Imperial Valley press., 1912-12-06
ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS.
ANTITRUST Law IS OK.


man antitrust law is proving its ade-
quacy as a civil statute and there is no
necessity for the much h-discussed pro
posed amendment part cuIarizing un-
lawful practices in restraint of trade,
according to George w. Wickersham,
attorney general of the United States,
in his annual report submitted to CON
greSS.
On the other hand, however, The
attorney general does not pass judg-
ment upon the efficacy Of the anti
trust Sact as a criminal statute. He
merely says:
1.-THE experience of the last year in
endeavOring to enforce criminal liabili
ty under the Sherman law has not
been encouraging" The attorney gen
eral defends the commerce court, the
abolition of which was attempted al
the last session of congress. A return
10 the old method of distributing liti-
CATION arising from the orders of the
interstate commerce commission to the
district courts would be injurious TO
the interests of the public and delay the
administration of Justice, says Mr..
Wickersham.
These DEGREES, the attorney general
continues, demonstrate that no amend
ment of the law in the direction Of
declaring the illegality Of particular
practices is necessary to prevent any
and all acts which may be employed
to accomplish the illegal purposes de
nounced by the statute.
The attorney general takes issue
nam and Brown at Boston, authorizing
The hearing in private before an exam.
iner of the civil antitrust suit agans.
The United Shoe Machinery company,
and asks for Legislation admitting the
public and representatives Of the press
10 such hearing.
The voluntary dissolution of the
National Packing company, following
the acquittal at Chicago of the beef
packers of criminal violation of the
sherman law, has accomplished, in the
Belief of the attorney general. "a sub
Naniial restoration of competitive CON
dit'Ons in large industry which have
not for 4 long time heretofore existed"
Objections to the commerce court
III the judgment of Mr.. Wickersham,
"ouid be met by legislation requiring
the interstate commerce commission to
stale in its report, as a basis for its
order, the findings of fact and the rea-
sons Cn which the order is based; pro-
viding that the finding Of fact and con-
ciuslons Of policy appearing in the re
port shall be final and conclusive, and
limiting court review exclusively to
questions Of law arising upon the COM
missions report.
The attorney general announces his
intention Of soon filing suits in equity
against the Southern Pacific Railroad
company and others for the recovery
Of vast areas of petroleum bearin5
lands in California, said to be worth
more than 100000, 900 The legisla-
tion under which the patents Were
granted to the railroad company, he
says, excepted mineral lands other
than iron or coal lands. The railroad
company contends, according to The
attorney general, that The exceptions in
The patents are void.
The department of justice. including
the offices Of the attorney general and
all the United States attorneys, mas
been on paying basis during I-resi-
dent Taft's term of office, according 10
figures submitted in the report, a sur
plus of nearly S2,500,000 over expen-
ses having been turned into the federal
treasury. For the four years ended
June 80, last, the department collected
81 ,2f2,950 through suits and compro-
m'ses and expended SS,156,565. The
collections for the preceding four
years amounted to s3,597,442 and ex-
penseS S6,366,79S. In addition. the
government recovered during the last
four years 1,623,ii9 acres Of public
lands