The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-11-07
Method For Controlling Trusts
COMMISSIONERS LAKE SUGGESTS A COMMISSION LIKE THE IN.
TERSTATE COMMERCE PLAN.

the pressure Of weak lines, as we'll as
from the pressure of strong shippers.
You ask why this same principle
should not be applied to q private in.
oustry doing an interstate business.
There u be recognized. in the first
pace. a plain distinction between the
pubic highway a the private enter
prise. The man who puts his money
into q railroad devotes that money to
q public service. and he IL entitled to
the protection that the public can
I've Instead of building the road it.
SELF the government says to the pri.
vate individual:
You may invest your money in
tnis property. and you may take q part
OF U sovereign power-the right to
a toll on a public highwaySand We
Will reserve to ourselves the power to
regulate you
I'm a private enterprise, manifestly.
It Is quite different: but from what /
have said it should not be implied that
there should be no control Of inter-
state business enterprises. These en-.
terprises have grown 70 great by com.
oination and accretion that they
smoun.. IN iact: 70 monopolies in
troll them as monopolies, I think, rests
IN the federal government.
1t Is q serious question Of eeono.
mics as to whether 1t is wisest to Re.
solve such enterprises into their orte.
inal integral parts or, once construct.
ed. control them in such q way as to
prevent them from enecting a public
tors or by injuring the public through
increase in prices.
II have always believed that It was
wise to establish some such body IN
that suggested in his bill by Senator
Newlands. by which there would be co.
tabished q commission that would act
much as the interstate commerce com.
mission does with respect to these pri.
ate enterprises which are in exis-
were exercising oppression as against
their competitors. or that they had by
reason of their combination, and as q
result OF 1t. increased the cost Of their
commodities to the public. be regulat-
cd and controlled as We control rail.
road rates.
1.-THE trust was originally justified
before the public as q means of q y
through the combination Of
were operated at the highest operat-
Ing expense. concentration Of manage.
ment large purchases of raw material.
and more skillful handling of labor
the cost of manufacture would be re-
duced. There is power in the govern
ment land the machinery should be
established) by which. II through the
combination not only there is no saw
ing effected, but an increase produced
by reason Of making a return upon an
inflated capitalization, the public
could be protected.
There should go with this also a
right on the part Of small enterprises
to agree together as to a minimum
price. so as to protect themselves
against a cut-throat competition that
would be ruinous. II two plants are
created where one would do the work
there Is no economic necessity for one,
and the burden should not rest upon
the public to support both when they
have combined together; but II there
is a demand for the product Of these
enterprises. they should be allowed un-
der proper control to protect them.
selves against destruction.
The philosophy that underlies this
theory Is that each of these enterprise
es and all of our enterprises are rem
dering a public service-that the man
in the mill. the man in the factory,
and the railroad brakeman is a pub
lie servant In the broad sense lust as
much as the president Of the United
States"