The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-12-07
CURRENT COMMENT
Taft on the Trusts.

In a message that is singulariy clear and
unreserved President Taft has reviewed his posi-
ton upon the subject of trusts and restated the
remedies in addition tp the existing law that
he would prescribe. Only of these Of I'M
portance Ia new. That In for the definition Of
unlawful acts OF business more specifically than
the Sherman Antitrust Law states the case
in order that specific ntractions might be dealt
with without waiting to group these acts into
the form of conspiracy. Ip word, the recon-
inendation is to deal with the offenses of enter
prise like other onenses. to bring into court
the culprits for the specific act and not to permit
conditions to reach the point where the eorpor-
alton itself must be wiped out of existence.
ns m y, .ha o ,ns Th eminent
wisdom of this recommendation finds point In
the fact that the effect would be to strengthen,
the Sherman la without doing aught that would
impair It, or that would construed into q fresh
Interpretation of its meaning. Nor would 1t be
tantamount to confession of the inadequacy
OF the law IL would be course followed Sim
ply to provide the machinery for its more de-
tailed application
Mr.. Taft believes in criminal prosecution for
criminal offenses. He does not find, however,
that American juries ready to place be-
hind prison bars men of respectable standing.
whose offense is largely statutory. But with
better definition of the offenses and better APP
probation Of their gravity and with the warn
ing and notice served upon all persons of their
accountability to the criminal statutes for in.
fraction of the Sherman law. the rigors of Its
application will advance 1t will not be possi
bic after while for anyone to plead that he was
ignorant Of the grave nature of the acts o.
violation OF the Observation-Disclosures American.
The Presidents Message.
The message is, in fact, a mastery defense
ana clear exposition of the trust decisions of the
Supreme Court. which Mr. Taft contends arc
in complete accord with former decisions, and
also defense OF the Sherman law. For twenty
years, he says this law has been the statute
book. Many of its violators considered il harm
less and ineffective. 1t seemed impossible OF
enforcement. But that the majesty of the
law has asserted itself and it's efficacy is seen
and its object Is near achievement hear the
call for its repeal because it interferes with
business prosperity. The President turns a deaf
to this call. 1t cannot be said he observes
in the face OF the Northern Securities decree
that the law does no good. That decree was In
no way drastic those In the Standard
Oh and Tobacco cases but It stopped for all time
the then powerful movement toward the control
Of all the railroads Of the country in a single
hard.
The President does not confine himself In this
message to the consideration of a single sub
joct because there none others demanding at
tention. On the contrary. 1t because there
are so many important subjects calling for com
mt by the Executive that 1t impossible to
deal with them all in single message of reason
able length. The message yesterday is the first
OF several which he proposes sending to Con-
gress before Christmas. and among those will
doubtless be making recomnen da ton of
tariff Observation-Disclosures Sun.