Suitswerebroughtagainstthemostpowerfulcorporationsintheland，whichwewereconvincedhadclearlyandbeyondquestionviolatedtheAnti-TrustLaw。Thesesuitswerebroughtwithgreatcare，andonlywherewefeltsosureofourfactsthatwecouldbefairlycertainthattherewasalikelihoodofsuccess。Asamatteroffact，inmostoftheimportantsuitsweweresuccessful。Itwasimperativethatthesesuitsshouldbebrought，andveryrealgoodwasachievedbybringingthem，foritwasonlythesesuitsthatmadethegreatmastersofcorporatecapitalinAmericafullyrealizethattheyweretheservantsandnotthemastersofthepeople，thattheyweresubjecttothelaw，andthattheywouldnotbepermittedtobealawuntothemselves；andthecorporationsagainstwhichweproceededhadsinned，notmerelybybeingbigwhichwedidnotregardasinitselfasin，butbybeingguiltyofunfairpracticestowardstheircompetitors，andbyprocuringfairadvantagesfromtherailways。ButtheresultingsituationhasmadeitevidentthattheAnti-TrustLawisnotadequatetomeetthesituationthathasgrownupbecauseofmodernbusinessconditionsandtheaccompanyingtremendousincreaseinthebusinessuseofvastquantitiesofcorporatewealth。AsIhavesaid，thiswasalreadyevidenttomymindwhenIwasPresident，andincommunicationstoCongressIrepeatedlystatedthefacts。ButwhenI
madethesecommunicationstherewerestillplentyofpeoplewhodidnotbelievethatwewouldsucceedinthesuitsthathadbeeninstitutedagainsttheStandardOil，theTobacco，andothercorporations，anditwasimpossibletogetthepublicasawholetorealizewhatthesituationwas。Sincerezealotswhobelievedthatallcombinationscouldbedestroyedandtheold-timeconditionsofunregulatedcompetitionrestored，insincerepoliticianswhoknewbetterbutmadebelievethattheythoughtwhatevertheirconstituentswishedthemtothink，craftyreactionarieswhowishedtoseeonthestatute-bookslawswhichtheybelievedunenforceable，andthealmostsolid“WallStreetcrowd“orrepresentativesof“bigbusiness“whoatthattimeopposedwithequalviolencebothwiseandnecessaryandunwiseandimproperregulationofbusiness-allfoughtagainsttheadoptionofasane，effective，andfar-reachingpolicy。
ItisavitallynecessarythingtohavethepersonsincontrolofbigtrustsofthecharacteroftheStandardOilTrustandTobaccoTrusttaughtthattheyareunderthelaw，justasitwasanecessarythingtohavetheSugarTrusttaughtthesamelessonindrasticfashionbyMr。HenryL。StimsonwhenhewasUnitedStatesDistrictAttorneyinthecityofNewYork。Buttoattempttomeetthewholeproblemnotbyadministrativegovernmentalactionbutbyasuccessionoflawsuitsishopelessfromthestandpointofworkingoutapermanentlysatisfactorysolution。Moreover，theresultssoughttobeachievedareachievedonlyinextremelyinsufficientandfragmentarymeasurebybreakingupallbigcorporations，whethertheyhavebehavedwellorill，intoanumberoflittlecorporationswhichitisperfectlycertainwillbelargely，andperhapsaltogether，underthesamecontrol。Suchactionisharshandmischievousifthecorporationisguiltyofnothingexceptitssize；andwhere，asinthecaseoftheStandardOil，andespeciallytheTobacco，trusts，thecorporationhasbeenguiltyofimmoralandanti-socialpractices，thereisneedforfarmoredrasticandthoroughgoingactionthananythathasbeentaken，undertherecentdecreeoftheSupremeCourt。InthecaseoftheTobaccoTrust，forinstance，thesettlementintheCircuitCourt，inwhichtherepresentativesoftheGovernmentseeminclinedtoconcur，practicallyleavesallofthecompaniesstillsubstantiallyunderthecontrolofthetwenty-nineoriginaldefendants。Sucharesultislamentablefromthestandpointofjustice。ThedecisionoftheCircuitCourt，ifallowedtostand，meansthattheTobaccoTrusthasmerelybeenobligedtochangeitsclothes，thatnoneoftherealoffendershavereceivedanyrealpunishment，while，astheNewYorkTimes，apro-trustpaper，says，thetobaccoconcerns，intheirnewclothes，areinpositionsof“easeandluxury。”and“immunefromprosecutionunderthelaw。”
