The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-18
Steel Trust Hearing Shows Gov
eminent Regulation Needed.
Understanding Among Manufac-
turers Bound to Exist.
BIG MEN EXPECT II
Prof. Butler FayOrs Dead Presi-
dents Sentiments.
Hammerstein Making Money in
His London Venture.

New York, Jan. 18=Now that suf-
ficient time has passed to make some
study of the testimony given by An
drew Carnegie to the committee of
congress which is now investigating
the United States Steel corporation
there seems to be an impression that
not much of his testimony was of any
consequence excepting his statement
that competition, at least between the
large producers of he United States
| is a thing of the past. Mr. Carnegie
| intimated that no matter what Iegis-
lation may be adopted, it will be found
powerless to prevent understandings
among the greater manufacturers of
the United States whereby prices for
commodities will be fixed
| Some of those who have been weigh
ing Mr.. Carnegie's words trying to dis
cover a hidden meaning, if there is
any in them, recalled an intimation
made by Judge Gary, chairman of the
| United States Steel corporation board,
at the time he appeared before this
congressional committee. Judge Gary
clearly limited that before there is per-
feet adjustment OF the greater Ger
| pOrate business conditions to the laws
of the country it may be found newt
able that the government fix the prices
for ommodities- Judge Gary clearly
meant that 1t might be necessary that
some governmental body similar to the
| interstate commerce commission pos
sess the power of fixing the maximum
prices to be charged for commodities
produced by manufacturers whose
business is of interstate commerce
character. What Judge Gary limited
at, Mr.. Carnegie emphatiea1ly stated to
| be his conviction OF what in due time
| the government, through proper
| board, must do. But it is said here
that if it be found expedient, or vital,
even, that the government through
some properly constituted body fix a
maximum price for commodities en-
tering into Interstate commerce, such
action would logically imply that the
great manufacturing esta
what is called big business like
~ in some way to fix among them
selves the standard prices for COM
modities.
Might Hurt Small Dealers.
In a recent address delivered in this
city by George w. Perkins he stated
that he knew of one big business
which would be able, at a fair profit
to market its commodities at less rates
than are now maintained. Action of
that kind, however,, had not been TAX
en- because it was felt that were prices
to be reduced by this corporation to a
fair profit realizing point some of the
independent manufacturers would be
seriously embarrassed, some might
even be compelled to go out of bust
ness.
Some Of those who have been COM
pairing Mr.. Perkins remarks with the
statements made by Andrew Carnegie
when testifyinS as a witness and with
Gary wonder if in the very circum-
stances described by Mr.. Perkins,
there is not established a way of fix
ing prices and of doing that without
violating the spirit or the letter of the
law. All of the large independent
manufacturers whose product is SINH
lar to that of the corporations to which
Mr.. Perkins referred must know that
this corporation does not intend to re-
duce prices. This knowledge may have
been obtained by inference; there may
have been no meetings, formal or in
formal or any correspondence; but,
Gliding to maintain prices having be-
come well known, the independent
manufacturers feel that there is no
danger that they will be compelled to
harmful to them.
Monopoly Days Are Past
At the same time Mr.. earn gie,
Judge Gary, presumably Mr.. Perkins
and others who have been prominent
in the organization and operation of
so-called big business are now con-
WINGED that the American people Will
never tolerate a monopoly. That state
ment is now regarded in this city as
practically automatic. Therefore, if
there is sure to be tacit, implied. in
ferential or even formal agreement to
maintain prices for commodities pro-
duced by corporations engaged in in
terstate commerce it is declared by
Mr.. Carnegie to be inevitable, by Judge
Gary to be presumably expedlent and
by others to be wise step to take so
to regulate supervise and control by
a competent official body these cor
porationS that in any event they VIII
not be permitted to charge an exor-
bitart or unfair price for their product. |
This is the view taken in this city by |
many as to the meaning contained in !
Carnegie's testimony. first, that it will |
be impossible to prevent understanding |
by which standard prices for similar
commodities may be charged and, sec |
ond. that the government through |
some official body should have the |
gagged fl Interstate commerce to say
what a maximum price for the COM |
modify should be-
DR. Butler and the Chair.
If the present purposes of the tSepub- |
lican committee of New York state are |
carried out &hen the president of Column !
bia university, DR.. Nicholas Murray But |
Ter, will be named temporary chairman /
of the Republican convention which is to |
be held few weeks hence for the pull /
pose of electing delegates to the national /
sion many persons had when there came |
seniofficial announcement of the purpose |
to name DR.. Butler temporary chairman /
was that the selection had been made 50 /
that there might be comparison between /
a. college president who is Republican |
and a recent college president, now gov |
ernor of New Jersey, whom a great num- |
Der of his party hope to place in nomfna- |
ton for president next June With the |
single exception that both Of these men |
have had long service in leading Ameri- |
can universities there is little or no sim /
ilarity between them Dr. Butler is a |
very profound scholar. especially in the |
field of philosophy He Is a very ac-
curate scholar, particularly in the field |
of American political history Socially he |
iG a democrat. and he was called by 1
President Mckinley the ablest politician |
of a high order whom he knew with the |