Omaha daily bee., 1911-10-05
PERKINS ON TRUST PROBLEM
He Says Congress Failed to Keep
Promise to Revise Sherman Act.
CHAOTIC CONDITIONS PREVAIL
Banker susEests that Congress- APP
point Commission Ia JnVesti-
gate status and Needs OF
big Combinations.

DETROIT, Mich. oct. 4.--Speaking to-
day before the Detroit Board Of Com
merce 70 the topic. 1t is tho function OF
the law 70 define and punish wrong
doing and not 10 throttle business"
George W Perkins OF New York said
that the people had voted in favor Of
amending the sherman antitrust law.
The voters, he said had approved a
plank Of the republican national plat
form in 1908.
Mr. Perkins said there could be no
mistaking the language used. The re-
publican party had expressed itself in
favor Of amending the sherman act; IL
clearly indicated that companies having
power and opportunity to effect mo-
nopolies," and also clearly indicated
the lines along which the law should be
amended
1.-THE democratic party" he continued
at the same time in the trust plank of
lts platform, among other things, de-
clared for a policy that would prohibit
the control by manufacturing or trad
Ing corporation engaged In interstate
commerce Of more than 20 per cent of
the total amount of any production con-
sumed i'm the United states
with these platforms the respective
parties went before the people OF this
country IN a vigorous campaign. Each
party attacked the others platform and
the subject was debated pro and con all
over the land one is safely within
bounds In saying that the most effective
speaker in the republican cause in that
campaign was Governor Hughes. and
ytHIt Ia, h.t kz
most effective speech Of the campaign
was his Reply to Bryan. delivered at
Youngstown o., on September s. 1908. In
that speech Governor Hughes analyzed
the platforms Of the respective parties In
no uncertain language"
People Vote tor Amendments.
Nr. Perkins quoted extensively from Mr..
Hughes speech and added:
with such platforms and after such
a campaign the people voted on the Is
sues submitted and. by a plurality OF over
l,2J0.oOo votes returned the republican
party 10 power I'm both the legislative
and executive branches
The only vestige Of keeping faith
with the people on ans thiug involved IN
this question and as discussed In the
campaign is found In the supreme court =
recent trust decisions. wherein the rule
Of reason is applied, and In connection
with this significant fact are the follow
ing closing sentences from the Youngs-
town speech of Governor Hughes dor the
last year a member Of th, supreme
courD:
But I'm our progress We must seek 10
avoid false steps. ours must be the rule
- reason. iT-Cg'd, calm. patient and
steadfast, defeating the conspirdCies OF
intrigue and escaping the pitfdll. of
folly. Supreme must be the sense OF
Justice, with it's Reorganization Of our
mutual dependence.
Chaotic Conditions Exist.
The congress which adopted this do
nothing policy, which failed TO carry out
these as well as other instructions re-
ceiyed from the people In the last ma
tonal election was repudiated by the
people al our elections Of a yesT ago, and
now chaotic conditions exist IN the cor
porate business world. which mingle the
innocent and the guilty In a common