Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-09-19

q I
certainly have carried us to socialism
as a reaction from the vicious control
of the few, the time spent, the effort,
and the litigation are worth the cost.
There have been times when among
others / have though; that the en-i
torcement of the law might have been
facilitated he'd the courts visited its
breach with severer punishment, bat
Though the mills OF the gods grinii
slowly, yet they grand exceeding
small" and without the severity that |
some of MS urged and would have
Teen glad to see used. d revolution in
business methods where they have
heretofore been violatire Of the statute |
viii te accomplished, and with least |
disturbance to business which IS law
ful
I'm a special message on the subject !
Of trusts which | sent To Congress
January I. 1910. / said;
III is the duty aHd the purpose Gf !
tie Executive to direct an nyestiga |
ten shy the Department Of Justice. |
through the grand jury or otherwise, |
into the history. organization, and ppr-
poses OF all the industrial companies |
with respect. to which. there is any
reasonable ground for suspicion that
they have been organized fer a pGr
pose, and are conducting business on a |
plan which is in violation of the anti !
trust law. The work is a heavy one, |
but it is not beyond the power of thel
Department Of Justice if sufficient
FUNDS are furnished 20 carry on the In
,Vestig&tions and to pay the counsel en-
"a ged in the work.
| wish TO repeat this now, and 70 say
further that the Attorney General has
instituted Investigations into ali the
industrial companies above described
and that these are in various stages
Of completion. I am glad 10 be able
to add that if Congress snail continue
needed appropriations, every trust of
! any size that violates the statute will.
before the end Of this administration
in 1913, be brought into court to meet
! and acquiescc in degree of 1isinte-
grafton by which competition between
its parts shall be restored and pre-
served under the persuasive aud re-
fserictive influence of . permanent and
continuing Injunction.
| Opposes Anti Trust Law Amendment.
| Under these conditions / am entirely
.opposed 10 an amendment of the an
| thrust law. IT is now valuable Gov
eminent asset and instrument. Tested
, and brought into practical and bGnefi-
cial use by 20 years Of litigation and
lconstruction ry the highest court, why
| should We imperil its usefulness by eX-
lperimcnts? The outcrY sought TO be
raised in some quarters. followed by
proposals of amendments prepared
without Il real understanding of the
llaw CT the courts decisions may serve
the purpose of promoting unreasonable
and unreasoning discomfort but Ger
tainly ought not to be considered seri-
Iouslv.
When an amendment is proposed, let
the prepayment state the defect in the
statute the amendment is to remedy
and how it will effect it,
/ If the avowed purpose is TO make it
impossible to use reason i'm the con-
struction Of the statute as the supreme
lcourt did let the never of the amend
lment formulate a case OF restraint of
interstate trade not condemned under
the supreme Courts construction of
the statute. which ought to be con
ifemned. Let us avoid general express
sions. Let us avoid charges Of i'm
!proper motives. Let us come down to
tconcrete cases and facts and make
showing for an amendment that law
yer and a legislator can understand
/ and weigh, and not be content with
mere rhetoric and language useful
tonly for defamation.
| In my message of January T. 1870 l
advocated the passage of a statute
which shall permit tie incorporation
tof companies engaged in interstate
commerce by the Federal Government.
| / believe that Il statute might be
drawn TO furnish the protection which
Twould induce companies engaged
chiefly in interstate trade to take on
Federal incorporation, and that by the
supervision which might be main
tanned by an executive bureau of the
/, Government over their transactions it
would be possible to prevent future vi
olations of the antitrust law by those
companies on the one hand and 10 Sc
cure TO them a freedom from con-
slant fear of prosecution on the other
But this statute would in no way be
an amendment of the antitrust law,
which has now reached a period in it's
history when it is really accomplish
ling the purpose of its trainers and is
enforcing a reform in the business
methods Of this country which viii be
| as useful as it is Widespread