Omaha daily bee., 1911-11-28
TAFT BEARS DOWN ON TRUSTS
Former Attorney General W. I.
Thompson Discusses Situation.
LIST OF PROSECUTIONS ON FOOT
Never Time when So Much Under
taken In Line of Federal Law
Enforcement-Vicw In
East and West.

WAoil u StaAl correspondent
LINCOLN, Nov. 2L-(Spcciai accord
Ing to w. T. Thompson, former attorney
general Of the state OF Nebraska and at
present solicitor OF the United states
Treasury department. the Taft admits
tration needs but the honest considera-
ton OF the thinking people OF this country
to secure their approval The acts OF
this administration in the enforcement OF
the laws against the big interests have
been unparalleled In the history OF the
country, MIR. Thompson declares.
The position occupied by President
Taft In the minds OF the public OF the
different sections OF the country is
unique" Mr.. Thompson said today. I'm
the east among those composing the so
called big interests, and especially among
those connected with the trusts. which
have feared the power Of the administra.
tlon In the vigorous enforcement OF the
antitrust laws, the president Is regarded
as distincuvely, and in fact altogether too
progressive; while In the west among
the insurgents he seems to be regarded
as standpatter lie is. in fact. both, but
In the best sense In which those terms
are to be understood. lie Is stand
patter' in that he stands pat on the propo-
sitlon that the law must he enforced and
obeyed by the great as well as the small.
the rich as well as the poor; and he is a
progressive in that he believes in oil
rational, practical and necessary prohibit
tory and remedial legislation, and also, in
the vigorous and fearless enforcement of
existing laws.
Enforcing Anti-Trust LAWS.
Never in the history OF this country
has an administration in the same length
Of time undertaken so much In the line OF
federal law enforcement as has the Taft
administration in its first three years.
Never before has so much been begun
and contaminated under prosecutions for
the enforcement OF the antitrust laws as
during the Taft administration. Not only
has there been a most determined effort
made to dissolve trusts, but their pro-
moters have been indicted and prosecuted
criminally.
Il mention a few OF the suits begun and
terminated in the Taft administration:
United States Steel corporation, suit
begun.
Sugar trust, indicted July /, 1909; pend
ing
Paper board trust defendants pleaded
guilty and fined $4,000.
NlnuOW HidhA trust, uRIenQAnIA pleaded
nolo-contendere and fined $4,000.
Beef trust, criminal case pending.
Southern, Wholesale Grocers associa-
ton, dissolved.
Great Lakes towing trust. pending.
Chicago Butter and Egg board, pending.
Cotton corner, James A. Patten and
others indicted, 1910; case before supreme
court.
Bathtub trust dissolution decree, under
consideration.
New England hide and rendering trust,
demurrers sustained.
Electric lamp trust. dissolved,
Trans Atlantic steamship pool, pending.
Eastern Retail Lumber Dealers assoc
citation, pending.
New England milk trust. pending.
Retail lumber trust, pending.
Shoe machinery trust, pending.
Standard OIL company, dissolved by SUI
preme court May Is, 1911
Tobacco trust, dissolved by supreme
Wire trust, subsidiary of steel corpora
ton; number OF defendants entered plea
OF nolo-contendere and were fined N,OOO
each.
Federal income tax, known as the cor
defended by the Taft administration. ano
approved by the supreme court Of the
United States on March L. 1911.
People Need Information.
III our newspapers would advise the
people fairly and honestly as to the &C
complishments OF the Taft admlnistra-
tlon / believe the president would secure
the unanimous support of the delegates
from the western states to the republican
national convention.
1T is matter OF pride to the Ne
braskans In Washington to know the
advanced and progressive standing which
Senator Norris Brown has attained In
the United States senate and with the
administration. lie has the entire conf
dence Of his colleagues in the senate end
of the president and his cabinet.
at Is also gratifying to know that
there is n lively interest being manifested
on the part of a goodly number OF the
republicans OF the state in the interest OF
the denomination and reelection of Presl-
dent Taft"