The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1911-12-08
MESSAGE OF
THE PRESIDENT
Continued from pa,

~ that WhcI uen attempt amasS
such Stupcudous capital ~ VIII enable
rLein TO suppress competition, control
Ydres aud establish muuopol\ they
klow tie purpose ~ their acts. Men
dc not DO such thiu4 without having
i, clearly IN mind If what they do Is
uatsry for the purpose Of reducing the
Vs.s ~ production, without HE thought
Ct,a. PRESSING competition by use OF the
|..uess Of the plaut they are creating,
hen they cannot he convicted at the
time the union is made, nor can they
De convicted later unless II happen
chat later On they conclude 10 sup
press competition and take the usual
methods for doing 50 and thus estab-
lish fol- themselves monopoly. They
can III such Il case hardly complain If
the lnotiyc which subsequently Is dis.
closed is attributed by the court to the
original combination,
New Remedies Suggested.
Much is said Of the repeal Of this
statute and Of constructive legislation
intended to accomplish the purpose
aud blaze clear path for honest mor.
chants and business men 10 follow. 1t
may be that such Il plan will be
evolved. but submit that the discus.
siOns which have been brought out in
recent days by the fear Of the con.
tinued execution of the antitrust law
have produced nothing but @Ijttcrng
generalities and have offered no line
Of distinction or rule OF action as dcti.
mite and as clear Is that which the su'
preme court Itself lays down IN Ell.
forcing the statute.
Supplements Legislation Needed. Not
Repeal or Amendment.
| See no objection, and indeed 7 can
see decided advantages, in the enact
meut Of law which shall describe
and denounce methods of competition
which are unfair and are badges of the
unlawful purpose denounced In the
antitrust law. Tie attempt and pur.
pose to suppress Il COMPETITOR by IN.
derseling hin at a price so linprotta.
Bile as TO drive him out of business or
the making Of exclusive contracts with
customers under which they are re.
Quired to give up association with 9th
er manufacturers and numerous kin.
dred methods for sti6ing competition
and effecting monopoly should be de.
scrlbed with sufficient accuracy IN
criminal statute on the one hand to
enable the government TO shorten It's
task by prosecuting single misdemean'
ors instead Of IN entire conspiracy and
on the other hand to serve the purpose
Of pointing out more in detail TO
The business community what must bQ
avoided. .......
Federal incorporation Recommended.
In special message to congress or
Jan. I. 1910. veA,ured TO point OUt
the disturbance TO business that would
probably attend the dissolution Of these
offending trusts. ! said:
"But such an inv eStigation and pos,
eible prosecution of corporations whose
prosperity or destruction affects The
comfort not only Of stockholders. but
Of millions Of wage eHrncrS employees
and associated tradcSmen. must nercs.
sarly tend 10 disturb the confidence
OF the business community. 10 dry up
the now lowing sources Of capital
from its places of boarding ana pro,
uuce a halt in Our present prosperity
that will cause suffering and strained
circumstances among the innocent
many for the faults Of tie guilty few
The question which J wish in this
message to bring clearly 10 the con.
alteration ana discussion of congress
IS whether In order 10 avoid such
possible business danger. something
cannot be done by which these bust.
ness combinations may be- offered Il
means. without great lnaucial dis
IurbaDce, Of changing the character,
organization and extent Of their bust.
Tess Into one within ,he lines Of the
law under federal control aud super
vision. securing compliance with the
antitrust statute
Generally In the Industrial combina-
tiOns called trusts the principal bust.
Hess Is the sale of goods In many states
end IN foieign markets-in other words.
the interstate and foreign business far
exceeds the business done in any one
state This fact will justify the fed.
eral government In granting a federal
charter to such combination TO make
and sell In interstate and foreign com
nerce the products OF useful manufac.
ture under such limitations as will Sc.
cure compliance with the antitrust
law. 1t ia possible so to frame Il stat.
ute that while II offers protection to q
federal company against harmful. yey