The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1912-03-30

President Taft's administration has
broken all records for prosecutions
brought and won under the Sherman
antitrust law. Without fear or favor
1t has brought to the bar of justice cor
porat1ons and persons engaging in lille
gal combinations in restraint of trade
the ultimate purpose Of each combina-
ton being to create a monopoly and to
raise the prices on its products. In
two years and eleven months of his
administration President Taft has
caused to be brought four more civil
suits and fifteen more criminal prose.
cutions than Mr.. Roosevelt brought In
the seven and one-half years of his nd
ministration.
Until Mr.. Taft became the president
the administration Of Mr.. Roosevelt
held the record in both particulars
Thus has President Taft, who was Mr.
Roosevelt's right arm during his last
administration. kept his pledge to the
American people to uphold and main
tain the policies of his predecessors in
Furnishing the criminals and undesira-
BILE element in the big business of the
country.
In the Republican national platform
OF 1908 reference was made to the
prosecution Of evil trusts and monopo.
lies as one Of the great accomplish
ments of the Roosevelt administration,
and the platform declared that the
Sherman antitrust law had been
wholesome instrument for good in the
hands Of wise and fearless executive
In his speech of acceptance Mr.. Taft
pledged himself to the enforcement of
this law and has kept his promise.
Problems Confronting Taft.
Stripped Of controversy as to the
exact meaning Of certain language of
the Sherman antitrust act, the cues
lions that had to be determined by |
those In administrative authority and
those who judiclally determine their
acts were. first, how effective the law
was to reach the great aggregations
OF formerly competitive producers and
dealers, individual and corporate. who,
through intercorporate stockholding
mergers, consultations and otherwise,
had acquired so great a control over
q particular line Of industry as to en-.
able them to dominate It and to ex.
clude or admit competition as they
might choose upon their own terms.
Secondly, to determine whether that
of the law was correct
which had been given to 1t by some of
The judges Of the circuit court in New
York In the tobacco case and in the
opinions Of some Of the justices Of the
supreme court In other cases to the
fleet that any combination which In .
my respect operated to restrain to any
legree a pre-existing competition In
commerce was necessarily
condemned by law.
In the three years Of the Taft ad-
all Of the sixteen cases
eft pending by the previous admins.
ration have been disposed Of except
wo, which have been argued and sub
nitted to the supreme court Of the
United States and are now awaiting
ecision. OF the remaining cases the
OIL case was argued early
turing the present administration and,
fter an appeal. decided entirely In
avor Of the government The same
vas also true Of the tobacco cases.
Nth the ultimate result Of the disin.
egration Of that big trust into four
cen separate and distinct corpora.
Ions. This, 1t Is believed. will efYec,
Ively prevent continuance OF the
lonopolistic conditions complained Of
Taft Antitrust Record.
During the Taft administration up to
february. 1912. twenty-five civil suits
ave been brought and forty criminal
Indictments found under the Sherman
aw. making In all sixty.two proceed
ngs As result there were fifteen
adictments. ana eleven OF these In