Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-07-26
ASKS FOR POWER
TO FIX PRICES
Nickersham Declares That New
System Is Needed.
NATURAL LAW is NULLIFIED
Attorney General Suggests Commits
sion Similar to the Interstate
Commerce Body to Regu-
late Corporations.

Duluth, Minn.-After a day crowd.
ed with enjoyment for himself
and for the delegates to the Minnesota
State Bar association, of which body
he was chief guest, Attorney General
George w. Wickersham attended a
Josh banquet" given by the same as
Soeiation. There were no speeches
at the banquet.
That government commission to
regulate great industrial organiza-
tons was most desirable and might
be absolutely necessary was the key
note of the speech which Mr.. Wick
ersham delivered before the Bar as
sociaticn. He took an advanced stand
on the further federal regulation of
corporations, and declared that a
government commission to regulate
great industrial Organizations. In the
same way that the interstate COM
merce commission regulates railways.
Is certainly most desirable, and may
be absolutely necessary.
The cabinet member declared also
that the duty of fixing prices of CO.'S
modities might devolve upon this CON-
mission, though he expressed some
doubt of the practicability of this
phase of the plan.
The law II supply and demand, Mr..
Wiekersham said, no longer controls
prices in the United States. For
years, he said, the prices in all the
great staple industries have been
fixed by agreement between the prin-
cipal producers and not by normal
play OF free competition.
An interstate commission. the attor.
ney general added, would prevent VIC
lations Of the antitrust laws and aid
business men to maintain continued
status of harmony with the require
ments of the statutes
With the weight of an administra-
ton officer behind them, Mr.. Wicker
sham's remarks made a deep impress
sion. There was nothing in the
speech, however. to Indicate how far
the attorney general reflected the
views of President Taft On several
occasions in the last year he has been
regarded as the spokesman for the ad-
ministration.
That further regulation of corpora
lions carrying on commerce among
the states may be necessary" he said.
is coming to be matter of current
comment. 1t has been openly advo-
Gated recently by representatives of
some of the largest combinations of
capital, probably as means of saliva
ton and to preserve under govern
ment supervision great organizations
whose continued existence is menaced
by the recent Interpretation of the
Sherman act, the disintegration of
which would be attended with heavy
loss. To such 1t is case OF any port
in shipwreck' Better continued CO.
operative life, even under a powerful
master, than disseminated Properties
and segregated activities without con-
slant governmental supervision
But there are otter reasons for
such regulation. The federal depart
ment of justice is not organized or
equipped to maintain constant super
vision and control Of business organ
nations. ii deals only with cases of
violation of the law. hesactivities of
an administrative board or commits
sion would be directed to preventing
such violations and in aiding business
men to maintain a continued status
of harmony with the requirements of
law.
Whether such a federal industrial
commission should have power to reg
ulate prices is, of course. matter for
serious consideration. The interstate
commerce law prescribed as legis-
lative rule that prices for tansporta-
ton by rail. or wire, or pipe line, shall
be reasonable, and that no unjust dis
elimination shall be made between In
dividuals or localities similarly stu
ated A similar rule might be made
by congress with respect to the prices
of commodities the subject of inter-
state commerce"