Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-10
What Shall We Do With the Trusts-Kl or Curb Them?

winter months, and was debated with
brilliancy by distinguished lawyers in
those bodies. Meantime objections
that were made to it were being con-
prominent men in the judiciary COM
mittee and in April Senator Hoar
presented to the Senate complete
measure which he offered as a substi-
tute for the Sherman bill.
The substitute came with the back
ing of the judiciary committee. and
without Senator Hoar's name upon il
it was accepted by Senator Sherman
and substituted for the body of his
bill; and the measure continued
through the Senate as the sherman
bill" passed the House of Represen-
tatveS without the changing of a line.
went to President Harrison. and was
signed July ,, 1890.
The history of congressional legis-
Iation from its beginning in 1889 until
now says recent writer, probably
presents no other instance of a statute
so important, and related to a subject
of such scope and compleNity, being
written by one man. exactly as il
was passed by both houses of Congress
and approved by the President"
The Sherman law is declared by promi-
nent lawyers who have appeared at the
hearings before Senator Clapp's commit
tee, now sitting in Washington. to be
las perfect as a law can be written: as
simple and clear as the English language
can make it
Would you suggest the amending OF
the Sherman law" Senator Brandegee
asked one prominent man who appeared
be fore the committee.
Il would as soon think of trying to
amend the Decalogue," he answered
1t appears certain that the Sherman
law itself will not suffer amendment at
the hands of Congress, II the opinions
brought out in the trust inquiry and the
opinions held by many members of the
Investigating committee are followed
That statute will he retained as the
instrument for dissolving in the civil
courts the big trusts that break the law
against combinations and for Furnishing
with fines or imprisonment their chicl
promoters and nstigators.
Congress is looking for the other path
that leads to business stability and pro
lection of public interest. 1t wants TO
find means to declare legal business
safe from prosecution; To point out what
corporations can do without breaking the
law: to lend every encouragement 10
business development and the exercise ot
economical methods of making and sell
ing goods; and at the same time I" pre-
vent monopoly, keep competition In the
world of trade, and give the young man
of today with limited capital far
opportunity to enter trade and commerce.
:;
How is it to be done? The group "i
men who are now studying in the trust
school is not prepared to say SEN
ator Cummins believes that much good
would be secured from law limiting the
amount of capital stock of any corpora
ton, so that. no given line of industry
could be dominated by ono immense com
pany such as the United States steel
Corporation.
Senator Ponerene is an emphatic adEo-
cate of the more rigorous enforcement
of the criminal end of the Sherman Jaw
A few trust ''magnates' in Jail. he be
lieves, would accomplish much toward tie
breaking up of combinations.
Senator NewlandS also a member OF
the committee, has before ii a bill to
establish a trade commission, plan IN
dorsed with various notifications by tn
President, the Attorney General ana
many students of the trust problem Sen
ator La Toilette has an important Dill
for trust control, defining what form OF
corporation action constitutes RESTRAINT
of trade and removing much of the I'M
certainty that surrounds the enforcement
of the Sherman law in its present form.
Senator Kenyon, who was the govern
nlent trust buster" Up TO the time lie
81 a. Af ~ y