The Washington herald., 1913-11-03

, contains only III words, vet these have
had all corporate activity guessing at the
meaning and intent. and they are still
guessing. II has been patched in some
details by amendments in Ie4, 1909 1905.
1910, and 1913 These amendments araoan:
to about 4.5o0 words. The bill has been
used in the following number OF eases:
President Harison's administration. u.....A .....
President CleTeland's administration.
President AeKinIey.s administration. ............
President Roose4elts administration. .......... ~
President Tafts administrator.
President Wilson's administrative TO October f..
The above I59 cases have served 10
render several hundred thousand cor
porations and organizations absolutely
uncertain of where they stand
As early as 1888 a Louisiana court held
the act to apply to laborers as well as
to capitalists.
As early as 1885 the law was invoked
against a trade association. About
twelve such have been called into ques-
ton. Their names follow as proof that
all sorts and conditions Of agreements
may prove Illegal;
Coal Dealers Association OF California.
jacksonville Wholesale Grocers' Asso-
ciaticn.
Nome Retail Grocers' Association.
National Association OF Retail Drug
gists.
Lumber Secretaries Bureau Of Infor-
nation.
Colorado and Wyoming Lumber Deal
ers' Association.
Pacific Coast Plumbing Supply Asso-
citation.
Associated BnIposters and Distributors
OF the United States and Canada
Master Horseshoers' National Protec-
tive Association Of America
Philadelphia Jobbing Confectioners' As
sociation.
Southern Wholesale Grocers' Assoei-
alton
Board of Trade of the City Of Chicago.
The first general suit was directed
against coal in the field of commerce.
The Nashville Coal Exchange was the
culprit hailed into court October 81. 1880.
Curiously enough the case Of October IS
1913, is coal again-the Reading Company
for alleged monopolization Of anthra-
cite.
An Answer Wanted.
In twenty-three years, therefore, labor
unions. associations of business men, and
, corporations in large and small activi-
ties have run foul OF the act, until from
all parts Of the country comes a plea for
an answer to the question, "What are
We permitted to do? Answer, or we
must either live by cunning guesseS at
successful evasions" Congress, through
its members one at a time, has heard this
call from all directions The law is to
be piled still higher with more law. II
any Of the men with bills have their
way. But that is no answer TO the in
sistent questioning Of business
On the other hand, IL all amendment
ideas are swept away and the White
House is learned to favor definition and
interpretation" We ane up against an in
terminable process in that direction. An
illustration will make this clear. II a
man rushes out from a house and makes
| double cross on the sidewalk, II may
be a wrong act, or 4 harmless one. IL
| IL expresses an eccentric impulse on
his part there is no harm in II. but II
II Is a signal to a confederate TO pro-
eeed with some crime, the action instead
OF being innocent becomes part of a
crime. This one illustration will serve
to set a thousand minds thinking out a
Thousand Illustrations Of the imposibil-
ity of defining by law just exactly what
is a wrong act Who ever yet has been
able to define fraud" so that it would
/ apply in all cases?
Consequently business with its third
punch coming. can only await the con
cussion and hope that the vital spot will
not be reached. Back Of which patient
| waiting lies patent error-business men
should have voted for men who should
| believe that there is a difference be-
tween a tariff rate and sandbag, be-
tween a credit and . cash transaction,
I and determination to monopolize.