Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1911-11-03
EN- ! MONOPOLY OR
LET SOCIALISTS RULE

burgers, when members of the
chamber of commerce of that city
"baited" him.
Several hundred millionaires and
$50 officials of the steel trust at
tended a banquet there at which
the president was nominally the
guest of honor. Despite this, the
president was forced to listen to
Congressman Martin w. Littleton in
a hot denunciation Of the Sherman
antitrust law and demand for its
repeal.
Littleton's denunciation was
wildly cheered. When Littleton
concluded President Taft had only
10 minutes to catch his train. He
was mad through. Realizing that
he was being butchered to make a
Pittsburg holiday, he attacked lit
tleton's argument in way that was
record-breaking for the stolid Taft
Littleton had said the Sherman
law was indefinite. Taft shook his
fists at the business men and shout
ed:
This law has been on the stat
ute books for 20.years. It has been
construed and construed and con-
strued by the supreme court. When
on the bench myself, have had the
opportunity to consider its purpose
and effect. The two decisions rem
dered last spring were epoch-making
and in my judgment give definite
meaning to the statute They are
there and you will find them If you
will search, That any combination
In restraint of trade with the pur-
pose and effect Of sitting or sup
pressing competition, controlling
prices or establishing monopoly is
Up vain violation of the statute [
say that the supreme court put into
the law its purpose. | am talking
with men who understand busi-
ness; | am talking to men who know
what ! am talking about when say
that men know whether they intend
to stif1e competition, establish or
control prices"
President Taft's face was suffused
with anger. The president almost
screamed: my friend and brother,
Mr.. Littleton, offers what? What
does he offer except the repeal of
this statute and the enactment OF
another which would be subject to
the same construction to be put in
the form of federal incorporation?
Il favor federal incorporation
but that is no reason for repeating
this law Let us enforce the statute.
let the trusts then go into federal
incorporation act, and receive the
protection they are entitled to If
they follow the law.
Only one course is open, gentle
men. | say with all the sincerity
at my command that we are going
to have individualsm and freedom
from these combinations which sup
~ IS competition or else we are 90
ing back to point where the people
will demand that these men shall
no longer exercise unjust rights.
Then we will have socialism.
81 know that VI am speaking
against the learning of most Of
these gentlemen cannot help il.
The law on the statute books be-
lleve to be just law. The law
must be enforced, and sitting of
competition, establishment Of mon
opolies and controlling prices must
cease or we must deliver 1t to the
gentlemen who have It in their
hands to run the entire business of
the country or take the final step
and have a socialistic republic"
President Tad was excited. lie
pounded the table until the dishes
} ratified, He cried.
There is no man within the
sound of my voice but knows, II he
Is In business that IL he is trying 20
control prices or stlHe competition.
the intent is easily proven by cir
cumstonces. Can you tell me OF any
corporation which has been punlah-
ed which should not have eeen9
Show me where this statute has
worked unjustly You cannot do t..
"lf your purpose is honest and
innocent, and you pursue the meth
ods OF honest business. you can 20
on and make your business Ms large
as YOU choose"
BANDITS HOLD UP TRAIN