Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-07-06
hAs, coNaptcuoVe PANT
IN EvIRv MOVE MADE
psmeerats a. Wsll % Republicans
Leel< 70 lewan Fer Counsel and Facts
-vNsrkins Hard to Secure lneorpor.
asien Of Trade Commission in Legs.
Iation Enacted.
to Times-Republican.

ON a work largely directed by the SEN
ior Iowa senator It Is therefore not
surprising to his Iowa friends he Is
taking a conspicuous part in the per-
lection of the various bills.
1t will be recalled that on various
occasions, Ave and six years ago, Sena-
tor Cummins was quoted at length IN
reference to antitrust legislation and
he declared over and over again that
in his opinion this was the greatest
problem ahead Of the government. AS
a member Of the committee on inter-
state commerce Senator Cummfns d.
rected the inquiry which resulted In an
exhaustive report made year ana
half ago on the subject Of trade
commission and this report Is the basis
Of the legislation now undertaken. In
a debate on the bills in the house May
21 last, Mr. Stevens, of Minnesota, said
of the pending bill:
The fact Is that this bill as 1t stands
before the house is based principally
on republican measures introduced in
past or present congresses. l hold in
my hand report Of the las. congress
on the subject of trade commission
by Senator Cummins. OF Iowa. Tnat
report contains more OF value Wh1ch
has been used by this committee than
any other one document hold here
a bill introduced in that congress by
Senator CumEnins, of Iowa. on the
same subject. creating trade COM
mission, and the committee Will notice
from the marginal notations upon 1t
that more was taken out Of that bill
than any other one measure which this
committee has used"
Compliments Report.
When the matter came to the atten-
ton of the senate June 25 where Sem
ator Newlands, who has been one OF
the most ardent champions Of better
ment of the antitrust laws. delivered
an extended address on various phases
of the legislation and declared the
matter to be entirely non partisan, and
he referred extensively to the Cum
minis report. Regarding this report he
said:
The senator from Iowa (Mr. Cum
mins) made that report, and the adj
ditional views of many of the commit
tee accompanied it. After reviewing
1.-THE various decisions Of the supreme
court relating to the Sherman anti
trust law, that report declared 1t to
be the opinion of the committee that
trade commission was desira BILE. The
report filed with this bill contains In
the appendix extracts from the Cum
minis report and also extracts from
the additional views of the members
of the interstate commerce committee.
I refer to This in order to show that
under two administrations the creation
of an interstate trade commission has
been regarded as necessary and es-
sential thing in all legislation relating
to the trust question:. / shall insert
the entire report at the conclusion OF
my remarks"
1t was on the 26th of July 1911, that
the senate adopted resolution. under
on interstate commerce began open
hearings in November of that year
which continued more than three
months. and the statements Of 103 wit
nesses who appeared, together with
documents submitted. make a volume
of 2,799 pages. The Cummins report
therefore consists mainly Of this testi-
mony and discussion of the various
trust cases and conclusions thereon.
Trade Commission Favored.
The Cummins report also took up
the question Of the desirability of leg
islation supplementary to the Sher-
man act and considered the question.
among other things, of trade COM
mission, declaring that thru the in
tervention of such body OF men the
legislative policy with respect to COM
binations and monopolies could be
vastly more effectual than thru the
courts alone which in most cases will
take no cognizance Of violations of the
law for months or years after the vio-
lations occurred, and when the diff
Guilty Of awarding reparaticn for the
wrong Is almost insurmountable"; and
also with reference to the disintegra-
ton of combinations and the recon-
struction Of the associated corporations
upon lawful lires, 1t can not be gain
said that q commission, the members
Of which are in close touch with busi-
ness affairs, and who are intimately
acquainted with the commercial stu
alton, might be extremely helpful in
the required adjustment"
It was in this matter that the debate
was introduced last month on the trade
commission idea for the elimination Of
unfair competition and regulation Of
trusts and monopolies. Senator Cum
minis later in the day, according to the
Congressional Record, was drawn into
discussion of some phases Of the bill
and in q round which included Borah
and Newland, the former said:
Il want to say that Of course we will
be anxious to have the views of the
senator from Nevada as we'll as the
senator from Iowa; but upon this side
of the chamber we rather defer to the
i senator from Iowa on matters Of In
terstate commerce"
Cumnins Answers.
And Senator Cummins did answer
some Of the questions put to him and
in the course Of the debate he said:
THE whole policy OF our regula-
ton Of commerce IL based upon our
faith and confidence in the administra-
tive tribunals. II we are not willing to
entrust the commercial fortunes Of the
United States to the honor. the learn
Ing, and the integrity Of administrative
tribunals, we had better suspend and
cease any attempted regulation OF
commerce. look upon this applica-
ton Of power to the trade commission
as no greater, a involving no graver
consequences, no more danger ia
vested rights than ths discretion that