New-York tribune., 1912-02-20
TAFT PRAISED FOR HIS
ANTITRUST RECORD
The Sherman Law a Wholesome
instrument for Good in His
Hands, Wickersham Says.
TO BE KEPT IN WHITE HOUSE
Under Present Administration
the Prosecution of Trusts Has
Never Stacked Nor Failed,
Attorney General Ayers.

Attorney General Ayers
milwaukee,, Feb. ia.--Attorney GeneraI
Wickersham, in an address here to-nish'
declared that clamor against tho enforce
,rept Of the Sherman antitrust law had
been raised by those interested IN uhia''
business methods, and WHO have reao III
the active, vsilant prosecution or tlat iaN
under President Tsft the doom OF thei'
practices. and who. threatened WIN ''e
Ioss of Illicit gain. seek 20 destroy poVn
the law that condemns them anu the EN-
ecutive that brings them 10 execution.
Reviewing in detail the administrator
.ntI.trust record" the Attorney Genera
rose 70 this climax In tribIte 10
Taft for his course In enforcing INC ''"
Under tho wise. patriotic and eftlcieht tS,. az,
ministration OF William hoW.su 80 the OK
on,,tiyn dsnortment in the enforcemehI ~
this law has never slaekened snrs or Isitea' as
the people understand hho -taf sniendid
co,,ra 20 and single-mindedness tnsl csl
nc triof has directed the imparual en- -,
mert OF this law, they VII Cont'huV, o,, ,be
IN his high g .Ssrps 9Se 20 business sS ' practice with
proVlen VI -, sba land as TO make Impossible
for Inc future the recurrence .Sns,t.no1
abuses which in the past ,.. nuVe tbroueh
fbs stability of our instituuonSs .naith
W. W. ,,n"boctsd power of continued weai1''
The Attorney General gave an metoIIGS. nSts
sketch Of the suits and prosecutions "i..-, ~,
have been brought under the sher'nan '"'
since its enactment ..,s =.
The Republican platform OF '"n'
added, had referred 30 the pros'cu'''" %
illegal trusts and monopohes az - ni.io
the great accomplishments OF the hoVSe
,-eIt administration. and declared '"a' ~,
Chairman law had been Wholesoihe w
strun,ent for good in the hands oil q "iso
ond fearless administration. MI. Idit, !"
hie spoacb of acceptance of the Presioen-
,,al nomination, he continued. had pieoseu
himself 10 tho enforcement Of that Jaw
Fiohts Against Unfair DEALING
Discusgng the questions involved IN 'ne
civ, and criminal suits begun under lrcsi-
dent Taft. Mr.. Wickersham declared ina
".hey all involve some variety OF the same
o6ence namely the effort 10 secure ana re-
tain control over business by me'hous
v.bich are always unfair-sometimes unfair
IN each other, always unfair 10 OUTSIDERS
and always unfair TO the public In gem
ora, One and all of them involve the ei-
fort. more or less subtle. more or less or"-
tai. on the part Of a limited number ol men
10 control as nearly as may be an ehtire
industry or the entire business in parucu-
lar part of the country for their own Dene-
ht. and TO destroy that equality OF opportu-
nity I'm others which is the birthright Oh
every American. These were the evils 10
meet which the Sherman law was enacted
and the enforcement Of that law by the
present administration has beer directed
particularly against that sort of unfair
dealing which. when known and under
stood, is condemned by all rightminded
men. but which. working IN darkness,
cloaked under forms Of law and surrounded
with the mantle of respectability, is not
go readily understood"
. The Attorney General made an argument
for restoration of the American r1ler-
chant marine in his reference to the anti
trust suit which: has been brought against
the Neutrality-suspicious. Steamship Com
pany 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
pean countries where most Of them are
domiciled." He said:
Perhaps no more useful office could be
performed by the Department Of Justice
than TO focus the attention Of the people
upon the lamentable absence OF an Ameri-
can merchant marine through the enforce
ment of a decree in this case. II foreign
the laws we have made to protect our peo-
pie against unfair restraints or trade be-
cause we must use their ships or cease
exporting our products II Is high time our
Congress set about the enactment of legis-
lation 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 commerce.
Supreme Court Decision Valuable.
THE representatives OF some Of the for
eign lines" Mr.. wickersham declared.
'hsve somewhat cynically expressed their
belief that our government is poweress in
the face OF this combination. One Of the
most valuable contributions by the Supreme
Court to the enforcement Of this law was
the adjudication in the tobacco case that,
If necessary. unusual remedies would be
invoked 10 carry out It's provisions; and /
have no doubt that Il the government shall
establish on the trial Of this case on its
merits tho facts averTed In tho petition |
come way will be found 10 enforce a re-
spect OF the laws of this country even by |
the owners of foreign steamship companies |
who use its ports"
Discussing the application OF the Sherman
statute. the Attorney General pointed out
that four civil suits and three criminal
prosecutions. had been brought during the
three years remaining Of President Harri- |
sons administration after the passage Of
the act: five civil suits and two criminal |
prosecutions were brought during Cleve |
lands administrations; eighteen civil suits, |
twenty-five criminal indictments and one
proceeding by seizure OF property were
brought under Roosevelt, and twenty-three |
civil suits and thirty seven indictments m- |
der Taft.