The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1911-12-08
Annual Message Deals
With One Subject.
DEFENDS DECISIONS OF COURT
In Cases Of Standard Oil and
Tobacco Companies.
THINKS AMENDMENTS NEEDED
Believes Present Statutes Good 40 Far
40 They Go but Suggests Supple.
mental leglslation-For Fed.
eraI Corporation Law.

~ 1ney 60 but Suggests Supple.
mental leslsIatIon-For Fed.
eraI Corporation Law.
Washington, Dec. 6.-President
Tafts annual message, which was read
IN both houses Of congress today, deals
exclusively with the antitrust statute
Ine full text of the message is as fol-
lows: II
To the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentattves: This message is. the first
OF several which I shall send to con-
gress during the interval between the
opening of its regular session and it's
adjournment for the Christmas holi-
days. The amount of information to be
communicated as to the operations of
the government, the number Of impor-
tant subjects calling for comment by
the executive. and the transmission to
congress of exhaustive reports by spe.
ciai commissions. make 1t impossible
to include In one message of reason
able length discussion Of the topics
that ought to be brought to the atten-
ton of the national legislature at it's
first regular session.
The Antitrust Law-The Supreme
Court Decisions.
In May last the Supreme court hand
ed down decisions in the suits in
equity brought by the United States to
en1oin the further maintenance of the
STANDARD Oil trust and Of the Ameri-
can Tobacco trust, and to secure their
dissolution. The decisions are epoch
making and serve to advise the bust.
nsss world authoritatively of'the scope
and operation Of the antitrust act of
1890. The decisions do not depart in
any substantial way from the previous
decisions Of the court in constituting
ana applying this important statute,
put they clarity those important deci-
slons by further defining the already
admitted exceptions to the literal con.
struction of the act. BY the DEGREES,
they furnish a useful precedent az to
the proper method Of dealing with the
capital and property Of illegal trusts.
These decisions suggest the need and
wisdom OF additional or supplemental
legislation to make it easier for the
entire business community to square
with the rule Of action and legality
thus finally established and to preserve
the benefit. freedom and spur of rea-
sonable competition without loss of
real efficiency or progress.
No Change In tho Rule Of Decision
Merely In Its Form Of Expression.
The statute in its first section de-.
clares to be illegal every contract.
combination in the form of trust or
otherwise, or conspiracy, in restraint
OF trade or commerce among the sew.
eral states or with foreign nations"
and IN the second. declares guilty Of a
mfsdemeanor every person who shall
monopolize or attempt to monopolize
or combine or conspire with any other
person to monopolize any part of the
trade or commerce Of the several
states or with foreign nations"
In two early cases, where the statute
was invoked to enjoin transportation
agreement between interstate railroad
companies. 1t was held that It was no
defense to show that the agreement as
to rates complained Of was reasonal
at common law, because It was said
that the statute was directed against
all contracts and combinations in re-.
strafnt Of trade whether reasonal at
common law or not. It was plain from
the record, however, that the contracts
complained of In those cases would
not have been deemed reasonable at
common Law. y Ii subsequent cases the
court said that the statute should be
given q reasonal construction. and re-
fused to include within its inhibition
certain contractual restraints Of trade
which It dominated as Incidental or as
indirect. 4
These cases Of restraint of trade that
the court excepted from the operation
of tho statute were instances which. at
I common Law, would have been called
reasonable IN the Standard On and
Tobanco scases therefore. the court
merely dSpted the tests Of the com.
mon NV. ana 81 defining exceptions Is
the literal appl 4ipnb q tho statuts,
only spb1titUted for the test 81 being
accidental 81 indirsct, init II bains
sooniiablsf ma ! thiS. Without varying
~ tho slightsst tho actual seopss and
s1ect Of tn ltute. = svorts.
4 Tho Co., md rs MI IT iii vhlch
Il fSo now been decided would have
fhGAA,a & silIII fti6 ypaaart
~ dri a3nnily IN m 49,