Anti-trust Program Completed

The Elkins anti-trust bill has passed both house and senate and as it is a part of the administration trust program will of course receive the president's signature. It is not nearly so radical a measure as many desired. In fact it is doubtful whether it will accomplish much in the way of more efficient control of the great trust organizations. Nevertheless it has been passed in response to the demand of the people that something be done to curb the greed and arrogance and law-breaking of the trusts. Public opinion has not been sufficiently insistent on the matter to insure anything stronger or more radical from congress. And, inasmuch as these great financial concerns put up much of the sinews of war when a campaign for re-election is on, congress is not disposed to curtail any of their privileges unless the public clamor is sufficiently strong to indicate that the trusts can be defied and the election carried without the favor of the trusts. 

There are three parts or divisions of the new trust legislation. The Nelson department of commerce measure, the Elkins bill which requires transportation companies to publish their rates and provides a fine for those who give or take rebates, and the Nelson publicity amendment which provides for reports from all corporations engaged in interstate commerce and which have a capitalization beyond a certain figure. If the department of commerce measure is at all effective and performs the duties assigned to it, it ought to gather into its possession information which in the future will enable congress to have at its command Information and records and facts which will be very valuable when the next step is taken in the matter of control of the trusts. But the value of the department to the public wil depend largely upon whether it is administered fearlessly in the interest of the public or simply in a perfunctory sort of a way calculated to do as little as possible for the people and leave the trusts as completely as possible to their own ways of doing business. If the department is administered from within the shadow of the aggregated pile of trust money, it will not advantage the people very much. It is always important to insert these potential "ifs" for it is well understood that great wealth has means of influencing public officials to the detriment of the public service.

The hopeful thing in all this trust program is not so much that the legislation passed by congress is all that can be desired by the public, but that any legislation at all has been enacted. It is well known that the trusts desired no legislation at all and the majority in congress was ready to do the trust bidding by letting the matter entirely alone. But the president has been more responsive to public opinion than congress. He has forced the hand of congress. He has been complained of for interfering with the, action of congress, but it has been to a good purpose and he will not be severely censured, therefore. As a result, some progress has no doubt been made.