The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-09-29

10 udImOuys La NluCi - bdiu 10 nave
will lead TO disintegration OF that
com bination, II found unlawful. ana
division OF II into n sufficient number
| of parts under separate ownership 70
| insure competition and to maintain IL
by the continuing force OF perpetual
| injunction against the resumption OF
the unlawful bond and purpose OF the
combiners whether IL will be posi-
BILE 10 secure a national incorporation
act for the closer supervision or those
corporations engaged In Interstate
trade. and for their greater security
when they pursue business IN accord
because the constitutional views or the
present majority I'm the lower house
are presumably against the increase
OF the federal function with respect 70
corporations. Be that as IL may, the
business community now knows. or
ought to know, where IL stands. the
court declines to hold that competition
IL impossible under modern business
conditions but IL insists that IL must
be given full opportunity Tor opera.
ton and that any combined eHort
Affecting interstate trade LOOKING 70
It's suppression Is contrary 10 law IN
other words business must 1ace-ln
necessity OF throwing away the crutch
OF combination against composition IN
Its further progress. When TINS Iul9
IL recognized. when the corporations
tnAI nave OHenuc0 thc -"
tegrated sufficiently TO enable COM
petition 60 have full play. then .-.ere
IL no reason why business should not
go on unhampersd.
measured tone against the activity OF
the department OF justice In the ihsu-
tuition OF prosecutions and pills OF
equity under the antitrust law, on tne
ground that II Is hurting ousine .ss. 80
enforce the law, and as long as such
combinations exist and are known 10
exist to the law officers or the govern
inent In any way, they wouio DC ,asa
cute them They are under my ORDERS
TO treat the prosecution OF trusts IKE
the bringing OF any other suits whSh
are within the scope and duty OF inc
department OF justice. and ! must ae-
cline TO admit that there IL any dis
erection which would enable the attor-
ney- general and his assistants TO stay
the hand Of the government In re-
spect OF such violations of law. ! 90
not think II need be long continued,
because believe that the business
community itself 10 rapidly taking IN
the effect OF the decisions OF the SUI
preme court. and that we may expect
revolution of feeling on the attitude
OF business men toward this step:
have heard the severest criticism:
frcm Some men engaged In n1sin9ss' ,o OF
me TO argue with them. because don't
understand how their position can be
supported In the slightest They seem
TO think that there ought to be some
measure making legal the control OF
competition and limited monopoly
some statute enacted which shall es-
tablish a line between those monopo-
lies that are reasonable and tnose
that are not-those that are benevo-
lent AND those that are unconscionab.e.
No such line II possible. and the su-
preme court has expressly SO ueciueu
Mourning over condition wnicn -
inevitable Is useless. and until they
realize that their views In this regard
must be radically changed their COM
plants must fall upon dear ears
\ I have seen arguments based upon
the attitude OF foreign governments
toward great enterprises In which IL
Is pointed out that they have encour-
aged, fondled, and protected comblna-
tions OF this character. That Is true.
There is a tendency among some Tor.
eign governments to encourage what
they call trusts, TO take part them-
selves In the management OF the
trusts to FIX prices and 10 depend
upon governmental control TO secure
their reasonable conduct; but such
system with US IL absolutely impossi-
BILE, and IL might as well be under
stood The countries to which refer-
ence Is made are veering toward state
il to disappear, Is the logical escape
from the evil OF private monopolies-
because IL private companies are to be
allowed TO manage everything and NIX
prices, then there IL every reason why
the contro, thus exercised by them
should be transferred from them to the
government. and this IL state social
ism.
The business OF the country today
rests upon the protective tarin basis.
Everyone knows this and everyone
must be aware that change OF tarins
AaN IA IN ~ n a
that are dependent upon protection for
their existence shall lose II. must In
lure present conditions In all business.
whether dependent on the tarin or not.
Tho change, therefore from protec-
tive tariff 20 tariff for revenue only
il necessarily hostile TO existing bust
ness and must lead TO business de-
preston and at least temporary bust
ness disaster. But there are many.
and I am among those who believe
that protection In the past has been
too high. and that IL IN possible 10
lower the tariff so as not TO interfere
with business give Living r, rate on 81
vet prevent excessive prices growing
out OF excessive rates. In carrying
out such a policy and maintaining such
an attitude. IL IL essential that the
Interests OF businegs should be guard
cd by close Investigation into their
needs as 10 a protective tarin, and this
emphasizes the Importance and vital
r,aCRaaftv OF the maintenance Oh " IhIlH
commission and OF It's ascertairAment
~ the facts with respect TO business
and the difference between the cost OF
production here and the cost of pro-
auction abroad before tariff changes
are made.
one OF the prominent and useful fea-
lures OF the administration OF the gov
eminent In Germany. I'm Austria and
In France In the existence OF under
officiais constituting tariff bureau
or commission who follow closely q
changes IN trade I'm their own coun-
trv and IL other countries through
consular bureaus and otherwise, and
who keep I'm constant readiness for use
a digested mass Of Information which
enables them to advise the govern
ment with the utmost accuracy what
changes in the tariff law would help
the trade of their own country and
what the effect OF the changes will be.
They exercise the closest guardianship
over the business OF the country, with
the hore OF promoting Its prosperity
and expanding TT volume. They would
no more think o. changing q policy
like that OF the protective tariff 20 a
free trade policy by one stroke. break
Ing down the business OF the country
in many directions. than they would
OF blowing up their battleships or
destroying their fortincations.
we have had in the past two years,
since the agitation and the excitement