The Arvada enterprise., 1913-11-27
ONE OF NEW JERSEYS "SEvEN
SISTERS" WILL BE USED BY
PRESIDENT WILSON.
SHERMAN ACT is TO STAND
Supplemental Legislation May In
clude Mandatory Prison Sentences
for Men Found Guilty of Taking
Part in Illegal Combines.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

| Sisters" as model for the trust
| breaking law, which it is expected he
will recommend in his annual mes
sage that congress shall pass quickly.
! Unless currency Legislation is out of
the way by the time congress meets
In regular session, the president may
say nothing in his message about
antitrust Legislation, but in any event
ne VIII do so soon thereafter and one
| OF the New Jersey laws which are
known as the Seven Sisters will be
used as has been said for the model
of federal legislation.
The premiere of the septet of New
Jersey sisters must be put through a
| course of physical training in order to
strengthen her for duty in the great
field of federal usefulness, but it is
understood that President Wilson, his
attorney general, and Chairman New
lands of the senate interstate com
merce committee and Representative
Adamson, chairman of the like com
| mittee in the house, are convinced
that they can train the sisters to the
| required standard.
The presidents general plan of the
Legislation will be to allow the Sher-
man law to stand, to supplement it
and Strengthen it with a view of see
ing that personal guilt in antitrust
law violations is driven home and
that criminal prosecution shall be GER
tain for all the responsible officials
Of big corporations which insist on
engaging in practices in violation of
the antitrust laws.
The Sherman law as it stands
makes provisions for prison sentences,
but it does not make them mandatory,
and as a result it has rarely happened
that lawbreakers have been sent over
the road
personal Guilt" Doctrine.
1t is not know, of course, definitely
whether Mr.. Wilson will sanction the
|. Kenyon plan of mandatory prison SEN
tences, but from the presidents doc
trine that guilt is personal" it seems
likely that the Iowan's idea has ap-
pealed to the mind of the administra-
ton. Msn close to Mr. Wilson say
that the personal guilt" doctrine is
to be followed and that the chances
are that men proved to be supporters
against the antitrust laws will find
! themselves facing prison sentences.
The New Jersey measure, the first
of the Seven Sisters, by its title seeks
to promote free competition. This
will be the keynote of the presidents
message on federal antitrust legisla-
ton The New Jersey measure de-
fines trust as combination be-
tween corporations. firms or persons,
any two or more of them, for certain
purposes and such combinations are
declared to be Illegal and indctable.
Among the things which are for
bidden by the New Jersey law are
combinations which fix any standard
or figure whereby the price to the pub
lie consumer shall in any manner be
controlled on any article of commodity
or merchandise, or produce intended
for sale use or consumption in New
Jersey or elsewhere. Corporations are
forbidden to combine to limit or re
duce the production, or to increase the
price of merchandise. They are for
hidden to make secret oral agreements
o. to arrive at "an understanding
without express agreement by which
they directly or indirectly preclude
free and unrestricted competition
among themselves"
Under the law which Is likely to be
In part the model for federal legisla-
ton individual directors of an incor-
porated company are deemed personal
ly guilty Of any violations of the act
for which the incorporated company
itself shall be found guilty.
To Abolish Frankins Pvllese.
Some time during the regular ses-
sion the majority in congress in
tends to introduce a bit of legisla.
tion which economically is appealing,
hut which as destroyer OF time
honored privilege is startling. II is
the intention of the house commit
tee on postofiices and post roads 70
recommend that the franking pTlvI.
leges OF members OF congress shall
In part the privilege will be taken
away from some of the other officials
OF government.
The day probably is not far OF
when every congressman who writes
letter or who sends out public
document will be compelled under
the law to atliN enough postage
stamps to carry the parcels TO their
destination Lest the dependent fami-
Hes OF senator's and representatives
should fear on reading this that all
the loved protectors salary is to 20
for stamps. It should be said quickly
| that congress intends to give stamp
money to each of its members but to
50 fix It that II he exceeds the al.
lpwuuce he must pay for the extra
| postage out OF his own pocket
The contention is that as long as
the unlip'ted franking privilege is
given TO f1e members they will send
| out thousands upon thousands OF
documents In excess OF the demand
IN the hope that the courtesy OF
sending" will appeal to the receiver
and that votes may he the raward