The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1913-12-06
ONE OF NEW JERSEYS "sEvEN
SISTERS" WILL BE USED BY
PRESIDENT WILSON.
SHERMAN ACT IS TO STAND
Supplemental Legislation May In
ciude Mandatory Prison Sentences
for Men Found Guilty Of Taking
Parr In illegal Combines.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

IN washington tna> president Wilson
intends to use the first Of the Seven
Sisters as a model for the trust
breaking law, which 1t 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
be will 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
n,erce 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 1t
and strengthen 1t with a view of see
ing that personal guilt in antitrust
law violations 10 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 q resul. it has rarely happened
that lawbreak2rs have been sent over
the road
personal Guilt" Doctrine.
It is not know, of course, definitely
whether Mr.. Wilson will sanction the
Kenyon plan of mandatory prison SEN
fences, but from the presidents doc
trine that "gJilt is personal it seems
likely that the Iowan's idea has ap-
pealed to tho mind of the administra-
ton. Men 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
10 promote free competition. This
will be the Keynote Of the presidents
message Oh federal antitrust legisla-
ton The New Jersey measure de-
fines a trust as a combination be-
tween corporations, firms or persons.
any two or more of them, for certain
purposes aud such combinations are
declared to be illegal and indictable.
Among she things which are for
hidden 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 IAN understanding
without express agreement by which
they directly or indirectly preclude a
free ami unrestricted competition
among themselves"
Under the law which is likely to be
in part che model for federal legisla-
lion 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 Franking Privilege.
Some time during the regular SEES
sion The majority in congress in
tends to introduce q bit of legisla-
ton which economically is appealing
but which as a destroyer OF time
honored privilege is startling. 1t is
the intention of the house commit
tee on postofiices and post roads to
recommend that the ranking privi-
leges of members of congress shall
be taken away, and 1t ia ..6ely that
In part the privilege will be taken
away from some of the other officials
Of government.
The day probably is not far on
when every congressman who writes
a letter or who sends out public
document will be compelled under
the law to affix enough postage
stamps to carry the parcels to their
destination. Lest the dependent fami-
lies OF senators and representatives
should fear ON reading this that all
the loved protectors salary is to go
for stamps, II should be said quickly
that congress intends to give stamp
money to each Of It's, members, but to
so TX 1t that II he exceeds the al
lowance he must pay for the extra
postage out of his own pocket.
The contention Is that as long as
the unlimited ranking privilege Is
given to the members they Will send
out thousands upon thousands Of
documents In excess Of the demand.
IN the hope that tie courtesy of
'Bendlng" will appeal to the receiver
and that votos NAV - tha rouard