The Glenwood post., 1910-01-15


II issued at less than their par value,
then not without such payment of the
or obligations as ascertained by the in
terstate commerce commission; and that
no property. service, or other thing than
money, shall be taken in payment to such
carrier corporation. of the par or other
required price of such stock. bond or 9TH
er obligation except the fair fair value value of
certaired by the commission
Would Prevent Wrong Practices.
The president continues:
Il believe these suggested notifications
merce act would make it complete and
effective measure for securing reasona BILE
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
has drafted a bill to carry out these
recommendations. which will be fur
nshed upon request to the appropriate
I'm addition to the foregoing amend
nents of the interstate commerce law,
the interstate commerce commission
should be given the power. after hear
ing, to determine upon the uniform con-
struction OF these appliances,such as siil
boards and hand brakes on i,0. freight cars
engaged in interstate commerce-used by
the trainmen in the operation of trains,
which are apt to produce accidents and
injuries to railway trainmen The Won
derful reforms effected in the number OF
switchmen and trainmen injured by COUP
ling accidents, due to the enforced in
production of safety couplers. is demon
are compelled to adopt proper safety ap-
pliances.
'The question has arisen in the opera
tions of the interstate commerce employ
ers liability act, as to whether suit can
be brought against the employer com
IN oee The rsh to bns the o su
under this act should be as easy of en-
forcement as the right Of a private per-
son not in the company's employ to sue
on an ordinary claim, and process in each
suit should be sufficiently served II upon
the station agent of the company upon
whom service is authorized is made, to
bond the company in ordinary actions
arising under state laws. Bills for both
sidered by the house of representatives
and have been passed and are now be-
fore, the interstate commerce committee
of the senate. l earnestly urge that they
be enacted into law"
Control OF the Trusts.
voted to the control of trusts. After a
lengthy discussion of trusts, good and
der the Sherman antitrust act, Mr.. Taft
says:
utive to direct an investigation by the de-
jury or otherwise. into the history, organ
companies with respect to which there is
any reasonable ground for suspicion that
they have been organized for purpose.
and are conducting business a plan
which is in violation of the antitrust
law. The work is a heavy one. but 1T
ment of justice. II sufficient funds are
furnished. to carry on the Investigations
and to pay the counsel enEaged in the
possible prosecution of corporations whose
prosperity or destruction affects the com
Of prnn1OyeS and aSS0ciAtp0
tradesmen must necessarily tend to dis
turb the confidence OF the business COM
of capital from its places of boarding and
produce a halt In our present prosperity
that will cause suffering and strained cir Ia-
faults of the guilty few. The question
which I wish in this message to bring
clearly to the consideration and decision
of the congress whether to avoid business
danger something cannot be done by
which these business combinations may
cial disturbance. of changing the char
acter. organization and extent of their
law % under | federal control and supervision %
securing compliance with the antitrust
statutes.
For Government Control.
ions ssS tn ane s nTnsDa bss
ness is the sale of goods In many states
and in foreign markets.. in other words
exceeds the business done in any one
state This fact will justify the fed
eral government in granting a federal
charter to such a combination to make
and sell in interstate and foreign COM
MERGE the products of useful manufac-
turA under such limitations as will Sc
cure compliance with the antitrust
law. 1t Is possible so to frame a statute
that while 1t offers protection to a fed
eral company against harmful. vexatious
and unnecessary invasion by the states,
it shall subject 1t to reasonable taxation
and control by the states, with respect to
its purely local business.
MANY people conducting great busi-
lief that in some way or other a line
bad trusts. and that it is possible by
g; distinction under which good cbmbina-
tons may be permitted to organize, sup
press eompetitiion. control prices. and do
of the business. They point with force to
certain notorious trusts as having grown
into power through criminal methods by
the use of illegal rebates and plain cheat
ing, and by various acts utterly violative
of business honesty or morality. and urge
the establishment of some legal line of
separation by which criminal trusts of
this kind can be punished. and they on
the other hand. be permitted under the
law to carry on their business. Now,
the public. and especially the business
public. ought to rid themselves of the
idea that such distinction IL practic-