Surely，miscarriageofjusticeisnottoostrongatermtoapplytosucharesultwhenconsideredinconnectionwithwhattheSupremeCourtsaidofthisTrust。ThatgreatCourtinitsdecisionusedlanguagewhich，inspiteofitshabitualandsevereself-restraintinstigmatizingwrong-doing，yetunhesitatinglycondemnstheTobaccoTrustformoralturpitude，sayingthatthecaseshowsan“everpresentmanifestation……ofconsciouswrong-doing“bytheTrust，whosehistoryis“repletewiththedoingofactswhichitwastheobviouspurposeofthestatutetoforbid，……demonstrativeoftheexistencefromthebeginningofapurposetoacquiredominionandcontrolofthetobaccotrade，notbythemereexertionoftheordinaryrighttocontractandtotrade，butbymethodsdevisedinordertomonopolizethetradebydrivingcompetitorsoutofbusiness，whichwereruthlesslycarriedoutupontheassumptionthattoworkuponthefearsorplayuponthecupidityofcompetitorswouldmakesuccesspossible。”
ThelettersfromandtovariousofficialsoftheTrust，whichwereputinevidence，showaliterallyastoundingandhorrifyingindulgencebytheTrustinwickedanddepravedbusinessmethods——suchasthe“endeavortocauseastrikeintheir[arivalbusinessfirm’s]
factory。”orthe“shuttingoffthemarket“ofanindependenttobaccofirmby“takingthenecessarystepstogivethemawarmreception。”orforcingimportersintoapriceagreementbycausingandcontinuing“ademoralizationofthebusinessforsuchlengthoftimeasmaybedeemeddesirable“Iquotefromtheletters。ATrustguiltyofsuchconductshouldbeabsolutelydisbanded，andtheonlywaytopreventtherepetitionofsuchconductisbystrictGovernmentsupervision，andnotmerelybylawsuits。
TheAnti-TrustLawcannotmeetthewholesituation，norcananymodificationoftheprincipleoftheAnti-TrustLawavailtomeetthewholesituation。ThefactisthatmanyofthemenwhohavecalledthemselvesProgressives，andwhocertainlybelievethattheyareProgressives，representinrealityinthismatternotprogressatallbutakindofsincereruraltoryism。ThesemenbelievethatitispossiblebystrengtheningtheAnti-TrustLawtorestorebusinesstothecompetitiveconditionsofthemiddleofthelastcentury。Anysucheffortisforedoomedtoendinfailure，and，ifsuccessful，wouldbemischievoustothelastdegree。Businesscannotbesuccessfullyconductedinaccordancewiththepracticesandtheoriesofsixtyyearsagounlessweabolishsteam，electricity，bigcities，and，inshort，notonlyallmodernbusinessandmodernindustrialconditions，butallthemodernconditionsofourcivilization。Theefforttorestorecompetitionasitwassixtyyearsago，andtotrustforjusticesolelytothisproposedrestorationofcompetition，isjustasfoolishasifweshouldgobacktotheflintlocksofWashington’sContinentalsasasubstituteformodernweaponsofprecision。Theefforttoprohibitallcombinations，goodorbad，isboundtofail，andoughttofail；whenmade，itmerelymeansthatsomeoftheworstcombinationsarenotcheckedandthathonestbusinessischecked。Ourpurposeshouldbe，nottostranglebusinessasanincidentofstranglingcombinations，buttoregulatebigcorporationsinthoroughgoingandeffectivefashion，soastohelplegitimatebusinessasanincidenttothoroughlyandcompletelysafeguardingtheinterestsofthepeopleasawhole。AgainstallsuchincreaseofGovernmentregulationtheargumentisraisedthatitwouldamounttoaformofSocialism。Thisargumentisfamiliar；itispreciselythesameasthatwhichwasraisedagainstthecreationoftheInter-StateCommerceCommission，andofallthedifferentutilitiescommissionsinthedifferentStates，asImyselfsaw，thirtyyearsago，whenIwasalegislatoratAlbany，andthesequestionscameupinconnectionwithourStateGovernment。NorcanactionbeeffectivelytakenbyanyoneState。
CongressalonehaspowerundertheConstitutioneffectivelyandthoroughlyandatallpointstodealwithinter-Statecommerce，andwhereCongress，asitshoulddo，provideslawsthatwillgivetheNationfulljurisdictionoverthewholefield，thenthatjurisdictionbecomes，ofnecessity，exclusive——althoughuntilCongressdoesactaffirmativelyandthoroughlyitisidletoexpectthattheStateswilloroughttorestcontentwithnon-actiononthepartofbothFederalandStateauthorities。Thisstatement，bytheway，appliesalsotothequestionof“usurpation“byanyonebranchofourGovernmentoftherightsofanotherbranch。ItiscontendedthatintheserecentdecisionstheSupremeCourtlegislated；soitdid；andithadto；
becauseCongresshadsignallyfailedtodoitsdutybylegislating。
FortheSupremeCourttonullifyanactoftheLegislatureasunconstitutionalexceptontheclearestgroundsisusurpation；tointerpretsuchanactinanobviouslywrongsenseisusurpation；butwherethelegislativebodypersistentlyleavesopenafieldwhichitisabsolutelyimperative，fromthepublicstandpoint，tofill，thennopossibleblameattachestotheofficialorofficialswhostepinbecausetheyhaveto，andwhothendotheneededworkintheinterestofthepeople。Theblameinsuchcaseslieswiththebodywhichhasbeenderelict，andnotwiththebodywhichreluctantlymakesgoodthedereliction。
