The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-05-17
WIDE DISCUSSION
Of OIL OPINION
Continued From Page One.

strengthen the antitrust law or 10 solve
problem that yesterdays decision
seems TO have made more veXatious than
ever
No Special Message.
To visitors President Taft said he had
no present intention OF sending a special
message 10 congress proposing additional
nti.trusi legislation. This session. the
president said. was called TO consider
reciprocity, and unless some unusual
emergency arose he would moi attempt
to force other subjects upon it
While the president would not discuss
the decision generally. his speeches on
the subject and his special message OF
January {. 1910. left little doubt as TO his
views He had hoped not so much for
a decree dissolving the Standard Oil COM
pany. IL is said. as for clear interpreta :
tion Of The antitrust act under which
the department OF justice could proceed
in the future.
However he may regard the interpre "a =
lion OF the law as IL may be applied In
future cases. the president believes that
the upholdins of the anti trust law gen:
orally bv the court Will be very useful
in accomplishing the end which is de-
sired
There is no intention on the part OF
the adminstra,ion to check the activities
OF the department OF justice. Trusts
found violating the antitrust act will be
proceeded against as in the past
View of President.
The president thinks that convictions
generally are certain in cases where the
evidence produced shows an attempt to
create "A monopoly.
Although the matter had been consid =
cred. il seemed probable there would be
no attempt to proceed crimnallv against
the directors Of the Standard Oil.
AZ this time the president is not de-
termined whether he will press the fed
craT incorporation bin which he recon-
mended 10 congress more than a veal
ago. He told callers he still believed
in the merits of that bill Attorney Gen.
eral Wickersham. who drew 1t. is. OF
course. in favor of its enactment.
Secretary OF Commerce and Labor Ma =
gel. after the cabinet session. said he
favored such legislation, The attitude
Of the other members is not definitely
known now. although the bill was sub
mitted TO them long ago and seemingly
approved.
Secretary Of state Knox might be one
exception. Just after the decision in the
Northern Securities case. when he was
attorney general Mr. Knox. in a. speech
at Pittsburg. declared that the word
unreasonable" should he put into the
law Just as the supreme court is taken
to have Yesterday put il in.
AS whole the cabinet is more likely
to favor q federal incorporation law than
an amendment 10 the Sherman act.
What President Said.
In his special message of January
Z 1910. President Taft discussed the
suggestion that the word reasonable
he made part OF the Sherman antitrust
law and strongly opposed the proposition
in these words;
81 venture to think that this is to put
into the hands of the court a power I'm
possible to exercise on any consistent
principle which will insure the uniform
ity OF decision essential to Just iudg-
ment. 1t is to thrust upon the courts a
burden that they have no precedents TO
ena ple them to carry. and TO give them
SpIrSaghnS npSt the nyolys @ whole ,h
judicial system in disaster.