And State Papers 281 



direction of the Attorney-General in the enforcement 

 of these laws. 



All of this represents a great and substantial ad 

 vance in legislation. But more important even than 

 legislation is the administration of the law, and I 

 ask your attention for a moment to the way in 

 which the law has been administered by the pro 

 found jurist and fearless public servant who now 

 occupies the position of Attorney-General, Mr. 

 Knox. The Constitution enjoins upon the Presi 

 dent that he shall take care that the laws be faithfully 

 executed, and under this provision the Attorney- 

 General formulated a policy which was in effect 

 nothing but the rigid enforcement, by suits managed 

 with consummate skill and ability, both of the anti 

 trust law and of the imperfect provisions of the act 

 to regulate commerce. The first step taken was the 

 prosecution of fourteen suits against the principal 

 railroads of the Middle West, restraining them by 

 injunction from further violations of either of the 

 laws in question. 



About the same time the case against the North 

 ern Securities Company was initiated. This was a 

 corporation organized under the laws of the State 

 of New Jersey with a capital of four hundred million 

 dollars, the alleged purpose being to control the 

 Great Northern and the Northern Pacific railroad 

 companies, two parallel and competing lines extend 

 ing across the northern tier of States from the Mis 

 sissippi River to the Pacific Ocean. Whatever the 



