Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1913-10-23
WISCONSIN MAN IN
SHARP ATTACK ON
SHERMAN LAW
DR.. Charles R. Van Hise, Presi-
dent Of State University /;
Gives Remedy for Evils 70
Mine Congress.


fBy Leased Wire a. Escmng ifosnfd
Philadelphia. oct 23.-Dr. Charles
II. VaniiiNo. president Of the uulver-
slty of Wisconsin. argaignod tho Shor-
mnn anti-trust law last might as ths
one agency more responsible than any
other for appalling waste ia mining
ana consequent grand iarceny from
future generations OF portion Of
their Inheritance Of natural re-
sources
TO propose tho repeal OK the shcr-
man iaw, Dr VanIiise asserted, would
BE chimurioal as the present time. but
Il should be amended 60 that ander
ils provisions cooperation would be
permitted unrestfalned competition.
he added meant appalling waste and
waste was positively opposed % tho
policy OF conservation. when the
sherman law was passed. he said. the
wheels so far as cooperation was
concerned, were Immediately turned
back 70 the conditions 81 the middle
ages. To remedy the evil. he CON
tinued, an Interstate trade commits
sion should De fashioned with broad
powers like those OF the interstate
commerce commission. TO regulate
cooperation in industry Monopoly
should be prohibited bat business men
should be permitted 10 Fix prices. a.
vide territory and curtail output
within reasonable limits. DR. VanIilse
faid. In part:
There can be no question that the
cd "a positively opposed to the pollcs
Of conservation. The maaterfulness
OF the competitive system may BE
proved with regard 60 every product
which II taken from the earth But
the most disastrous losses IN mining
as far as the future Of the human
race a. concerned are IN connection
with coal Director Holmes Of tho
United State Bureau 81 Mines. says
that az the present time not more
than 80 per cent 81 the anthracite
reaches the surface. The situation
Is nearly similar for bltumlnous coal
Holmes estimates that since the be-
ginning OF mining IN the United States
two billion tons 81 anthracite and
three billion tons of bituminous coa'
have been left underground ia such
condition az 10 make It's future re-
coycrv doubtful or impossible.
Under the sherman act there II
no opportunity 10 limit output. divide
territory. or regulate prices. Five
} thousand bitumlnous operators could
produce two hundred million tons oi
coal per annum beyond present dc.
mands. II the operators could agree
/, upon limitation on output, and dlvl-
sion Of market so as TO reduce
froights. and could arrange for rcas.
|, enable prices which would give them
no more than their present profits
they would then be able to follow
, these principles in mining their coal
Under the competitive system. W,
are recklcssly Swimming the cream
Of the natural resources OF a virgin
, continent with no regard Cor th'
rights Of our children or our chill
dren's children.
my proposal 10 remedy these con
/, dtlons h neither regulated cOmpeti
tion nor regulated monopoly. hut re
tention Of competition. prohibition o
; monopoly permission Of monopoly
permission of cooperation. and regu
latlon Of the latter At the presen
B time there arc state ana nationa
. movements 10 extend stlll further IN
advantages OF cooperation 20 th
> farmers We shall. I believe ulti
!, mately permit cooperation IN all line
OF business alike. ~ we. however
= retain freedom Of competition. PEI
3 nit concentration sufficient 10 Civ
efficiency allow reasonable cooper
y alton. and prevent monopoly tn
= will require regulation just as It ha
been necessary to regulate the raj
roads
3 "Thls done. the sherman law wi
3 be forgotten. HAS there been an
J. prosecution OF the railroads for vi0li
q tlons of the sherman law because
q collision in fixing rates2 And 50
y. everyone knows that they are Just
fragrant violators Of the sherman a.
g AZ any other class Of corporations
q the United States. Are the frelgl
rates the same for different roads b
n tween any two points, Are the pm
y scngcrs rates between phlladclph
y. ana Chicago Identical on an road
q The rate Is the same providing q
e speed "a the same. How does u hn
- pen that the roads an got toEethe
q just hy Providence. ] suppose.
e "The railroads are Just on ome
e able 60 attack under the sherman a
u as any other combination In q
~ United states, bat when the rallroa
y are giving reasonable rates, and a
y. competing !n giving servico--eyen
~ the law Is on the statute book and
" the hallowed thing that has been
- scrlbed the sense az official just
a Ia such that they are not attack
~ ln the courts
sh However. Il is a wrong conditl
y when we have ON tho statute book
- law 81 "a kind which requires the
t:e flcials of Justice to close one I
y. whenever they pass by the men
e lcontrol of one great group 90 Ind
- tries and AT the same moment
~ other L.eu not whit more guilty.
" ought to remedy this condition
~ that the honorable business men 81
80 not De Ia position the unforiun
" position az being technically Wolat
y q statutes which e r. nov advania
e GUS from the public point OF view