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THE
MUJIC TIRADE
VOL. LVIII. N o . 20 Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 373 Fourth Ave., New York, May 16, 1914
T
HERE is a direct relation between politics and business which is not understood or appre-
ciated by many men engaged in trade throughout the country.
A good many feel that they are too busy to pay much attention to politics themselves,
leaving the entire shaping of the political destinies of the country in the hands of men who
may or may not be fully equipped to perform their tasks with justice to the American people. But
when men holding positions of great power pass certain laws which change the economic affairs
of the Government, it naturally follows that business is affected immediately by political conditions.
Therefore, it behooves business men to pay more attention to politics when the elections draw-
near. Indifference at such times should be replaced with keen activity.
There is unmistakably a desire on the part of some politicians to impose legislation upon the
people which may have a serious effect upon business, and business suffers thereby. Thus busi-
ness is immediately related to politics—closely related at that.
We are keenly susceptible to changes of any kind, and while these conditions are sometimes
mental, yet they are prone to have a depressing effect upon trade, and to prevent such a condition
is where the business men should use their influence. Business suffers by reason of political
juggling.
It would be well for every Chamber of Commerce in the land to protest to the Government
against further legislation of the antitrust character at the present time.
There is perhaps to-day ninety-five per cent, of business concerns that are conducting their
business within the law, and it would seem wiser that Congress should direct the attention of the
Attorney General to the other five per cent, of business concerns operating illegally than to expend
its energies putting new laws upon the statute books.
No matter how little they may change the lines of legality, any new legislation will not only
require readjustment in the structure of laws and decisions, but must complicate still further the
action of business concerns in conducting themselves lawfully.
A protest has been made by the Merchants' Associations of New York and Philadelphia, as well
as commercial bodies of other cities, and it would seem as if the postponement of any comprehen-
sive amendment to the Anti-Trust Act might be equally welcome to the administration and to
business.
The administration has been in power a little more than a year. It has put upon the statute
books two comprehensive measures indirectly affecting business, and is on the eve of passing radical
legislation pertaining to the marketing of the country's most important crops.
Obviously this should be enough of the corrective to business for a single twelve months.
The Government is well fortified, both in statutes and Supreme Court decisions, to rectify any
serious abuse without further laws. Certainly no new law is needed to add more power to the
Department of Justice, if one may judge of the Attorney General's drastic terms as exemplified in
the New Haven Case.
Business that is not guilty is entitled to Governmental encouragement.
It is halting now, because it must kiiow what the program of the Government involves,
whether it means a radical reconstruction or merely mild reformation.
Plainly business requires a rest.
(Continued on page 5.)