New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-22
TRUSTS WILL Be SPLIT UP
Will Not Reorganize and Go On
as Before, Says WiCkersham.
PAYS HIGH TRIBUTE TO TAFT
We Shall Go On Enforcing the
Laws, He Tells Hancock
Homecomers.

Hancock, Mich. July H.-Big combina-
lions like the Standard oil Company and
the Tobacco Trust are going to be
split UP into a number OF separate and
distinct parts" without connection or
monopoly power This was the prediction
made in an address here to-day by Attor-
ney General Wickersham. answering
people who are saying the decisions OF
the Supreme Court don't really mean any
thing"
Don't believe any such talk" declared
the Attorney General to the crowd assem-
bled here for Hancock's homecoming
celebration" Criticisms seeking to min
imze the value of the Supreme Court de-
cisions come largely" he added, from
those who would like to embarrass the Ad-
ministration with the sort of general as
sault on all business which would compel
every business man TO turn to the other
party for relief
Incidentally. Mr.. Wickersham took occa-
sion to trace the guiding hand Of President
Taft in the policy OF the Department OF
Justice. concluding his speech with the re-
mark that mo matter who should be at
the head OF that department, so long as
William n. Taft is President no other pol
icy could obtain
Can't Indct Nation.
Mr.. Wickersham then gave an account
of the activities Of the peoples law of
fee" the Department Of Justice He said.
in part:
First OF all there are the great trusts
cases, in which you, In common with the
-. -. I.ap r
ested The government scored great VIC
tories there DO not let anybody deceive you
as TO that. If the court had held that
every contract that put any restraint OF
any kind upon commerce among the states,
however slight, was a violation or the
Sherman law, tho Department of Justice
would have had 10 illustrate the truth OF
what Edmund Burke said: You can
draw an indictment against a nation
For there are not lawyers enough In tne
government, nor for that matter In the
country to draw indictments against
everybody who makes any contract that
in any respect operates in some measure
to restrain interstate commerce.
But when the Supreme Court SAID We
must read this statute as reasonaDle men
and give II an Interpretation that VIII not
strangle all trade. but which will prevent
any undue restraint prohibit all contracts
and combina tons that are intended 10 IN
terfere with the natural course OF trade, OF
which will have that necessary effect-then
the court gave us a means or preventing
those evils which led to the enactment Of
the law And this Is especially so IN view
Of the fact that the court gave full force
to the prohibition Of monopohes. and by
its decree has ordered the breaking up OF
the two largest and most successiu vi
monoplies or trusts which ever have APP
peared in this country
Big Combinations Will Be Split.
But some people are saying that these
decisions don't really mean anything; that
the big trusts will simply reorganize under
other forms and go on just as before.
Don't believe any such talk. Take my as
surance for IL that those big combinations
are going to he split up into number OF
separate and distinct parts, no one OF
which shall have any connection or control
over any other and no one OF which snail
have so large percentage Of the business
as 10 be anything like monopoly. mat
is what | understand the court to require
and nothing less will meet my interpreta-
ton Of the decisions Of the Supreme Court
You have put in the hands Of your De-
partment OF Justice a great many other
laws to enforce. and we nave peen ehlorc.
ing them, and we shall go on enforcing
them unless Congress next fall shall fail "a
give us money enough TO do so.
Mr.. Wickcrsham referred to the criti-
cism OF some large fees paid to attorneys
by the department declaring It had mostly
come from lawyers and guessed they were
one-quarter the size paid counsel who I'M
successfully conducted the Standard OIL
and Tobacco Trust cases against the gov
eminent
There are laws. he declared, the benefit OF
tie enforcement OF which cannot be VAL
ued by money, ard continued:
Then, TOO. in enforcing the statutes that
affect business conditions, several classes
OF people are sure to be offended. First
those whose pecuniary interests are adj,
versely affected by the prosecution. and
those who consider the policy OF the law
mistaken, and are unwilling TO concede the
duty OF the law officers of the government
to enforce its law. even though such on
forcement in their opinion. will lead 10
business depression or unrest; and. second
those who wish not only radical results
but results which would produce panic or
disaster either. first, because they have
nothing themselves To lose and therefore
don't care. so long as those who have any
thing are deprived Of II, or. second, those
who. because of partisan hostility. would
like to see the administration embarrassed
by the sort of general assault upon all
business which would compel every busi-
ness man 10 turn to the other party for
relief The criticisms which seek 10 mini
mize the value Of the recent Supreme court
decisions H. the trust cases come largely
from this latter class.