The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1913-05-24
LeeIsLATIvE LAwsRsAKINe.

The provision contained IN the sun
dry civil appropriation bill which
moved President Taft to veto that
measure as it was passed by the last
congress, has been retained in the
bill which has passed the present.
house CT representatives, and is now
IN the senate, with the probabilities
that It viii pass that body and be
sent to the president Mr.. Wilson
has several times inumated that he
will sign The bin with the provision
included. The provision is that the
money appropriated for prosecution
Of corporations or other combina-
lions believed TO be in violation OF
the Sherman antitrust law shall not
be employed to prosecute any organi-
cations Of laboring men or Of farm
eis.. It has been urged frequently
that the provision is class legislation
OF the rankest sort President Taft
held that view Whether or not this
class distinction should be made IN
our laws is a large and interesting
question. Possibly It should be. The
philosophy Of the times would seem to
indicate that the thought OF the
world is coming to some such view.
But that point need not be deter
mined to reach judgment on the
provision for exemption Of farmers
and labor organizations from prose
cution under the Sherman law. Even
If IL be accepted that these classes
should be exempt from, the opera.
tons Of the antitrust law. that is to
say, If it be held that farmers and la.
boring men should be privileged 10
organize in restraint Of trade and to
ecqnire mcnopoies in their special
fields, yet would tho proposed pro.
vision Of the sunday civil act be indie
feasible if the exemption is to be
made it ought to be made fairly and
cpcnly and by definition, not by indi.
rcction.
The provision in the sundry civil
bin does not give any legal right to
farmers organizations and laborina
men to combine in way that IS for.
hidden TO other agencies or individ
uals, 1t docs not say that such com
would moi be criminal 1t
declares IN effect that the dpart Of
justice shall not use the
money appropriated for prosecution
Of violators Of the sherman law toll
ascertain, by inquiry and prosecution,
whether these GLASSES Of vi Isiiii i |
tons afe or are not violating the |
sherman laws There would be some
thing bold ia honest in a movement |
to amend G Sherman law itself so
as to exenN farmers aud laborers |
from its provisions. There is moth
ing credItable in the provision in the
sundy civil bill that leaves to ques.
tion the legitimacy OF such organiza-
ton but denies to the law enforcing
agencies Of the government the pow
or to determine By trial whether such
exist. Ii is a roundabout
and pernieious method Of renderins
in fact lew that is pre-
served in text
President Wilson. according to re-
cent reports, has intlmated to mem
bers OF the senate that he would like
this provision omitted from the BILL
lie has evidently been impressed,
upon mature reflection with the
thought that It would be neither fair
nor creditable to the classes of indus
try in whose behalf it is ostensibly
included, to allow il to become a part
Of the law OF the land But the leg
islation has gone so far at the pres
ent time that il will be difficult to
amend the bin by tho omission OF
this section President Wilson still
has the remedy within his reach that
Mr. Taft had aud employed, and he
would do a real service to the farm
ers and the labor organizations
however they might not admit it inn
medatciy III he should veto the bill
On ccomt Of this provision and send
1t back To congress- TO be enacted
withk t the Objectionable feature IL
he thinks that laborers and farmers
should not be subject to prosecution
under the Sherman law, he could
well onogugh. at The same time or in.
dcpcndently, recommend an amend
ment to the antitrust law exemptions
them from its operations, thus bring
ing the issue TO consideration upon
its merits
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