El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-12-14
Attorney General in Annual
Report Carries Out Taft
Suggestion.

Washington, D. c., Dec. 14-Pursuing
president Taft's recommendation that
an executive bureau be created to SUI
pervise corporations chartered under a
federal Incorporation act, attorney
general Wickersham. in his annual re-
port submitted 10 congress today, sug-
gests that the bureau Of corporations
be raised to that dignity. even in the
absence Of the proposed federal incor-
poration statute.
This branch Of the department Of
commerce and labor, the attorney gen
eral urges, should be brought into
closer relation with his department and
adds that i might well be "availed Of
as the nucleus for an administrative
board under whose supervision con-
sOlidations or mergers for lawful pur-
poses might be formed"
Problems Are Economic.
IN enforcing the Sherman antitrust
law. the attorney general points out
that the department Of justice and the
courts are confronted by economic,
rather than legal problems when It
comes to working out methods Of dis
lntegr7t1on after corpora ton has
been declared an Illegal combination.
The department enlisted the assist
ance Of the bureau Of corporations in
the dissolution Of the Tobacco Trust,
and it would be of great value to the
legal branch Of the government Mr..
Wickersham says. If the functions OF
the bureau should be so enlarged that
it could be called upon officially to
make Investigations and report its
conclusions with respect to plans for
the voluntary or enforced disintegra-
ton of mOnOpolistic combinations.
Department SeIfsustaininE.
The attorney general reviews the
record of year Of intense activity in
FEDERAL prosecutions and points out
that the department Of Justice finan-
the contribution of S4,204.115 TO the
United States treasury in the shape Of
fines collected and customs duties re-
coVeries. The expense Of the depart
torney general, all of the district at
torneys and assistants throughout the
country segregated S3,223.773
In a comprehensive review of the
antitrust prosecutions, the attorney
general shows that the II antitrust
civil suits pending at the beginning of
the last fiscal year were augmented-i
by six additional actions. while the II
e+l NINA prosecutions under the same
statute were increased by 20 more /
prosecutions during the last fiscal year.
Elgnt civil suits and a similar num-
per Of criminal trials were brought /
TO conclusion during the year. In four I
OF the civil prosecutions judgments I
were rendered in favor Of the United /
states, while three were lost and one
was discontinued. Four G convictions 4
IF the statute during the year And four
tinued.
Some Trust Cases.
me attorney general set forth the
following cases as being prosecuted /
or pending for final settlement:
The powder trust" the might !
,lder cases. United States Steel Cor
DoraIlon, cotton corner alleged towing
monopoly beef packers, Southern ga
INC merger, bituminOus coal commit
tLdIoI; naNal stores suit bathtub /
trust lumber trust" milk 'strusf@
wall paper combination. sugar sstrrsf',s
-ransA tlantic steamship pool mare-
1lne trust shoe machinery trust -
combination of coal roads. eIevat07
suit in Oklahoma and kindling wood
trust" "OOu
Emphasizing his satisfaction with
me decree Of the New York circuif
court in the tobacco trust dissolution
ne ne a tIqy general says Of indepen- (
lent toDacco interests who haze criti-
Used the plan Of disintegrat ton.
competitors of the existing cor7bf
laJon were eager to compel the i'm
position of terms or conditions Of the
which Would have vYs5e {
solvent successful business readinet-
nent impossible, would have brought
lbout receivership of the DroDerfv !
ma FORCED judicial sales. resulting in |
great financial loss, not only to those
nterested In the combination but to
ne business interests of the country
Il large. and in the end would have {
only the verv individuals who /
lad been dominant in the formation
# the combination"
Forty-six. prosecutions for Illegal
determinations and rebates were fnsti-
uted against railroads during the wear.
me attorney general urges the amend
nent OF the 2S-hour law governing The
abroad transportation Of livestock by