The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-06-23
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL


Ever since the challenge to big bus
welt days which disputed its rights
to dictate the country's msthod of
carrying on commercial trade, there
has existed a feeling Of uncertainty
and indecision among the smaller
business enterprises Of the country
regarding many of the fundamental
rights that they possess and exer-
else in carrying on their business af-
fairs. The injustice of such a cOndi-
ton vas so apparent that the bureau
of corporations was reconstructed
} eight years ago into a greatly enlarged
body that was ushered into existence
as the federal trade commission. In
it's early days this commission car
ried on a gum shoe" policy intended
to operate along the lines of get to.
gether, boys" This beautiful theory
was one which might have succeeded
If applied to a small city or county
but it was sought to make it effective
throughout the nation 1t was not even
fine bird shot" in it's effect.
For ten years business interests OF
the country have been treking to
Washington for the purpose of having
their rights in trade and commerce
defined. About the only thing that
they learned Is that price fixing" and
unfair competition" are illegal. But
il they have learned what these terms
mean they have been able to discover
more than the government itself. Sew
eral departments of government issue
statistical reports that show trade
conditions and prices in the different
industries. The federal trade com
mission issues these very kind of sta
tistics with regard to coal and paper
production, ostensibly for the purpose
Of checking unfair methods of compe-
tition. The agricultural department
! is a regular trade information shop
and an all-year-round booster for main
iii III PIjCCo VII ldlIl plOuuCIS.
Everyone believes this is right, and
apparently everyone also hopes that
the federal trade commission will sue
coed in busting the trust that is run
by the coal barons.
The commercial interests of the
country in their endeavors to keep
within the meaning as well as the
spirit of laws regulating commerce
have turned to Associations CON,
posed Of their own members. Practi-
cally all Of these organizations have
as their purpose better business meth
DDS for the American people. In only
a few instances have these associa-
tons sought to maintain so-called
"open-prices', a policy that has been
condemned by merchants, manufac.
turers and others. Now comes the new
attorney general with the
ment that four hundred associations
maintain systems for the interchange
Of information, and he says that it is
the intent Of his department to prose.
cute some Of these organizations that
Served a good purpose during the
war" but which now "stife competi-
ton" There is a good deal of dis
tress likely felt among the different
members OF the associations through
out the country which have attempted
to bring their affairs more clearly in
accord with fair trade conditions
through organized efforts that have
been more effective than their former
individual policies.
After having unsuccessfully tried to
follow the changing methods of the
lawyers In congress and In admins
trative positions who are regulating
them from Washington. The business
interests Of the country are liable to
think that doctors are not alone Ia
the class described by Pope, when he
asked: who shall decide when doc.
tors disagree, and soundest casuists
doubt, like you and me?"
There is no Disgusting the fact tina,
the republican leaders in Washington
believe that when Colonel Harvey, the
new ambassador to Great Britain
made his speech in London on Pill
grim's Day. that he threw a monkey
wrench" into the foreign relations
policy Of the United States govern
ment. President Harding in his
Memorial day address. undoubtedly
sought to express q more conservative