The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-09-02
A TRUST CAMPAIGN
TO Be UNDERTAKEN
u. S. Officials and Inquiry
Committees Prepare for
Next Congress.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Sept g
Comprehensive preparations are max
ing for the antitrust legislative cam
paign in congress next winter.
The commissioner of corporations
soon will issue two additional reports
upon the steel industry of the nation.
These will complete an investigation
which has extended over six years.
The complete report of the commits
sioner of labor into steel mill condi-
tons will be published soon by the
government printing Office. The STAN
ley committee is inquiring into every
angle Of the business of the steel cor
poration.
Finally, the department of justice
is prepared to initiate proceedings for
the dissolution of the steel corporation
unless it shall reorganize in compli-
ance with the decision of the Supreme
court in the Standard Oil and tobacco
trust cases; but it looks now as if no
action would be taken by the depart
ment until the Stanley committee has
completed it's inquiry.
Inquiry Develops Material.
The purpose of the Stanley commit
use in the next political campaign, but
no one denies that it has developed a
great deal of material which will be
valuable to the department of justice
in any prosecution it may initiate and
to congress in it's consideration of
amendments to the antitrust law.
The senate committee on interstate
commerce will hold hearings in the
fall in connection with the proposed
legislation, calling upon number of
prominent men to testify. Finally,
there will be available for the use of
congress the report of the commits
sion created by Jaw to investigate the
issuance of stocks and bonds of rail-
road corporations. It's conclusions
doubtless will apply to the other cor
porations engaged in interstate bust
ness.
Thus there will be ample information
for consideration when congress re-
convenes in December. The two legis-
lative issues of the next session will
be the tariff and the strengthening of
the antitrust law. These will be dis
cussed with the greatest care and
clearness by the president in his an
nual message.
President May Urge Penalty.
So far as the tariff is concerned, Mr..
Taft already has announced he will
recommend the revision of the wool,
cotton, iron and steel. and leather
schedules of tho Aldrich law. But his
recommendations as to the antitrust
law are not known precisely.
That he will advocate the upholding
of the law cannot be questioned, and
to make it more effective he is likely
to urge a change making the punish.
ment for violation penal instead of by
fine or Imprisonment.
Congress is in temper, however
for drastic legislation for the suppress
sion of trusts or for the establishment
of an economic policy which shall 60
to the root of the corporation ques
ton.
The majority in both houses is dis
posed to regard the tariff and the anti
trust campaigns as having direct rela
ton to each other; the tariff as the
mother of trusts" and the corpora
tons as criminal offspring. Both will
be charged in congress and in the next
campaign as responsible for the high
cost of living.
Federal Regulation Issue.
Involved in this important legisla
ton is the federal regulation of cor
porations doing an interstate business
Almost two years ago, Attorney Gen
eral Wickersham framed a bill, which
the president submitted to congress
contemplating the granting of federal
licenses to such corporations. 1t was
not pressed by the administration be
| cause of the desire of Mr.. Taft tc
await the decision of the Supreme
court in the Standard Oil and tobacco
trust cases.
Now that the court has clearly
drawn the distinction between "reas
! enable and unreasonable trusts, il
I rr,sHy L. ~