The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-04-23

Advocating an interstate trade
commission to have the power to
pass upon the proposed practice oil
cooperation. President Charles r.
Var Hise of the University of Wis
consin showed where the cooperati tive
movement Of the United States is in
danger of being held up because il
is liable to be declared in violation
Of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
| In a banquet address before the
Second National Conference on Mar
keting and Farm Credits and the
western Economic Society. Wednes-
day night in Chicago, President
Van Hise said in part:
The Sherman antitrust act
provides that every contract, COM
bination in the form OF trust, or
other wise, or conspiracy in restraint
of trade or commerce among the
several states or with foreign
nations is hereby declared to be
illegal" A similar provision
applies to monopoly or attempt to
mopopolze. For the violation of
this act there are heavy penalties
by fine or Imprisonment, or by both.
This law is sweeping in its terms.
1t applies alike to the producer and
the consumer, to the laborer and
the magnate. This statement is
sustained by the Interpretation Of
the courts, Various labor organ
izations have been prosecuted and
fined under the Sherman act. Also
boards of trade engaged in market
ing az icultural products are now
under attack, and one fruit growers
exchange at Portland. Oregon, has
plead guilty under the law and have
been heavily fined.
Congress we'll understands this
situation; and. at recent sessions,
they attached to the paragraph of
the Sundry Civil bill containing an
appropriation of 100000 for the
enforcement of the antitrust laws
proviso that none Of this money
should be spent in prosecuting COM
binations or agreements of labor,
nor spent ''for the prosecution OF
producers of farm products and
associations of farmers who Co
operate and organize in an effort to
and for the purpose to obtain and
maintain fair and reasonable price
for their products. The aim OF
this provision is clearly TO make the
Sherman law class legislation by
indirection and in effect to prevent
equality before the law of the
manufacture: and the merchant as
compared with the farmer and the
labOrer.
Some of the state legislatures also
have seen the situation as clearly as
has Congress. 10 order to prevent
the farmers from being hit by their
antitrust bills, they exempted from
their scope the products of the land
so long as held by the producers.
Regardless of this fact. it is a
wholly wrong principle to make an
exception by indirection from gen.
eral law. Both Elk president Taft
and President Wilson have protested
against the attempt of Congress in
this direction. The principles of
justice in regard to cooperation are
alike for the manufacturers, the
farmers, and the atorers.
1t is clear that the Sherman act
stands directly in the way of success
for the cooperation movement
among the farmers. Indeed until
it is amended it will be an insuper-
able barrier 10 their efficient and |
broad cooperation.
The Sherman act should be modi-
fed under a general principle which
should permit legitimate cooperation
in all lines OF business and at the
same time prohibit all practices or
coopera tion which are inimlcal to
the public welfare. This could bs
accomplished bv a very simple
amendment embodying the follow
ing idea: That the restraint oil
trade prohibited by the Sherman
act shall be construde to include all
con tracts and combinations which
are detrimental to the public
welfare: ard the presumption is
that every combination and contract
is detrimental to the public welfare.
If this amendment were adopted
.