Evening star., 1914-07-29
Delegation Representing Near
" All Parts of Country Dis
cusses Trade Conditions.
HUGH CHALMERS FAv0RS
TRUST LEGISLATION NOW
Thinks Bills Should Be Disposed OF
at This Session Of Congress.
Clayton Bill Considered.

Continuing his program of conferences
over business conditions and trust leeis.
iatton, President Wilson had on his list
Of callers today a delegation OF men from
different parts Of the country represent
ing several lines Of commerce and man
ufacturihk. The President has told friends
that az q result of the conference he has
been able to get much better idea OF
the needs of business than he had before,
and that business men thus have been in
formed OF the Administrations plans.
Since the Inauguration of the CONFER
epces the pending trust bills have been
modified. but the President believes their
effectiveness has not been impaired.
Today's callers included Hugh Chal-
mers, a Detroit manufacturer. and these
delegates from the National Trade Asso-
citation of Wholesalers:
National Hardware Association-W. D..
Taylor, Cleveland; A. ]. Bihler. Pits
bursh: George L. Irwin. Baltimore; James nn;s
Fernley. J. E. Baum and Paul A. Gri-
fifth. Phiiadelphia: Charles H. Watkins
and John Donnall, Richmond; 0. y. Bar
ker, Lynchburg, and Charles II. Ireland,
Greensboro, y. c.
Represent Dry Goods Trade.
National Wholesale Dry Goods Associa-
VI.
r. Thompson, James NJ. Easter and John
G. Rouse. Baltimore.
National Wholesale jewelers. Associa-
tion-Louis Sickles, Philadelphia; NJ. ].
Averbeck. New York: j. Engel. Balti-
more.
Glass Distributers' Association-George
l.. Heater. Toledo; William 8. Kinney.
Chicago: H. s. Bfnswanger, Richmond;
Warren Hire Turner. Philadelphia; H. D.
nrvta
National Supply and Machinery Deal
ers' Observation-Disclosures s. Farquhar.
Boston: Charles Bond. Philadelphia.
Sheet Metal Club-Edgar Lyon, Balti-
more: W. H. Abbott. Wheeling.
National Wholesale Drug Association
Harry b. French. Philadelphia.
Plumbing Supply Associations. Har-
vey Borton, John G.. Fleck and E. 8.
Thompson, Philadelphia
Agrees With Administration.
Mr.. Chaipers. at the conclusion Of
the conference. insisted that he was in
agreement with the administration to
dispose Of trust legislation at this ses-
sion Of Congress ana get the whole
thing out Of the way SO that business
may go on without Interruption for
awhile. The Wilson administration. he
said, had fallen heir to the accumula-
tion Of agitation over trust legislation
that has been going on for twelve or
fifteen years. 1T would be useless to
deny" said Mr.. Chalmers, that busj-
ness conditions have been bad for the
last two or three months. but I look
for great improvement as soon as the
antitrust bills are out of the way.
IF the interstate commerce commits
sion renders q decision favorable to
the railroads in the rate increase case
the Improvement will be even greater.
Living in the west. get the view
point of those who depend largely on
crops for prosperity. The remarkable
seem to make 1t Inevitable that much
better times are coming. think that
the reign Of the muckraker has abaut
ended. There can be no question that
95 per. cent Of the business men of the
country are thoroughly honest and
want to obey the laws. 1t Is foolish
to attack business merely because
IT is big. The ANTITRUST laws should
whether large or small. and i believe
that this is the object Of the bills now
pending
Clayton Bill Discussed.
The visiting wholesale men told the
President that they were in sympathy
with his purposes and plans. but they
wished to tell him some things about
the Clayton bill. because they thought
that buying under great competition and
selling under great competition made
them familiar with conditions. They
wanted TO see the area Of uncertainty
as to business iessened, as business men
have suffered from a lack OF positive
information as to the legality or Illegal
tty Of many acts. The visitors approved
clause Of. the Clayton act so
far as 1t applies to price dis
elimination by trusts or monopolies, but
ehey said there are numerous case1
where a merchant in ordinary business
Ands il necessary to quote q lower price
IN one section of the country than In
another The section as 1t stands. might
result In harm to the business Of the
ayeraxe small merchant. It was also
claimed that many small merchants
would be harmed by section 4 of the
Clayton bill. relating to exclusive selling
arrangements.
The President told his callers he would
present their views to the Senate COM