Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-02-23
WICEERSHAM SAYS TAFT
IS GREAT AND GOOD MAN
WISE Patriotic, Efficient,
Brave Splendid ETC.,
AID NauSeum
(By Associated Press.)

MILWAUKEE,, Wis. Feb. 2O.-Attorney
General Wickersham, in an address here
last night, declared that clamor against
the enforcement of the Sherman anti
trust Jaw had been raised by those inter-
ested in unfair business methods and
who have read in the active, vigilant
prosecution of that law under President
Taft the doom of their practices. and.
who, threatened with the loss of Illicit
GAIN. seek to destroy both the law that
condemns them and the executive that
brings them to execution"
Reviewing IN detail "the adminlstia-
tion's antitrust record" the attorney
general rose to this climax in tribute to
President Taft for his course in enforc-
ing the law:
Under the wise, patriotic and eff
fcient administration of William How
ard Taft. this vigilant and persistent
exertion Of the executive department in
the enforcement OF this law has never
slackened nor failed. If the people I'M
derstand and approve, as they will and
must. with what splendid courage and
singie-mindedness that great patriot has
directed the impartial enforcement of
this law, they will continue him in his
high Office to so far work out the prob
lem of squaring business practice with
the laws of the land as to make i'm
possible for the future the recurrence of
those abuses which in the past have
threatened the stability of our institu-
tons through the unchecked power of
continued wealth"
The attorney general gave a histori-
cal sketch of the suits and prosecu-
lions which have been brought under
the Sherman law since it's enactment.
The Republican platform of $685. he
added, had referred to the prosecution of
illegal trusts and monopolies as among
the great accomplishments Of the Roose-
Welt administration and declared that the
Sherman law had been a wholesome in
strument for good in the hands of a wise
and fearless administration. Mr.. Taft
In his speech Of acceptance of the pres
idential nomination, he continued, had
pledged himself TO the enforcement of
that law.
Discussing the questions involved in
the civil and criminal suits begun I'M
der President Taft, Mr.. Wickersham de-
riety OF the same offense. namely, the
effort to secure and retain control over
business by methods which are always
unfair-sometimes unfair to each other,
always unfair to outsid srs and always
unfair to the public in general. One
and all of them involve the effort, more
or less subtle, more or less brutal, on
the part of a limited number of men to
control as nearly as may be an entire
industry or the entire business in par
ticular part of the country for their own
benefit. and to destroy that equality of
opportunity in others which is the birth
right of every American. These were
the evils to meet which the Sherman
law waf enacted, and the enforcement
OF that law by the present administra-
ton has been directed particularly
against that sort of unfair dealing
which, when known and understood. is
condemned by all right-minded men, but
which, working in darkness, cloalSed un-
der forms of law and surrounded with
the mantle OF responsibility, is not so
readily understood"
The attorney general made an argu-
ment for a restoration of the American
merchant marine in his reference to the
antitrust suit which mas been brought
against the Hamburg-American Steam
ship company and others in New York,
involving the question whether the
United States is powerless in the face
of "A combination of virtually all the
transatlantic steamship lines author
lied by the law of the European coun-
tries where most of them are domi-
ciled."