The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-14
1T PAYS ITS WAY.
Department of Justice Closes
Year With Surplus.
Fines More Than Cover the Ex-
penses OF Prosecutions.
PERIOD OF ACTIVITY
Annual Report of Attorney Gen
eraI Wickersham
With His Recommendations Is
Submitted to Congress.

Washington, Dec. 14--Pursuing
President Taft's recommendation that
an executive bureau be created to
supervise corporations chartered I'M
der a federal incorporation act, Attor-
ney General Wickersham, in his an
nual report submitted to congress to-
day, suggests that the bureau of cor
porations be raised to that dignity.
even in the absence Of the proposed
federal incorporation statute.
This branch OF the department of
commerce and labor, the attorney
general urges, should be brought into
closer relation with his department
and adds that ii might we'll be awaited
Of as the nucleus for an administra
tive board under whose supervision
consultations of mergers for lawful
purposes might be formed
In enforcing the Sherman antitrust
law, the attorney general points out
that the department OF justice and the
courts are confronted by economic,
rather than legal problems when It
comes to working out methods of dis
migration after corporation has
been declared an illegal combination.
The department enlisted the assistance
of the bureau of corporations in the
dissolution OF the tobacco trust, and it
would be of great value to the legal
branch of the government. Mr.. Wick
ersham says. if the functions of the
bureau should be so enlarged that il
Investigations and report its conclu-
sions with respects 10 plans for the
voluntary or enforced disintegration
OF monOpolistic combinations.
Record of Past Year.
The attorney general reviews the
record of a year Of intense activity in
federal prosecutions and points out
that the department of Justice finan-
cially sustained itself as the result of
the contribution of $4,204.115 to the
United States treasury in the shape of
fines collected, customs duties recov-
cries, etc The expense of the depart
ment, including the office of the at
torney general, all of the district at
torneys and assistants throughout the
country aggregated $3.223.773
In a comprehensive review of the anti
trust prosecutions. the attorney general
shows that the II antitrust civil suits
penang at the beginning of the last fis-
cal year were augmented by six, addi-
uonal actlonS While the IL criminal prose-
cutions under the state statute were in
creased by % mora prosecutions during
the last fiscal year
Eight civil suits and a similar number
of criminal trials were brought to con-
clusion during the year. In four of the
civil prosecutions judgments were rem
dered in favor Of the United States while
three were lost and one was discontinued
Four convictions were secured under the
criminal clause of the statute during the
year and four cases were either Quashed
or discontinued.
Sherman Law Prosecutions.
Declaring that he appreciates that pub
lie interest In the Sherman antitrust law
was even greater" than il was at the
date OF his last report, the attorney. gen
eral set 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:
bituminous coal combination; naval stores
suit: bathtub trust lumber trust;
milk trust; wall paper combination;
sugar trust" Transatlantic steamship
pool: maya zine trust shoe machinery
trust" combination Of coal roads: ele-
vator suit in Oklahoma, and kindling
wood trust"
Forty-six prosecutions for illegal dis
examinations and rebates were instituted
against railroads during the year. The
attorney general urges the amendment of
the Is hour law governing the railroad
transportation of live stock 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 S212o,o00 in
duties out of which the government had
been defrauded.
White Slave Traffic
The white slave traffic act, now year
and half Old is having a salutary eff
feet in the Judgment of Mr.. WickerSham.
The statute was diligently enforced
throughout the country. he AYERS. with