The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-20
Attorney General Wickersham
in a Speech at Milwaukee
Discusses Opposition to En-
fOrcement of Sherman Law.
GIVES TAFT MUCH PRAISE
For His Wise, Patriotic and Ef-
ficient Administration.
Reviews the History of the War
ON Trusts.

Milwaukee, Wis, Feb. 20.-Attorney
General Wickersham, in an address
here, declared that c1amor against the
| enforcement of the Sherman anti
| trust law had been raised by those in
| terested 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 admins
tration's antitrust record" the attor-
ney general rose to this climax in
! tribute to President Taft for his
course in enforcing the law:
Under the wise, patriotic and eff
Gent 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 understand and approve, as
they will and must, with what splen-
did courage and e-mindedness
that great patriot has directed the i'm
partial enforcement of this law, they
Will continue him in his high Office
squaring business practice with the
lows of the land as to make impossible
Tor the future the recurrence of those
abuses which in the past have threat
through the unchecked power of
wealth"
History of Prosecutions.
The attorney geenraI gave a his
torical sketch of the suits and prose-
cutions which have been brought I'M
h6T lou civ,
menu.
The Republican platform of 1908, he
added had referred to the prosecution
of illegal trusts and monopolies as
among the great accomplishment of
the Roosevelt administration and de-
clared that the Sherman law had been
wholesome instrument for good in
the hands of a wise and fearless ad-
ministration. Mr.. Taft in his speech
Of acceptance of the presidential
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
declared that they all involve some
variety of the same offense, namely
the effort to secure and retain control
over business by methods which are
always unfair-som etimes unfair to
each other, always unfair to outsid
erS and always unfair to the public in
the effort, more or less subtle, more
or less brutal, on the part of linn
tied number of men to control as near
" as may be an entire industry or the
entire business in a particular part
of the country for their own benefit.
and to destroy that equality of OPP
portunity in others which is the birth
right of every American. These were
the evils to meet which the Sherman
law was enacted, and the enforcement
of that law by the present admins
tration 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,
cloaked under forms of law and sur
rounded with the mantle of respecta-
bilitv is not so readily understood"
The Merchant Marine.
The attorney general made an ar
gum mt for a restoration of the Amer
lean merchant marine in his refer
ence to the antitrust suit which has
been brought against the Hamburg
American Steamship company and
others in New York. involving the
question whether the United States
is powerless in the face of a combina-
ton of virtually all the transatlantic
steamship lines authorized by the law
of the European countries where most
of them are domiciled.
He said: perhaps no more use
full office could be performed by the
department of justice than to focus the
attention of the people upon the Ia
absence of an American
marine. through the en-
forceme nt of decree in this case.
IF foreign steamship lines using our
ports can defy the laws we have made
to protect our people against unfair
restraints of trade because we must
use their ships or cease exporting our
products. it is high tine our congress
set about the enactment of legislation |
to make possible the re-establishment |
of our own merchant marine, and that |
American shipping once more take its |
place in the front rank of the worlds |
Will Find a Way.
The representatives of some of the |
foreign lines, Mr.. Wickersham de-
Jared. have somewhat cynically ex-
pressed their belief that our govern
nent is powerless in the face of this
One of the most valu-
lble contributions by the supreme
.ourt to the enforcement of this law
vas the adjudication in the tobacco
.ase that, if necessary, unusual rene
lies would be invoked to carry out
is provisions; and / have no doubt that
f the government shall establish on the
rial of this case on its merits the facts
averred in the petition, some way will
De found to enforce a respect of the
avs of this country even by the own
RS of foreign steamship companies who
Use it's ports
Discussing the application of the
Sherman statute, the attorney general
pointed out that four civil suits and
hree criminal prosecutions had been
brought during the three years re-
naming of President Harrison's adj
let; five civil suits and two criminal
prosecutions were brought during
Cleveland's administrations: eighteen
Evil suits, twenty-five criminal indict-