The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1914-01-24
Wilson Presents Case for the People
Against Trusts and Big Business.


son personally laid before a joint SEES
fion of Congress to-day the fundamen
tai principles of the Democratic ad
ministration's program for dealing wit
trusts and "big business.
Both the House and Senate met a
noon and recessed while the Sena
tors two by two filed over to the hal
of the House for the Presidents ad
dress about 1920 O'Clock.
The President arrived at the Capita
at 1925 O'Clock. Both houses were as
sembled and waiting for his appearance
The President was ushered into tn,
crowded chamber at IL: % O'Clock Will,
the audience rose and gave him pro
longei applause. He to his place a
the clerks desk and began reading
promptly at 1890 o'clock.
As the President read Lis message o.
Business, peace and industrial free
dom, as administration supporter.
called it, he frequently was inter .upteC
with long applause and, at times, dem
onstrations approaching cheering.
The President presented the case, he
said, ''as it lies in the'thought of the
coun ny" reiteratilg ''that private
monopoly is indefensible and intolera.
ble," and declaring that conscientious
business men throughout the nation
would not be satisfied until practices
now deprecated by public opinion as
restraints of trade and commerce were
corrected.
1--WE are now about to write the addi-
tional articles of our constitution of
peace" said the President, "the peace
that is honor and freedom and prosperi-
ty."
Besides suggesting the scope of leg
islation, the President made a personal
appeal for an atmosphere of friendliness
and cooperation in Congress while
handling the problem.
''The antagonism. +" he said between
business and government is over. We
are now about to give expression to the
best judgment of America, to what is
known 10 be tie business conscience and
honor of the land. The government
and business men are ready to meet
each other half way in a common effort
to square business methods with both
public opinion and the law
The chief points which the President
singled out as a basis for legislation
were:
/. Effectual prohibition Of the inter-
locking of directorates of great corpo-
rations-banks, railroads, industrial.
commercial and public service bodies.
2. A law to confer upon the Inter-
state Commerce Commission the power
to superintend and regulate the finan-
cial operations by which railroads hence
forth are to be supplied with the money
they need for their proper development
and improve transportation facilities.
President Wilson made it clear that
1.-THE prosperity of the railroads and
the prosperity of the country are in
connected in this regard.
8. Definition of ''the many hurtful
restraints of trade" by explicit legis-
alton supplementary to the Sherman
aw.
a. The creation ola commission to aid
he courts and to act as clearing house
II information in helping business to
conform with the law.
5. Provision of penalties and punish
nent to fall upon Individuals response
lie for unlawful business practices.
6. Prohibition of holding companies
nd a suggestion that the voting pewer
f individuals holding shares in numer-
us corporations might be restricted.
z. Giving to private individuals the
light to found suits for redress on facts
nd judgments proven in government
uits and providing that statute of lin
tations should run only from the date
t conclusion of the governments
ction.