The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1911-12-21
PROBLEMS Of ECONOMY
HAMPER JUSTICE
Declares the Attorney General
in Annual Report TO
Congress.
RAISE THE DIGNITY
OF the Bureau of Corpora
tions is His Advice for
the Present.

4
mendation that an executive bureau
be created 10 supervise corporations
chartered under a federal incorpora-
ton act. Attorney General Wicker
sham, in his annual report submit
ted to Congress today, suggests that
the Bureau OF Corporations be raised
to that dignity, even even in the ab-
sence OF the proposed federal stat
ute.
This branch Of the Department OF
Commerce and Labor. the attorney
general urges, should be brought
into closer relation with his depart
ment and adds that it might well be
"availed of as the nucleus for an
administrative board under whose
supervision consultations or
mergers for lawful purposes might
be formed"
In enforcing the Sherman anti
yst law, the attorney general
points out that the department Of
iusticeaand the courts are con
fronted by economic, rather than
legal problems when it comes to
working out methods of disintegra-
ton after a corporation has been
declared an Illegal combination.
The department enlisted the assist
ance of the Bureau of Commerce in
the dissolution OF the Tobacco Trust,
and it would be of great value to
the legal branch OF the government,
Mr.. Wickersham says, of the func-
tons of the bureau should be SO en-
larged that it could be called upon
officially to make Investigations and
report its conclusions with respect
to plans for the voluntary or en-
forced disintegrat'on OF monopolistlc
ordinations.
! The attorney general reviews the
record of a year of intense activity
I in federal prosecutions and points
out that the department of justice
financially sustained itself as the re-
suit of the contributions Of $4,000
lis, to the United States treasury in
the shape of fines collected, Gus
toms duties recoveries, etc. The
expense of the department, including
the office of the attorney general,
all Of the district attorneys and as
sistants throughout the country ag-
gregated s3,22S,773.
! In comprehensive review OF the
antitrust prosecutions. the attorney
general shows that the seventeen
antitrust civil suits pending at the
beginning Of the last fiscal year
were augmented by six additional
actions, while the eleven criminal
prosecutions under the same statute
we're increased BIB twenty-three mora
prosecutions during the last fiscal
year.
Eight civil suits and a similar
number Of criminal trials were
brought to conclusion during the
year, In four of the civil presecu.
tions judgments were rendered in
favor OF the United States, while
three were lost and one was discon-
tnued. Four convictions were Sc
cured under the criminal clause of
the statute during the year and four
cases were ether quashed or dis
continued.
Declaring that he appreciated that
public interest in the sherman-anti
trust law was even greater" than
it was at the date of his last re-
port. the attorney general sets forth
the following cases as being prese-
cuted or pending for final settle
mont.
"The powder trust the might
r.der'' cases, United States steel COR
poratlon. cotton corner, alleged
towing monopoly, beef packers,
0UuluGIN IdClllC uleIbeIp DlluullIOus
coal combination. naval stores suit,
bathtub trust" lumber trust,
wall paper comb nation, sugar
trust" shop machinery trust,
transatlantic steamship pool. mag
azine trust" shop machinery
trust" combination of coal roads.
elevator suit in Oklahoma, and
kindling wood trust"
Emphasizing his satisfaction with
the DEGREES OF the New York cir
cult court in the tobacco trust q s.
solution the attorney general has
this to say Of Independent tobacco
interests which have criticized the
plan of disntegratlon:
Competitors of the existing
combination We're eager to compel
the imposition of terms or cond.-
tions Of the Immigration which
would have made a solvent, success
full business reimbursement impos-