The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-01
Dtfends Antitrust Law
b Answer to Con-
gresham s Attack.
DIES NOT WANT TO ).
INJURE BUSINESS
81 Sitting of Competition and
Pntrol of Prices. He De-
fares. Must Stop-New
York Representative Makes
Plea for Repeal of
Sherman Act.

ttsburg, Pa. October 31.-Presi-
lde Taft defended the Sherman anti
r. law tonight in answer to an ad-
d. is made by Congressman Martin w.
Leleton. of New York. who earlier In
thf evening had attacked provisions
of:he law at q banquet OF the Pitts
bug Chamber of Commerce.
| The Sherman law has been on the
sautc books for twenty years, and has
bth construed and construed and con-
sited. and finally by the Supreme
Crit" said President Taft. The two
d ssicns last spring. in my Judgment.
81 II definite meaning that any COM
oaRtion in restraint OF trade, with
q purpose Of controlling prices and
81 ling competition. is a violation of tho
Iststute Men know whether they in
ted to stine compe tition and control
pipes, and all that is necessary In a
erlrt OF law is to prove tho combina-
II and the intent. That is all that Is
nitded for the enforcement of any
Ct ninal statute
DIT is not pleasant to be engaged in
Wat may seem to be an assault on
b tiness. but business men thought this
lsF could not be enforced. Now tho
lay can and is being enforced. and
b aose of this we hear tonight that
II iH 10 be repealed
IiI One OF Two Courses.
m would cut my hand off before /
Ykuid tnlure business. But what do
MR. my dear friend Littieton to offer!
Ole Of two courses is open. Either we
VII base fndfvtdualism or we will
hyc examinations in restraint OF trade.
garg TO that point where the people
wal demand that the power OF men en-
siged in such corporations be trans
fSwed TO the government, And then
wS sill bsve Stnte socialism.
FSow we can disintegratc unIawful-
ctEporations and put them under in
JUNCTION. II they operate they must
coAapete. know am speaking against
the trend Of many OF you, but can't
htlp II. The law is on the statute
books and must be enforced. and this
sitting of competition and this control
o. prices must cease. 1 didn't want 10
sat into this discussion. but l wan, you
business men 10 face this problem
There was frequent applause during
the Presidents remarks.
Representative Littleton who made a
plea for the repeal of the. Sherman anti
trust act, Is member of the special
congressional committee investigating
tie United States Steel Corporation
He quoted both former President
Roosevelt and MIR. Taft as having at
one time or another been willing to
have the Sherman law amended. He
declared that there is before the nation
NOW in the solving OF the trust aues-
ton the most difficult and far reaching
problem, affecting it's internal peace
and progress.
Pleads for New Policy.
Il, seems clear to me-" said Mr.
Littleton. that the Sherman law can
not possibly be made effective in the
discriminating OF the real evil, without
carrying with 1t too large sacrifice
OF the whole industrial fabric, and
that it should be absolutely repealed
and new policy or scheme Of legis-
lation inaugurated."
AS the solution of the problem. Mr..
littleton suggested that every corpo-
ration before it entered into interstate
business be required to submit Its in
corporation, its status, It's true condi-
ton. to a board created for that pur-
pose, and to obtain license to do in
terstate business. The charter. he
said. should be formal, definite and
should recite the terms of the grant.
II SnOulu pc maze 10
Tor violation of its provisions. With
such machinery TO start with. Mr. Lit
Teton said Specific laws for the guild
ance and control" of 3 interstate
concerns could be passes Dy Congress.
President Taft's second swing around
the circle as originally planned came
to an end here in the most enthusiastic
and bv far the noisest demonstration
he has experienced in all the 10000
miles he has travelled.
Pittsburg celebrated to-day the CEN
tennial of steam navigation on West
ern rivers. and Mr.. Taft was the star
attraction in the celebration. 1t is
estimated there were close TO 10000
persons at the wharf on the Monon
sohela River when the President was
taken aboard the steamboat Virginia
to review the "teet anchored there.
The President at midnight left for
Morgantown, w. Va.