The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-11-01

minalon of The real evlI "ltisS "ltnou' ,hhn
Ing with II too large sncriilce oi va
whole Industrial fabric, and tnal II shou,o r,o,n
be repealed and ne" policS w SN"'
nf legislation inauguratcd. 80.
Mr. Littcton suggested That every cor
pora,Io before IL entered interstate bnsI
ton, its status. It's true condition To a
board created FOR that purpose ano 10
obtain a license 10 do interstate business
The charter, he said. should nc lorIlaL
definite. and should reStte 'ne 'ei"'s
Of the grant.
II should be made subject 10 forfeiture
for violation OF its provisions Win
such machinery TO start WITH. Mr.. III
ticton said specific laws Tor The guidance
and control Of interstate concerns coulo
be passed by congress.
The common law has been cited fre-
uuently "a sustain the Sherman antitrust
law" said Mr. Littlcton But you
will search In vain FOR any common law
which vaguely declares that every con
tract, combination or agreemcnt IN re-
sIraint OF trade shall be unlawful
Should Prohibit Acts.
.'The real vice in the treatment Of
leSislatc solely against the result OF ef-
feet of a series Of acts instead OF spe-
cisllv defining and prohibiting these
acts.
Competition is not concrete thing
10 he preserved. 1t may be strsnsled
To death By superior strength un1ustIy
used. IL must be free, bu, not by cod
ding the inefficient or holding everyone
back fer The laggard.
THE federal government Is supreme
IN the sphere OF interstate commerce and
corn seeking entrance into that field and
compel II TO conform In certain stand
ard.
III the states continue TO issue blanket
charters with no safeguards and men
choose 10 clothe their enterprises with
these charters, the federal government
coJid simply reject them as unhl agcn-
cics TO enter upon the great field OF In.
terstate commerce. II seems to me that
we could then proceed to enact some
specific laws for their guidance and CON
troll. They should he drafted as an in
dustrial code. prohibiting the sitting OF
seeking rebates from rail
roads. the purchasing by one corporation
of the stock and control Of another, and
all the various other means used 70 OBJ
tain undue advantage in trade.
Taft Defends Law.
President Taft defended the Sherman
anti trust law tonight in answer 10 the
address made by Congressman Martin w.
Iittlcton OF New York. who earlier in the
evening had attacked the provisions OF
the law al a banquet Of tho PlttsburS
1t was nearly midnight before the
president started TO speak.
This question has been cloouentllyy
S9nsiJered by my friend Ia, hitt'eton, said said
come M here. II sayors OF llarshness
10 have a difference Of opinion nn an
Of this kind. But I must say
what think.
Tho Sherman law has been on lIc
statute books for twenty years and has
been construed, and construed. and con
strucd. and finally by the supreme court.
The two decisions last spring, in my
Judgment give 1t definite meaning that
any combination in restraint OF trade
with the purpose OF controlling prices and
Sitting competition is violation Of the
statute.
Men know whether they intend TO
sline competition and control prices. and
all that is necessary in Il court of law
Is in prove the combination and the i'm
tent. That is all that is needed for tho
enforcement Of any criminal statute
Would Not Iniure Business.
what NAV seem to he an assault on
business, but business men thought this
law could not be enforced. Now the law
can and is being enforced and because
= would cut my hand off before
would inture business But what has my
dear friend I.ittlcton 10 offer? Only one
course is open. Either we will have in
in restraint OF trade going To that point
where the people will demand that the
power OF men engaged in such corpora
ucns ne transferred 10 the government
AN '"SH We VIII Iiakc STATE socialism
Now we can disintegrate unla wful
corporations and put them under injunc-
tion II they operate they must com
pete.
Il know | am speaking against tne
trend OF many OF YOU But I cannot
help II. The law is on the statute books
and must be enforced. and this sr,JI,ne OF
competition and this control OF prices
must cease
II didn't want to get into this discus
SION but want you business men 10
face this problem
, lhere was frequent applause during
the presidents remarks
~ midnight the president was taken
10 the Shadyside station OF the PennsyI-
Vania railroad whore plans had been
perfected for his trip TO Moreantown,