The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-09-19

Mayor OF the city, gave Mr.. Tart his official
welcome he thanked him in the name OF
all Detroit for his efforts to secure reci.
procity and added that when Canada on
September 81 accepted reciprocity, az
I the Mayor seemed certain Canada would
do. Mr.. Taft would have more than ever
, the praise and thanks Of Detroit for hi,
work.
But Mr.. Taft said that though he had
few opinions on reciprocity he was
minded until! after Canada had settled
the. question TO keep them to himself.
He entered into the hearts OF the diners
by referring to his decisions while on
the bench in the Detroit traction cases
Mr.. Taft twenty years ago decided one
OF these cases against the traction COM
panv and in favor Of the city. The de-
court, but the general situation has never
been cleared up to this day. He said
he still stuck up for that decision as the
best because at least II would have the let
parties know where they were at" which
them with this and then told them that
he would not discuss reciprocity. They
seemed greatly disappointed. When he
introduced the subject Of trusts they
eeemed doubtful of cheering it and Mr.
Taft had 70 win his applause with his
speech. He did it.
ARRlNED IN THE RAIN.
In all Mr.. Taft was in the city. for ten
hours. Il was raining hard when his
fast al the Detroit Club was over the
sun had come out and TAFT" weather
was on for all day. First they took him
over to Pontiac. town some thirty miles
out Of Detroit Tha. was Congressman
sammy Smiths share Of the day and
II made him perspire equal quantities of
worry, importance and happiness.
The Presidents first speech was at the
State Fair Grounds. The address Off
cially opened the fair. They staged a
pretty picture for his reception. About
hundred schoolgirls. running down to
tots who had TO squat on the ground
TO rest their little legs while Mr. Taft was
talking. began a song about Our Dear
President as Mr.. Taft appeared. They
were dressed in trcolor costumes with
fairies sprinkled among them.
When Mr.. Taft was escorted TO the plat
form he found that no chair had been pro-
vided for him. A fair official very nerA
vously hurried one. from the rear OF the
stage. But it was only an ordinary chair.
and when Mr.; Taft went to sit down it
proved almost too tight fit; He eased
himself into it carefully and his broad
smile quickly informed the crowd of the
predicament.
, Then Mr. Taft and the crowd had a
hearty laugh at the expense Of a very much
gave way to laughing himself. The
President talked to them OF scientific
farming. 1t was about the same ground
that he went over in his Syracuse speech
MADE SAD BY DEATH
p! There was gloom cast over the Presi.
=. dents day by the death Of Representative
: Madison Of Kansas. News reached the
President last night Of the death of ex.
senator Carter Of Montana and hardly
AA T.A t-l- - N.,
I Carter before he was told Of the sudden
death Of Representative Madison. whose
guest he was to have been while in Hutch.
inson. Kan. next week. The President
was very fond OF Mr.. Madison. His
insurgency had never interfered with the
: Taft. II was Mr.. Madison's invitation
to the President to visit Hutchinson that
started this trip.
After brief explanation Of the Supreme
; Courts recent trust decisions Mr.. Taft
3 In his speech here to-day safd:
] Persons who do not understand the erec,
/ Of these decisions and really do no. under
I stand the law have great deal to say
which Is intended to lead the public to the
4 belief that in some way or other the Supreme
Court has eIna sculated the statute and pre-
vented its operation against obiectiona ble
4 and Injurious trade combinations and con
( Rpiracies. Nothing is further from the
|, truth.
] shall not attempt to give 1t a close
= lawyerlike Interpretation. but think i,
Ia not departing from the declaration Of The
/; court TO say that they find any contract in
I. restraint Of trade made for the purpose
/ Of excluding competition. controlling prices
or OF maintaining monopoly. in part or
In whole, is contrary to the statute and il
subject 20 Injunction and indictment under
this statTte in the Federal courts where il
Affects interstate trade.
Now | would like TO ask MIR Bryan or
j any OF the other publicists and iurists who
/, have been denouncing this opinion as the
= surrender of the rights Of the people and
usurpation OF judicial power to tell the pub
lie what particular contract or restraint
Of interstate trade he would condemn which
: would not ne condemned within this def
! milton of the court, The difY'cutv with th'
literal construction Of the statute IL that i
Z would denounce great many minor o
4 incidental restraints of trade, which mad,
: the statute ridiculous.
, IL Ia said that the supreme Court ha,
read something into the statute that wa.
not there before: that it has inserted the
word reasonable" before restraints O
trade when the same court had said that
this could not be properly done becaus'
: Congress had evidently not intended u
include such limiting word in the statute
= MS is nov idiT 10 me court. II ~ True INA
the court in the eariv davs of the cOnstruc
tion Of the statute had said that IL cou!t
not limit the statute in effect nv excludin,
from its operation what was dee med reason
!. able at common law. l'ut as other cases
arose II found il necesSar" To make ey-
CeptiOns 20 the literal operation OF the
! words restraint OF trade, and IL d!d sc
by eNcepting what was minor or inciuenta
1 or indirec. and including ONlg those cases
where the chief object of the contract OF
combination was the restraint, In doiae
90 the court said that IL must give the
statute reasonable construction and moi
one leading to absurd or ridiculous results
p In the last two cases the court did not
change the substance Of the reasoning and
scope OF the previous decisions. but oni,
treated The exceptions previously termed
Incidental and indirect" as excluded from
the operation OF the statute In the light o
renson. l. e, in conformity to the evil sOugh
to be reached, Now in what wav has this
injured the public veal? What cOmbina
tions or arrangements can escape unde
this Interpretation that any sensible maj
would wish to have condemned? Did the
court not condemn the Standard oil Com
pany. the father Of all trusts in the histor,
N which every form of criminal illega,t,
DraCtised' lid il NOT on tho nj ho