II, however, as general proposition
because they believe 1t invades the
field of state rights.
President Taft, because of his posi-
tive refusal to agree to plan to with.
draw the governments suit to dis
solve merger Of two great western
railroads. has been charged recently as
being the foe to all corporation activ-
tues. WORD has reached the White
House that the belief of some capital.
lists Is that Mr.. Taft is going ahead
with causeless prosecutions and that
ne is ben on securing legislation which
VIII cripple industry.
10 Offset this it has been charged
that the president has been advocat.
ing the federal licensing system for
corporations because it will enable the
large concerns to carry on their af-
falrs with g much greater license than
ever was contemplated before, H.
cense of which the country cannot ap.
prove. So it seems that Mr.. Taft is
charged with two Numerically on.
posed offenses. He has let his friends
know tina. he believes that he is stand
ing on the middle ground and that
when the country learns his position
exactly 1t will approve what he is
doing
Postponed Action Likely.
Whether the country ultimately will
approve of the presidents course or
not OF course remains to be seen, but
the consensus of Republican official
opinion is to the effect that the fed
eral license law will not pass congress
until next winter, but that the way will
be paved for it's passage at this ses-
sion.
President Taft in framing his fed.
eral license recommendations called
into daily consultation for weeks the
great lawyer members of his cabinet,
Secretaries Wickersham, Dickinson.
Nagel and Ballinger, and brought the
bill into a condition which he thinks
TO be proof against any fault finding
on the ground of unconstitutionality.
Tho cabinet official who is considered
perhaps to be the best lawyer in the
presidents official family, has this to
say concerning the main proposition of
the federal license bills intention.
which is "The proper control of cor.
porations and prevention of monopo-
lies:"
i regret very much the process by
which decision was reached by the
lower court in the Standard Oil case:
not the result. mind you. but that the
decision was predicted upon the fab.
ric of the Standard Oil Company, and
not on its operations Relatively
speaking, the fabric is of little impor.
lance.
THE real question is not whether
a corporation controls other corpora
tons or establishes branches in the va
rious parts of the country--that is to
say, is combination. The point is
whether o. not, in the process of build.
ing up its combination, it has crushed
legitimate competition.
i The Real Question.
What we wan. to know of our
corporations is whether or not they
are monopoly and are exercising mo-
nopolistic control to the injury of the
public.
The great trade combination to.
day is often the result of varying state
laws and regulations which render it
difficult for the independent concerns
to do an interstate and foreign bust
ness.
1.-THE fedora! charter will relieve
the corporation from various local an
noyances to which 1t should not be sub
ject. What the government wants to
know is how that corporation is car
rying on its business. This 1t cannot
ORIGINATE, SAYS THE MASTER.