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AN ACT TO REGULATE

COMMERCE, ETC.

HEARINGS ON HOUSE BILL 19745

BEFORE SUBCOMMITTEE NO. 3

OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY
U.S. C. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

60TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION

WASHINGTON

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

1908

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HEARING ON HOUSE BILL 19745, AN ACT TO REGULATE COMMERCE, ETC.

60TH CONGRESS,

1ST SESSION.

H. R. 19745.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

MARCH 23, 1908.

Mr. HEPBURN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary and ordered to be printed.

A BILL

3

To regulate commerce among the several States or with foreign nations, and to amend the Act approved July second, eighteen hundred and ninety, entitled "An Act to protect trade and commerce against unlawful restraints and monopolies."

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Act approved July second, eighteen hundred and ninety, entitled "An Act to protect trade and commerce against unlawful restraints and monopolies," be, and hereby the same is, amended by adding at the end of said Act the following sections:

"SEC. 8. That any corporation or association affected by this Act, but not subject to the Act approved February fourth, eighteen hundred and eighty-seven, entitled 'An Act to regulate commerce,' or the Acts amendatory thereof or supplemental thereto, shall be entitled to the benefits and immunities in this Act hereinafter given, if and when it shall register as herein provided, and shall comply with the requirements of this Act, hereinafter set forth, but not otherwise.

Such registration, by a corporation or association for profit and having capital stock, may be effected by filing with the Commissioner of Corporations a written application therefor, together with a written statement setting forth such information concerning the organization of such corporation or association, its financial conditions, its contracts, and its corporate proceedings, as may be prescribed by general regulations from time to time to be made by the President pursuant to this Act; and such registration by a corpora

tion or association not for profit and without capital stock may be effected by filing with the Commissioner of Corporations a written application therefor, together with a written statement setting forth, first, its charter or agreement of association and by-laws; second, the place of its principal office, and, third, the names of its directors or managing officers, and standing committees, if any, with their residences.

"Thereupon the Commissioner of Corporations shall register such corporation or association under this Act. In case any corporation or association so registered shall refuse or shall fail at any time to file the statements or to give the information required under this Act, or to comply with the requirements of this Act, or in case information furnished by it shall be false in any material particular, the Commissioner of Corporations shall have power to cancel the registration of such corporation or association after thirty days' notice in writing to such corporation or association. Any corporation or association aggrieved by such action of the Commissioner of Corporations may apply to the supreme court of the District of Columbia, in a suit or proceeding in equity, for such relief in the premises as may be proper, and said court shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine such application, subject to appeal as in other causes in equity.

"SEC. 9. That the President shall have power to make, alter, and revoke, and from time to time, in his discretion, he shall make, alter, and revoke, regulations prescribing what facts shall be set forth in the statements to be filed with the Commissioner of Corporations by corporations and associations for profit and having capital stock applying for registration under this Act, and what information thereafter shall be furnished by such corporations and associations so registered, and he may prescribe the manner of registration and of cancellation of registration.

"Nothing in this Act shall require the filing of contracts or agreements of corporations or associations not for profit or without capital stock, and such corporations and associations while registered hereunder, and the members thereof, shall be entitled to all the benefits and immunities given by this Act, excepting such as are given by section ten and section eleven, without filing such contracts or agreements; but from time to time every such corporation or association shall file with the Commissioner of Corporations, when and as called for by him, a revised statement giving, as of a date specified by him, such information as is required to be given at the time of original registration under section eight of this Act.

"SEC. 10. That any corporation or association registered under this Act, and any person, not a common carrier under the provisions of the said Act approved February fourth, eighteen hundred and eighty-seven, or the Acts amendatory thereof or supplemental thereto, being a party to a contract or combination hereafter made, other than a contract or combination with a common carrier filed under section eleven of this Act, may file with the Commissioner of Corporations a copy thereof, if the same be in writing, or if not in writing, a statement setting forth the terms and conditions thereof. together with a notice that such filing is made for the purpose of obtaining the benefit of the provisions of this section. Thereupon the Commissioner of Corporations, with the concurrence of the Sec

retary of Commerce and Labor, of his own motion and without notice or hearing, or after notice and hearing, as the Commissioner may deem proper, may enter an order declaring that in his judg ment such contract or combination is in unreasonable restraint of trade or commerce among the several States or with foreign nations. If no such order shall be made within thirty days after the filing of such contract or written statement, no prosecution, suit, or proceeding by the United States shall lie under the first six sections of this Act, for or on account of such contract or combination, unless the same be in unreasonable restraint of trade or commerce among the several States or with foreign nations; but the United States may institute, maintain, or prosecute a suit, proceeding, or prosecution under the first six sections of said Act for or on account of any such contract or combination hereafter made, of which a copy or written statement shall not have been filed as aforesaid, or as to which an order shall have been entered as above provided.

"No corporation or association for profit or having capital stock, and registered under this Act, that hereafter shall make a combination or consolidation with any other corporation or association, shall be entitled to continue its registration under this Act, unless without delay it shall file with the Commissioner of Corporations, pursuant and subject to the provisions of this section, a statement setting forth the terms and conditions of such combination or consolidation, together with a notice as hereinabove provided.

SEC. 11. That any common carrier under the provisions of the said Act approved February fourth, eighteen hundred and eightyseven, or the Acts amendatory thereof or supplemental thereto, being a party to a contract or combination hereafter made, or any other party to such contract or combination, may file with the Interstate Commerce Commission a copy thereof, if the same be in writing, or if not in writing, a statement setting forth the terms and conditions thereof, together with a notice that such filing is made for the purpose of obtaining the benefit of the provisions of this section. Thereupon the Interstate Commerce Commission, of its own motion and without notice or hearing, or after notice and hearing, as said Commission may deem proper, may enter an order declaring that in its judgment such contract or combination is in unreasonable restraint of trade or commerce among the several States or with foreign nations. If no such order shall be made within thirty days after the filing of such contract or written statement, no prosecution, suit, or proceeding by the United States shall lie under the first six sections of this Act, for or on account of such contract or combination, unless the same be in unreasonable restraint of trade or commerce among the several States or with foreign nations, but the United States may institute, maintain, or prosecute a suit, proceeding, or prosecution under the first six sections of said Act for or on account of any such contract or combination hereafter made, of which a copy or written statement shall not have been filed as aforesaid, or as to which an order shall have been entered as above provided."

SEC. 2. That section seven of the said Act approved July second, eighteen hundred and ninety, is hereby amended so as to read as follows:

"SEC. 7. That any person who shall be injured in his business or property by any other person or corporation by reason of anything

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