Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-11-05
DEMAND LAW TO
RULE BUSINESS
Representative Committee Named
by Illinois Manufacturers
to Draft Bill.
ANTITRUST ACT UNDER FIRE
Resolution Asserts National Policy
of the Past Has Created Lack
of Contidencc which
VIII Continue.

CHICAGO Nov. A-The Illinois Manu-
facturers' association today appointed a
committee OF twelve. representing ali
sections OF the country, to draft a "bil
for presentation TO congress at it's forth
coming session that will clearly lay down
a rule for the conduct OF interstate busl-
ness, the provisions OF which viii be
equally fair to the men who furnish the
capital, the consumer and tho wage
earnor,
The resolution adopted which provides
for tho drafting OF the proposed bill
makes the following declarations:
There exists n necessity for ascertain
ing tho true economic value of industrial
combinations to determine whether the
sherman antitrust law enaated twenty
years ago. is stil an economically wise
and statesrnanlIke statute and to decide
whether big business is 70 continue and,
IL 30, under what rules and regulations
II must be conducted"
The committee is composed Of the fol-
lowing.
Charles Piez. Chicago; La Verne w.
Noyes, Chicago; Richard olney, Boston;
+. o, Watts, Nashville, Tenn; Louis ID.
Brandeis, Boston; DR.. Arthur Hadley,
Yale university; Samuel untemeyer New
York; Murdo Mckenzie Trinidad, Colo. (;
Clark V. Howell, Atlanta, Ca; James J.,
Hin, 81. Paul, MINI; Rudolph spreokels,
Gan Francisco. and John Wanamaker,
Philadelphia.
sherman Law OutgrOwn.
The preamble to the resolution reads,
In part
After a score or more of years OF in
activity, without premonitory notice, a
national policy has been lnaugurated in
dealings with corporations, which threat
ems the foundation OF our credit and pros
perity This policy has created a general
lack OF confidence on the part OF all busi-
ness interests and causes fear among in
dustral corporations both large and
small. Business men who are anxious
and willing to conduct their enterprises
along lines OF honesty and are upright In
every particular are included IN recent
attacks among those who have sought
advantage by unfair and questionable
methods. The declaration has been made
that business must square itself to the
statute OF the country Notwithstanding
tina administrative officers have failed to
| to interpret what the law means.
'"rho Sherman antitrust law when IT
made Its appearance in 1880 seemed a
model OF simplicity and was enacted for
the purpose OF preventing combinations
IN restraint OF trade 1t was passed by
congress ostenslbly 10 correct an APP
| preaching evil and was directed at few
corporations.
1T gave the government four remedies
10 meet the situation. one was TO en-
Join the creation OF combination;
another was 10 punish II for its forma-
ton or continuance; third was to seize
ts property in interstate transit and tho
last was to destroy and dissolveit by the
! judgment OF the court only the last
remedy has been invoked TO any extent
and then only In the most unequal and
spasmodIc way.
Fear Continued Uncertainty.
Recent decisions Of the supreme court
imply that the legality Of each one OF
! the larger combinations must be submit
ted 10 the court for adjudication and tho
determination OF the administration 20
enforce the act without fear or favor
means that business VII be subjected
to periodical shocks for years to come.
IN the absence of any definite rule
by which to judge Of the reasonableness
OF corporate conduct In restraint OF trade
the present uncertainty, which Is de-
structiye' 10 business development, Is
bound 10 continue.
Tho only remedy seems to be action
on the part of congress by the enactment
OF a law which will prescribe a rule FOR
those doing Interstate business TO FOL
low"