Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-02-13
MACHINERY TO BE PROVIDED
FOR ENFORCING ANTI. COM.
elNATioN STATUTES.
MILLER BILL SEEKING
IMMUNITY FOR WITNESSES
Plenty Of Law On Tursts But Enforce
ment Has Been lax-WlI Attract
Much Attention-pes Moines Hopes
to Get Appropriation Fer Improve
men. Of State Capitol.

.
/ Des Moines. Feb. 13-Representative
Charles Miller former democratic state
chairman is sponsor for bill to furnish
the machinery for the enforcement of
/ the Iowa antitrust, differentiation.
anti DISCRIMINATION statutes Of the
state; and # the Miller bin becomes
Law, as i very probably vii! there Will
I be such shaking up Of affairs in petty
trust circles all over the state as had
never before been known.
The Miller bill provides three things
which are in addition 10 the present
statutes II regard IL matters IN re-
straiat OF trade, namely:
Jurisdiction for the courts in the
matter OF restraint of all combinations
in violation Of the las and permanent
20 prevent the violation OF
the law.
The immunity system for witnesses
as provided; in the federal statutes with
provision for requiring attendance OF
witnesses regardless OF their connection
with the Illegal work.
The sinews of war in the shape OF a
sufficient appropriation in the hands Of
the attorney general and law officers
OF The state 10 enable the work TO be
done
!. is pointed cut mat there IS abund-
ance OF law on the statute books Of the
safe regarding trusts and discrimina-
tion In the past year or .wo some
effort has been made TO see now these
laws apply But it has been found
impossible 20 do anything. Nobody has
any time Or funds fer active prosecution
and il has been found impossible 10
secure evidence without discriminating
the witnesses. The laws are all right,
bu. there IS 10 way 70 do business
i The thing especially aimed at by
Representative Miller is the breaking
I'D Of com binatioEs affecting .ood pro-
ducts ard the cost OF living. ME ne
believes that the tariff Is one OF the
elements entering into this question or
cost Of living. there are known 10 De
/ other elements IN almost every COM
rauni-y Of Iowa, fer instance. there has
/ been an effort 10 corral the dairy bust
ness and the sale of milk and butter
and 10 fix artificial prices. II is true also
! with meats ard groceries in many
places: bu, there is no machinery 'or
attacking these bad systems.
There Is no doubt tina. the Miller OH
viii attract a great deal Of attention.
If the people really want the trusts
broken up and machinery furnished for
enforcing the laws Of Iowa the bill will
gel thru.
If the rural members Of the legisla-
,ur4 can be convinced that II is not
sDec;al graft" Tor the benefit Of Des
Moines. i is probable that an appro-
priation viii be made for repairs and
improvements al the state capitol ano
grounds \ specia! committee Is az
work looking over the situation ana
NIL certainly recommend some money
u b. placed in the hands Of the execu-
tive council for that purpose The
custodian has listed a great many small
matters which needed attention-new
floors new elevator cages. new VAIN
Scoting cleaning OF rooms. additional
fire protection. new steps. and the pur-
chase of additional ground. The custo-
dian suggests purchase of several
blocks OF cheap property lying south OF
the capitol for park around the SOL
diers' monument and an outlet 10 the
railroad tracks where the heating plant
should be located some time. The
greatest obstacle 10 any Improvement
has always been found in the attitude
of legislators who feel that anything
done for any OF the state Institutions at
or near Des Moines is done for Des
Mo;nes
The wife and mother" bill by Sen
ator Clarkson has come back to the
senate q second time but with material
changes that improve and strengthen
il. The Objectionable loss Of society
and companionship'' clause has been
left out and il is merely provided that
recovery may De had on the part of the
widower for tn. loss of a housewife.
The railroad attorneys insisted that A
law authorizing a jury to take into con-
sideration the society and companion
ship of the housewife or mother in
measuring the damages, opened the door
10 great abuse, for there was no way
Of estimating what such less might be.
The especial advocates of the bill. the
workingnnen and labor organizations
to the amount that might be recovered
but Senator Clarkson himself favors
some limit and it is probable that a
$4,000 limit will be fixed in order to
curb The danger of unscrupulous attor-
neys inducing ignorant juries to give
extravagant judgments. When the bill
was before the senate before the debate
disclosed that il is to be fought very
hard by the representatives of the cor
porations no matter what it's provis-
ions may be; but 1t IS probable II will
be passed in a form fairly satisfac tory
to the persons interested. The bill doe.
not in any way interfere with the com