Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-02-20
WICK RSHAM.
Continued from. Page one)


The Republican platform ot 1908. he
added had referred to the prosecution
of Illegal trusts and monopolics a.
among the great accomplishments OF
the Roosevelt administration and de
clared hat the sherman law had been
i wholesome instrument for good III
the hands OF a wise and fearless adj
ministration. Mr.. TAFT in his speech
OF acceptance of the presidential nom
ination, he continued,s had pledged
himself to the enforcement Of that
law.
Discussing the questions involved in
the aivil and criminal suits begun un-
DIR President Taft, Mr. Wickersham
declared that they all involve some
variety of the same offence, namely
the effort to secure and retain con-
troll over business by methods which
are always unfair-somctimes unfair
to each other, always unfair TO out
siders and always unfair to the public
in general. one and all Of them in
volve The effort, more or less subtle.
more or less brutal, on the part of
limited number of men To control rs
nearly as may be an entire industry
part Of the country for their own bent-
at, and to destroy that equality OF
opportunity in others which is the
birthrisht of every American. These
were the evils 10 meet which tie SHef-
man law enacted, and the enforce
ment of that by the present Admins
,ration has been directed particularly
against that sort of unfair dealing
which, when known and understood.
is condemned by all rightminded
men. but which. working in dark
ness, e1oaked under forms of law and
surrounded with the mantle of re
probability, is not so readily under
stood =
The Attorney General made an arsa-
ment for the restoration Of tile Ameri
can merchant marine i'll his reference
to the antitrust suit which has been
brought against the Hamburg Ameff-
can steamship company and others in
New York, Involving the question
whether the United States is powcrless
in the face, of a combination of viz
tually all the trans Atlantic steamship
lines authorized by the law of the Eu-
ropean countries where most Of them
are domiciled."
He said: Perhaps no more useful
office could be PERFORMED by the De
partment of Justice than to focus the
attention of the people upon The lam
entable absence of an American ner-
chant marine. through the enforce
ment ct a decree in this case
III foreign steamship lines using our
ports can defy the laws we have made
10 protect our people against unfair
restraints of trade because We must
Use their ships or cease exporting our
products, it is high time our Congress
set about the enactment of legislation
to make possible the reestablishment
of our own merchant marine, and that
American shipping once mora take its
place IN the front rank of the worlds
The representatives of some of the
foreign lines. Mr.. Wiekershan de-
elared. "have some somewhat cyni-
cally expressed their belief that ohr
government is powerful in the face ot
this combination. One Of the most
valuable contributions by the supreme
Court 10 the enforcement of this law
was the adjudication in the tobacco
,ase that, If necessary, unusual RENE
lies would De invoked 10 car y gu 80
and | have no doubt That
+ the government shah establish on
he trial of this case on it's merits the
facts averred in the petition. some
way will be- found to enforce a respect
Il the laws of this country even by
he owners Of foreign steamship COM
nanies who use its ports.
Discussing the application of the
sherman statute, the Attorney Gem
aral pointed out that four civil SUITS
and three criminal prosecutions had
been brought during the three years
of President Harr1son's 60
after the passage OF the
ret: five civil suits and two criminal
We're brought during
administrations: eighteen |
eivil suits. twenty-five criminal indlct :
nents aud one proceeding by seizure |
If property were brought under Roose-
;elt; and twenty three civil suits ana |
~ under I3il. |