The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-03-05
THE CUMMINs COMMISSION

The United States is getting TO be
as much of bureaucratic government
as Russia, We have bureaus Of many
kinds, some of them thoroughly auto
cratic, and commissions galore. But,
undismayed by this array of bureaus
and commissions, Senator Cummins of
Iowa has introduced a bill providing for
yet another commission, and one of the
greatest Importance at that. He would
have a "Trade Commission com.
prising three members to serve for nino
years at a salary of $4,000 a year
each, to regulate interstate trading
corporations of all kinds. This commits.
sion would stand in the same rela-
tion to interstate trading corporations,
firms. or co-partnerships that the Inter
state Commerce Commission docs to-
ward transportation concerns OF all
kinds in their interstate relations
Analogy would suggest that the pro-
posed Cummins commission would be
not only entirely constitutional, but
would have in trade relations powers
precisely similar to those exercised
by the Interstate Commerce Commission
in transportation affairs. The design OF
the proposed Cummins legislation is to
strengthen the antitrust law and to re-
strict the size and powers of corpora.
tions, 1t is true, of course, that the
size of corporations does not in any
way measure their iniquity. As mat
ter of fact, the Standard Oil Company,
for instance, after it got complete
monopoly, was rather a benevolent
despotisn,. 1t was while struggling to
obtain the complete mastery and
monopoly of the market that the Stand.
ard Oil ma9natcs committed their great
trespasses,
The Cummins proposition would not
interfere with corporations in interstate
trade except those that are capitalized
at S5,000,000 or more, and il
would completely avoid all inter.
ference with the scope and juris.
diction Of the Interstate Commerce
Commission. The bill is not designed to
prevent business on large scale, but
to limit corporations in the beginning g
so as to lead TO the formation OF
others, and thus, as supposed, preserve
the competitive idea. One service
which the proposed commission would
be expected to do would be to prevent
unfair or ruiuous competition through
protracted underselling, and to ac-
complisb this it definitely provides that
the antitrust law "shall be literally
construed -
The commission would inquire into all
organizations and business Of an inter.
companies, that have a capitalize tion OF
100000 and make complaint 10 the
Department Of Justice of all violations
Of the Sherman antitrust law. If, in
was about TO employ "an extent of
capital which would DESTROY or prevent
substantially competitive conditions,
the commission itself, or the Depart
ment of Justice on the commission s
report. would he authorized to seek an
Injunction Competitive institutions
arc forbidden 10 have directors in
common or TO enter into alliance
through means of dummy directors
and stock ownership in common is for
bidden. Corporations having n capi-
tai Of 10000 900 or more are forbid
den 10 have as directors men serv-
ing as officers or directors of banking
institutions, aud corporate securities
| issued must not exceed the actual
value of the money or property re-
| ceived therefor.
The bill is the first effort OF this
kind TO supervise interstate business
| aside from the control Of transporta-
tion companies. This goes to the con
troll of business direct, as such
The measure would probably serve
a good purpose similar TO that
served by the Interstate Commerce
Commissions; but the purpose de
| clarcd IN II IF RESTORING competition II