Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-11-16

warranted and purely legislative de-
cision Of the supreme court in the
Standard oil and Tobacco Trust eases
Of last spring That is. the bin legis-
lates the rule Of reason out Of the law
and il defines specifically what trust
is 81 that there can be no room for
controversy. II makes the violation of
this law a felony with Imprisonment
fer not less than two years nor more
than 10 years
Fines and dissolutions seem to be
chiId's play for the trust magnates
Felons' stripes, where the violation is
knowingly or wilfuliy done, will prove
potential remedy fer these hagrant
acts of commercial outlaws. The Chi
nese antitrust law provided: Those
who interrupt commerce are to be be-
headed To behead such offenders in
our country would be entirely too ex-
IRENE, but to compromise with q pen
itentiary sentence and felons' stripes
rs . punishment is mild and should
be administered to trust criminals in
the United States.
My bill justly exempts members of
organizations or associations not for
preft end without capital stock, and
also agricultural products or live
stock in the hands OF the producer or
raiser. The first exemption as to labor
was intended in the original legisla-
ton and the second as to agricultural
products and live stock is found in
some laws. These exemptions are right
and should be made
The proposed bill amends the first
tNppp SPCtiAnG at tho sherman ACT.
leaving as they are Sections to in
elusive ana adding two new sections.
Section ! is amended to define specit-
ieally a trust and reads as follows:
"Bvery contract, combination, in the
| fora of trust, or otherwise, or eonspi-
racy, in restraint of trade or COM
1cerec, among the several states or
with foreign nations, is hereby de-
| clared to be illegal. And that trust
| is a contract, or conspiracy, or agree
ment of whatever character by COM
| bination against trade or commerce,
| or aids to commerce, of capital, skill,
or acts by two or more persons, firms,
! corporations, officers of corporations,
of associations OF persons, or either
or all of the following purposes:
| First: To create or carry out re-
! strictions in trade or commerce or aids
| IN commerce, or to create or carry
out restrictions in the full and free
pursuit of any business authorized or
/ permitted by the laws of the United
States of America.
sSecond: To increase or reduce the
nrice of merchandise, produce or com
| ;nodities.
Third: To prevent competition in
| manufacture, making, transportation,
! sale or purchase of merchandise, prod
uct or commodities, or to prevent
| competition in aids to commerce.
Fourth: To make, or enter into, or
execute or carry out any contract, OBJ
legation or agreement of any kind or
description by which they shall bind
or have bound themselves not to sell,
dispose of, or transport any article
or commodity, or article of trade. use.
merchandise, commerce. or consump-
ton below a common standard figure,
or by which they shall agree in any
manner to keep the price of such ar
ticle, commodity, or transportation at
a fixed or graded figure or by which
/ thcN shall in any manner establish or
settle the price of any article, or conf
modify, or transportation y between
them or themselves and others to pre-