Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1914-02-06
Issned on Friday Of Each Week.
Our Washington Letter.

3 tluced after conferences between Presi-
dent Wilson and leaders of the two
Houses, and the ground work is bsinR
laid for what promises to be the third
bio achievement Of the Wilson admins
tration. It is confidently expected
that the enactment Of this legislation
will not only end trust abuses. bnt will
put business on sound foundation
that will end the uncertainty Of the
past several years and afford solid basis
for proper business expansion. The
four measures make provision for
An interstate trade COMMISSION
Defining terms Of the Sherman law
ana making guilt Individual;
Prohibiting inter,ocking directorates !:
Prohibiting .scut throat compete
ton.
Another hill to complete the list
\ would provide for government regula-
ton Of railroad securities:
The trade commission bill would place
over the big corporations Of the country
the same manner Of supervision which
bas been exerted over the railroads 30
successfully BY the interstate commerce
commission. This commission would
assist corporations in reorganizations
permitting them to square with the
Sherman law, and assist the govern
ment and business in preventing viola
tions Of the Law. It would act in an
advisory capacity to the Attorney Cen
eral and the courts in terminating un-
lawful conditions by agreements such
@ that which recently were used in the
New Haven and telephone and tele-
graph dissolutIons.
The bill defining combinations and
monopolies would prevent acquiring Of
monopolies in any line Of trade; pre-
vent limiting the production OF increas-.
ing the price Of any commodity by
agreement; prevent agreements hamp-
ering competitionan the purchase, sale.
production Or transportation Of any
commodity; and would provide means
81 making this an Z Elective weapon BY
liking the guilt as personal and imDris-3
oning officers. directors Or agents Of
corporations violating the law.
The interlocking directorates bill
4 would prevent any corporation from
having common directors; would pre-
vent sny individual interested il the
manufacture Or sale Of railroad materi-,
NJ rails. steel, or in mining or selling
coal from being engaged ID any capacity
@ 81 employe Of railroad Or public
service corporation, and would punish
violations BY fine and imprisonment.
# The bill seeking to end unfair COM,
petition would prevent price discrimin-
ations. rebates, discounts. territorial
restrictions, or efforts of corporations
to hinder dealers from dealing in goods
Of competitors. Provisions are also
made that persons injured by reason Of
anything forbidden by the Sherman act
may bring suit in equity against corpor-
atoms from whom DEGREES have been
received by the government. The bills
70 now formed provide only the ground
work. They will be strengthened by
presenthearings.
The country is beginning to learn
what President Wilson meant when he
said he had . single track mind
Thus far be has operated the single
track system with excellent results.
He remained on the tariff track until
the tariff bill was enacted, then switch.
ca to the currency track Steps are
now being taken to place the currency
bill in operation, and already business
has rallied sharply through the assur-
sance seen that the new law will make
currency panics impossible. Then the
President got on the track Of the trusts,
and Congress is now at work on the
trust bills. Now be is comforting with
leaders OF the foreign relations COM
mittees of the two Houses to place the
foreign policies Of the country on a
firmer footing. The dispute with
Columbia over the separation of Panama
and the Mexican war troubles were two
things handed down to the President
By former administrations. The Jap
anese difficulty arising from the Cali
fornia Law preventing aliens from own
ing land 10 another for which solution
has not been found. The Presidents
success with his Legislative. and admin;-
strative program thus far, however,
inspires his friends with the belief that
the administration next great achieve
ment after the trust legislation 10 en-
acted 10 the adoption Of . foreign policy
that will not only give this country .
greater dignity than it il now accorded
abroad, through past diplomatic mis-
takes, but will permit the broadening
Of the country's foreign commerce.
Interest in Washington is now being
shown in the promise Of IN early