Aquarterofacenturyago，SenatorCushmanK。Davis，astatesmanwhoamplydeservedthetitleofstatesman，amanofthehighestcourage，ofthesternestadherencetotheprincipleslaiddownbyanexactingsenseofduty，anunflinchingbelieverindemocracy，whowasaslittletobecowedbyamobasbyaplutocrat，andmoreoveramanwhopossessedthepricelessgiftofimagination，agiftasimportanttoastatesmanastoahistorian，inanaddressdeliveredattheannualcommencementoftheUniversityofMichiganonJuly1，1886，spokeasfollowsofcorporations：
“Feudalism，withitsdomains，itsuntaxedlords，theirretainers，itsexemptionsandprivileges，madewarupontheaspiringspiritofhumanity，andfellwithallitsgrandeurs。Itsspiritwalkstheearthandhauntstheinstitutionsofto-day，inthegreatcorporations，withthecontroloftheNationalhighways，theiroccupationofgreatdomains，theirpowertotax，theircynicalcontemptforthelaw，theirsorcerytodebasemostgiftedmentothecapacityofsplendidslaves，theirpollutionoftheermineofthejudgeandtherobeoftheSenator，theiraggregationinonemanofwealthsoenormousastomakeCroesusseemapauper，theirpicked，paid，andskilledretainerswhoaresummonedbythemessageofelectricityandappearuponthewingsofsteam。Ifwelookintotheoriginoffeudalismandofthemoderncorporations——
thoseDromiosofhistory——wefindthattheformeroriginatedinastrictpaternalism，whichisscoutedbymoderneconomists，andthatthelatterhasgrownfromanunrestrainedfreedomofaction，aggression，anddevelopment，whichtheycommendastheveryidealofpoliticalwisdom。/Laissez-faire/，saystheprofessor，whenitoftenmeansbindandgagthatthestrongestmayworkhiswill。Itisapleaforthesurvivalofthefittest——forthestrongestmaletotakepossessionoftheherdbyaprocessofextermination。Ifweexaminethisbattlecryofpoliticalpolemics，wefindthatitisbasedupontheconceptionofthedivinerightofproperty，andthepreoccupationbyolderormorefavoredormorealertorrichermenornations，ofterritory，oftheforcesofnature，ofmachinery，ofallthefunctionsofwhatwecallcivilization。Someofthesemen，whoarereallygreat，followtheseconceptionstotheirconclusionswithdauntlessintrepidity。”
WhenSenatorDavisspoke，fewmenofgreatpowerhadthesympathyandthevisionnecessarytoperceivethemenacecontainedinthegrowthofcorporations；andthemenwhodidseetheevilwerestrugglingblindlytogetridofit，notbyfranklymeetingthenewsituationwithnewmethods，butbyinsistingupontheentirelyfutileefforttoabolishwhatmodernconditionshadrenderedabsolutelyinevitable。SenatorDaviswasundernosuchillusion。Herealizedkeenlythatitwasabsolutelyimpossibletogobacktoanoutwornsocialstatus，andthatwemustabandondefinitelythe/laissez-faire/theoryofpoliticaleconomy，andfearlesslychampionasystemofincreasedGovernmentalcontrol，payingnoheedtothecriesoftheworthypeoplewhodenouncethisasSocialistic。Hesawthat，inordertomeettheinevitableincreaseinthepowerofcorporationsproducedbymodernindustrialconditions，itwouldbenecessarytoincreaseinlikefashiontheactivityofthesovereignpowerwhichalonecouldcontrolsuchcorporations。Ashasbeenaptlysaid，theonlywaytomeetabillion-
dollarcorporationisbyinvokingtheprotectionofahundred-billion-
dollargovernment；inotherwords，oftheNationalGovernment，fornoStateGovernmentisstrongenoughbothtodojusticetocorporationsandtoexactjusticefromthem。SaidSenatorDavisinthisadmirableaddress，whichshouldbereprintedanddistributedbroadcast：
“Thelibertyoftheindividualhasbeenannihilatedbythelogicalprocessconstructedtomaintainit。WehavecometoapoliticaldeificationofMammon。/Laissez-faire/isnotutterlyblameworthy。
Itbegatmoderndemocracy，andmadethemodernrepublicpossible。
Therecanbenodoubtofthat。Butthereitreacheditslimitofpoliticalbenefaction，andbegantoinclinetowardthepointwhereextremesmeet。Toeveryassertionthatthepeopleintheircollectivecapacityofagovernmentoughttoexerttheirindefeasiblerightofself-defense，itissaidyoutouchthesacredrightsofproperty。”
TheSenatorthengoesontosaythatwenowhavetodealwithanoligarchyofwealth，andthattheGovernmentmustdeveloppowersufficientenoughtoenableittodothetask。