Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-13
Big Business Moving Slow.

1t has long been considered an axiom
in the business world that the energies
Of the business worlI are paralyzed by
what it fears more than by what it knows.
Establishments to new requirements are
made with fair rapidity, but the world
of big business is said to be going slow,
watching the requirements that will be
slowly imposed under the new antitrust
acts.
Renewed assurances are made by high
officials of the administration that. the
the new laws with fairness and consid-
GRAFTON for business generally, and it is
known positively that the coming ses-
sion of Congress will be the first in
years that will ignore all efforts to
enact further legislation relating to
business.
President Wilson is determined that
business shall have Its constitution OF
freedom" as he has called cessation
from legislative enactment. and pros
pcctive legislation on this subject is in
sight. Attempts to put through any willy
not have the sanction of the President
or the democratic leaders of Congress.
Business to Adjust Itself.
The President believes business will
jus. itself to existing laws. is doing so
now, and he is sure that confidence will
be fully restored inside of another year.
so much 50 that prosperity will be run
ming riot.
One of the chief hopes of the demo-
Gratis for the continuation of that
party in power at the next presiden-
tial election is based upon the sensi-
tiveness of business to political change
and the belief that business men will
prefer the promise of no further
changes under democratic rule rather
than take chances on what might hap.
pen under new ad n..aaa ana
In twenty-five wears business has
passed from condition Of no restric-
ton and regulation to one where the
strong hand of the government grips
Restrictive Legislation Begins.
The first interstate commerce act was
passed in 1887. becoming effective prior to
the middle of the first Cleveland adminis-
tration Until then business had been
practically law unto itself. The inter-
state commerce act ushered in new
rariod of restrictive business legislation
and ever since then there has hardly
been a session of Congress which did
not add or attempt to add further re-
strictions to the business world. This
sort OF legislation, toF:ether with nu-
same period, has kept business upset
and unstrung
The Sherman antitrust act was
passed in 1890. The tariff was revised
upward in 1890. downward in 1894. up
ward again in 1897, downward again in
1909, and still again downward in 1913.
with the prospects of fight next year
for another revision.
Most Active Legislative Period.
The most active period of antitrust
lesislat ton began with the passage OF
the Elkins act. supplementary to the
interstate commerce law. in 1908, fol-
lowed by the Hepburn act in 1906 the
latter act vastly charging the powers
of the interstate commerce commission.
The bureau of corporations was also
created in 1903 when the Department
Of Commerce was provided for. The
pure food and drug act was enacted In
1905 and the meat inspection law in
1907. In 1909 came the first corpora
ton tax law. The income tax law was
passed in 1913, and last year came the
federal reserve bank act. the Clayton
antitrust act and the federal trade
commission act.