Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-12-21
ANTITRUST PROSECUTIONS

neys and assistants throughout the coun-
try. aggregated .3.2237!3
ANTITRUST PROSECUTIONS
In a comprehensive review of the anti
trust prosecutions, the attorney general
shows that the Il antitrust civil suits
pending at the beginning of the last fiscal
year We're augmented by six additional
actions, while the II criminal prosecutions
under the same statute were increased by
% more prosecutions during the last hs-
cal year.
Eight civil suits and a similar number
of criminal trials were brought to conclu-
sion during the year In four of the civil
prosecutions. judgments were rendered
in favor Of the United States. while three
were lost and one was discontinued. Four
convictions were secured under the Grim
inal clause of the statute during the year
and four cases were either quashed or dis
continued.
Declaring that he appreciates that pub
lie interest in the Sherman antitrust law
was "even greater" than it was at the
date of his last report. the attorney-gen-
eral sets forth the following cases as be-
ing prosecuted or pending for final set
Element:
The powder trust" the might rider"
cases. United States Steel corporation.
cotton corner alleged towing monopoly,
beef packers. Southern Pacific merger,
bitumlnous coal combination, naval
stores suit. bathtub trust" lumber
trust" milk trust" wall paper COM
bination, sugar trust" transatlantic
steamship pool. magazine trust shoe
machinery trust" combination of coal
roads elevator suit in Oklahoma and
kindling wood trust"
RUIN OF BUSINESS AVERTED.
Emphasizing his satisfaction with the
decree of the New York circuit court in
the tobacco trust dissolution. the attor-
tney-general has this to say of indepen-
dent tobacco interests. who have criti-
cised the plan of disintegration:
competitors of the existing combina-
ton were eager to compel the imposition
of terms or conditions of the disintegra-
tion which would have made a solvent
successful business readjus tment i'm
possible. would have brought about a
receIvership of the property and forced
judicial sales, resulting in great financial
loss not only to those Interested in the
com nut 10 the BUSINESS inter-
ests Of the country at large. and in
the end would have benefited only the
very individuals. who had been dominant
in tine formation of the combination as
they are possessed OF means ample
enough to profit by the ruin which would
have followed. In my opinion, the plan
winch has been approved by the court
will accomplish the objects of the law"
Forty-sX prosecutions for Illegal dis
| ordinations and rebates were instituted
| against railroads during the year. The
| attorney-General urges the amendment Of
| the 2S-hour law governing the railroad
| transportation of livestock by imposing
an imprisonment penalty for its viola
| ton.
| The vigorous enforcement of the Gus
| toms laws, the attorney general says, re-
suited in the recovery of s2,l20,O 900 in duties
| ont Of which the government had been
! defrauded,
WHITE SLAVERY CHECKED.
The white slave traffic act now a yea,
and half old, is having salutary
| effect, in the judgment of Mr.. Wicker.
sham. The statute was diligently en-
! forced throughout the country he AYERS
| with most satisfactory results. one hund
red and forty-tve prosecutions We're had
| resulting in 70 convictions, II acquittal,
! and 10 nolle pressed or otherwise dis
| continued. Forty-five cases are pending
Sentences imposed ranged from a few
, months in Jail to 10 years in tho
| pCni,Cntiary.
While prosecutions against peonage, th'
attorney general says, have done mucl
to stamp IL out, the practice still ap
pears to be quite extensively CARRIE
on in some of the southern States. III
suggests the strengthening of the statutes
so as to afford efficient protection o: per