Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-08-24
CONTROL or slo BUSINESS TO Dc
GONE. INTO " sEnArE
COMMITTEE.
pERk,Ns, MORGAN Ct Al.
.pEs,RE TO Dc HEARD
Several Captains Of Industry viii
Argue Tor LesaIixed Combinations
Under Federal superintendent.
emist. 10 Plead for Composition un.
restricted.
Especial Correspondence

\ f --
Especial Correspondence
Washington, Aug. 24.-Plans are ale
ready being made for the inquiry which
the senate committee on interstate
commerce will begin Nov. Is into the
brSed question Of the need for further
! legislation ea the control of the great
corporations of the country.
It is already clear that this inquiry
Is going to resolve itself into the great
est symposium on the corporation Ques-
ton that this country has seen. 1t
will bring together the most competent
authorities Of the nation and ont OF It
may grow legislation that will bring
about a new era in dealing with cor
porations. including trusts and COM
binationsr
Perkins to Be Witness.
Senator Ciapp, as chairman OF the
committee, Senator Cummins, who is
preparing bill dealing with corpora
ton control, Senator Newlands, who has
already introduced bill, and other
members OF the committee are talking
over the plans for the inquiry. When
he was here short time ago, on the
steel inquiry. Senator Cummins had a
talk with George w Perkins about the
Investigation and Mr.. Perkins will be
present as witness. Mr.. Perkins rep
resen.s the view that combination
should be frankly accepted az ten
dency that can not be blocked and ne
would have the government permit
combinations to exist but at the same
time control them. even TO the extent
Of the regulation of prices. In this view
he has strong support. Judge Cary,
Of the United States steel corporation,
for instance. is a pronounced believer
in this view. Mr.. Perkins is probably
the ablest OF the captains OF industry
who hold this view. and what he Will
have to say before the committee Will
be Of interest and Importance.
Morgan May Appear.
Moreover, he will undertake, with the
permission OF the committee. to have
this view Of the problem supported By
some Of the leading capitalists and
authorities on the subject In America.
It is considered definitely settled that
j. Pierpont Morgan will appear. Presi-
dent Mccormick OF the international
Harvester Company, Judge Gary. An-
drew Carnegie, James j. Hill and other
leading railroad presidents and numer-
Gus others will be present and Will
argue the case from the standpoint OF
the corporations. Most OF the big cap
tains OF industry are expected to take
the view that combination should be
allowed and regulated. relieved from
the fear Of having the fangs of the
Sherman law sunk into its legs every
time 1t makes move.
The Other View.
The other view is that competition,
must be preserved. that the size of corr
porations must be limited, that the
Sherman law must be made more
stringent. and at the same time that
there must be certain measure Of
constructive federal regulation which
shall seek to cause corporations to
live up to, certain requirements OF the
government without being crushed by
enforcement Of the Sherman law thru
the courts.
Il is the intention Of the committee
to have before it only men who have
studied the corporation problem. The
men who come before the committee
who have had time to prepare for whar
they shall say. This will give added
Importance to the testimony,
Views Of Eminent Economists.
On the competitive side, there will
appear some Of the country's most em-
;nent economists. men like Professor.
Laughlin. Of Chicago; Professor Com
mons, Of the University of Wisconsin
and long list of others. But the show
ing on this side will not be confined to
students and economists It will In
clude men who have intimate knowl-
edge thru experience with corporation
affairs. Doubtless a number of business
men OF prominence who have had ex-
perience In trying to prevent them
selves being gobbled up by trusts and
combinations will be heard.
Necessarily, most Of the more spec
tacular figures in the business world
will be on the side favoring combina-
ton. because most of the big captains
OF industry will uphold that system.
The questions to be considered will
include such ones as what has COM
bination done: how has the volume Of
business been affected: what econo-
mics have resulted: what has been the
effect on wages: what has been the
effect on prices?
The big question, after all, In the eye
OF the committee. will be, what has
been the effect OIL prices or. in other
words, how has the ultimate consup1-
er Jared under combination?
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INSURANCE. svsrEM scoRep: