New-York tribune., 1911-12-07
THE EDAyINWASHINGTON

Tafts tariff recommendations and who arc
greatly perturbed by the impetus this
method has given TO the Presidents recon-
mendations Of additions 10 the Sherman
antitrust law. They had expected that tile
first message would al least deal with tho
tariff, and they are gloomy over the fact
that II did not. They have been Informed
that tomorrow they will receive a message
dealing with the foreign relations Of the
United States. and that a little later the
President will send in n message submit
ting the report of the commission appoint
ed 10 consider methods of federal regulation
OF the issue of railroad securities. But they
are not anxious TO hear about either OF
these subjects. especially the latter. Presi
dent Tafts messages are OF "A character to
reflect credit on him and his sdministra-
ton, and that IS precisely what the Demo
Gratis do not want Moreover, they fear
the President VIII put mp TO them some i'm
portant recommendations for constructive
legislation, and they realize that i'm nott-
ing do they SO inevitably show their own
incapacty as when they attempt to pass
constructive legislation. They want, in fact,
10 pass nomeasure which the President can
sign, but 10 cophne themselves TO bills
which Will appeal to those who give them
only Cursory examination, while they con-
tain such inherent defects that the Presi-
dent cannot conscientlously approve them.
4 PUZZLED COMMITTEE.-Rarely has
a more pathetic spectacle been presented
to the public gaze than that constituted 10y
the members Of the Senate Committee OH
Interstate Commerce. Since that commit
tee began hearings on the trust question
IT has been informed by learned economists,
chiefly Of the theoretical or pedagogic type,
that the meanings Of all the terms in COM
mon use in discussions Of economic ques-
tions have changed For instance, the mem
bers have been told that competition
does not mean to-day what II meant IN
Ricardo's time. that Interest has very
different meaning from what II had in the
days of John Stuart Mill. that capital as
used to-day IS by no means synonymous
with the same word rs used by Adam
Smith etc To good many OF the mem
bers this would cause little difficulty. a.
they have no conception Of what the terms
os used by those writer's meant, even II
they ever heard of the writer's, but they also
find that no two experts are agreed on the
present meaning of the terms, and they are
fast coming 10 the conclusion that the difh-
culties which confront them arc hardly less
serious than those which confouudcd the
constructors Of the Tower of Babel
\ LEGISLATIVE GLOSSARY .--GeorSe
II. Earle. jr. Of Philadelphia, who appeared
before the Senate Committee on Interstate
Commerce to-day assured the committee
that the Sherman law was entirely suf-
fcient To meet the needs Of the present
situation. Incidentally. Mr.. Earle advised
the members Of the committee 10 adopt the
scheme Of certain other legislators and TO
nrenarc glossary Of terms To accompany
each statute which they enacted. Mr..
Earle declared that much, perhaps most or
tho djf1crItv encountered in the ctort 10
enforce the antitrust law grew out OF the
diversity of opinion regarding the meaning
~ such terms as competition. restraint |
of trade" etc He commended the decis-
ions OF the supreme Court however ana
said that. even in tho light Of tho common
law the sherman law was suti1cient nc
Objected 10 the proposition 10 establish
,o,,,r,ission IN supervise all corporations as
being a long step IN the direction OF social
ion, "The socialists wish to destroy COM
r.o,i,ion and iudiyidualsm." he said. ana ne
added ,ha, many who advocated such !
commission we're unconsciousiy playing ifto
tho hands Of the socialists. =. u H.