Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-27
Why Wilson's Trust Remedy
Will Fail

President Wilson right in saying that generation of
experience has prepared the country the corporations and the
people alike spirit cooperation laws
the admitted evils of the past
The remedies Mr. Wilson proposes for the railroads
right Railroad owners willing and to accept them
They feel that they need the protection of the Government and
they willing to consent to closer supervision of their fnan
cling. Even high inancers' longer resistant.
For the trusts Mr. Wilson has remedy He presents
idea He merely holds out the olive branch to them The
only regulation he proposes bureau of information without
power TO do anything.
repeats ancient platitude that all private monopoly
is ndefenbe and ntolerable This untrue because there
natural private monopoes like railroads. telephones gas
electric lighting and anthracite coal which Mr. Wilson has
idea of abolishing, and does not find "intoerabe
All these monophes necessary but they beneficial
only when their prices profits regulated by government
the prices of ALL except anthracite coal present
Industrial monopoies should be regulated to their prices
or profits in exactly the same way whenever monopoly of
public necessity becomes strong that longer regulated
by competition This is not revolutionary Experience has
shown that it is both practicable and necessary.
For the trusts and combinations which have attained
monopoly but active in interstate Government
commission vested with power prevent every form of
stran of fraud overcaptazaton has become ndsputab
In other with justice be restored and main
tanned.
All legitimate cooperation, combination consolidation,
WITHOUT RESTRAINT OF TRADE should be permitted. 1t
the universal tendency of modern business all countries 1t
is neither possible desirable abolish combination coop
Grafton An organization not dangerous because large
Size is not in itself an evil if it is under control
criminal and often does kill with
other weapon than competition trust destroy
others by cooperation is the true live and let live
policy.
The Industrial Commission should be EXECUTIVE, and
judicial body Control of the through the judicial
branch of the Government is admitted by lawyers be
a failure. judicial tribunal, when injurious practices
proved asks only Are such practices legal? Business
Court would ask only: Are such practices right"
Granted adequate power such commission would stop evil
practices promptly leaving offenders against the law
shed afterward by the courts like other criminals a
who commits perjury action turned the
District Attorney for criminal prosecution in another
The punishment of the guilty should be felony
demeanor by imprisonment not by fine and the chassement
should be directed against the responsible corpora
ton against the stockholders Most of the stockholders
of the greatest railroads and trusts
ncorupble integrity would be needed in the composing
the Industrial Commission No administrative genius
a corporation lawyer, would be necessary.
OF great ability is required to MANAGE large
bank railroad but it well known that honest
nary ability and do successfully SUPERVISE
railroads.
But President Wilson proposed Industrial Commisson-a
clearing house bureau of information board of media
between the great corporations and the
the courtwoud only official tape multiply
oficeholders. 1t would settle nothing