Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-01-21
ALBUQUERQUE MORNING JOURNAL WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 81 1914


the existing auu-Uust law Nothing
hammers business Ike uncertainty
Nothing daunis nor discourages it ike
lfho necessity 90 take chances, to rgn
tone risk of falling under the eondem-
nation Of the law before it can make
Sure iust what the law d. Surely we
iare sufficiently familiar with the act
lull processes and methods of monop-
/ oly ana of the many hurtful restraints
of trade % make definition possible,
Ma amy rate up 70 the limits Of what
experience has disclosed These
practices, being now abunlanty dis
closed, can De explicitly ana item by
Iiem forbidden By statute Ia such
terms as VIII practically eliminate un-
certainty, the law itself and the pen
Ialty being made equally plain.
and the business MEN of the coun-
uy desire something more than chat
the menace Of legal process III these
matters he made explicit and intclli-
gihle They desire the advice, the
definite guidance and Information
which can be supplied by an admins
tratvc body ana interstate trade com
mission.
1.-THE opinion Of the country would
instantly approve of such q commits
sion. It would not wish 70 see IL eh-
powered TO make terms with monop-
oily ar in any sort to assume control
of business. ass If the government
made itself responsible. lt demands
such commission only as am indis
lpensIble instrument of information
and publicity as a clearing house for
the facts by which both the public
mind and the managers of great bus
Iiness undertakings should be guided,
land AS am instrument for doing JUS
lUce 10 business whore the processes
of the courts or the natural forces OF
correction outside the courts are in
ladeduate to adjust The remedy TO the
wrong In a way that win meet all the
equities and circumstances Of the
case.
producing Industries, for cXam-
| Pic. which have passed the point a.
10 which combination may be con
sistent with the public interest ana
the freedom of trade, cannot always
hc dissected into their component
units as readily as railroad companies
or similar organizations can be. Their
dissolution by ordinary legal process
may oftcntimes involve financial COM
sequences likely to overwhelm the
security market and bring on it
breakdown and confusion There
ought 10 be an administrative com
mission capable of defining and shap
ing such corrective processes, not only
i'm aid of courts but also by independ-
emit suggestion, il necessary
"Inasmuch as our object and the
spirit of our action i'm these matters
is To- meet business half way In IFS
| processes OF sclf-correction and dis
/ turb It's legitimate course as littla
ass possible, we ought TO see 70 it and
Ithc Judgment of practical and sa-
eaclous men of affairs everywhere
j would applaud us II we did see to it,
that penalties and punishments should
7 fam. not on business itself, TO its COM
fusion and Interruption but on the
individuals who use the Instrumental
titles of business 90 do things which
/ public policy and sound business
practice condemn Every act OF BUSH
mess is done with the command
ot on the initiative of some ascertain
able person or group of persons
1 Thc3c should De held individually re-
sponslble ana me punishment should
+ lHll ON them. moi On the business orr