Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-08-15
SURPRISING THE TRUST.
TWO BILLS IN THE SENATE FOR
THAT PURPOSE.

Sherman's Comments on the Way to Deal
with "Combines"-Morgan Yearns for
Secret Sessions-The Lie Pickwickian in
the House-Business stopped by Fill
buster Against the Fortifcations Bill.
WASHINGTON CITY, Aug 15-Trusts were
the subject of few remarks in the senate
yesterday, and two bills were introduced and
referred Reagan introduced one to define
trusts, and to provide for the punishment of
persons connected with them. In the debate
on the question as to what committee the bill
| should be referred TO, Sherman said he had
given the subject of trusts some attention in
order to see how far it was within the con-
| stitutional power of congress to prohibit
trusts, 1t was very clear that there was no
such power in congress to be derived from
| its power to raise and collect taxes. 1t was
power which might be exercised by
each state for itself Similar laws
had been enacted in England and other
countries There were denunciations Of
trusts and combinations in Blackstone as
strong as could lie written. Whether such
laws could be engrafted by national author
| ity on the statute book of the United States
there WAS some doubt If it could be done
at all it would have to be done in a tariff or
revenue bill. The difficulty was that some
OF the most dangerous of such combinations
dixie the Standard Oil company grew out Of
matters that were not taxed. 1t was certain
that where such combinations grew out of
the revenue laws-hke the sugar trust lone
of the most dangerous and wrongful trusts
ever organized in this country)-lt could be
legislated against by congress
Later Sherman introduced bill to declare
unlawful trust. and combinations in restraint
Of production. 1t declUes unlawful and
void all arrangements, contracts, agree
ments, trusts, or combinations between per-
sons or corporations, made with the view OF
which tend TO prevent full and free compe-
tition in the production, manufacture or
sale of articles Of domestic growth or produc-
ton, or In the sale of articles imported, OF
that tend to increase the cost of such articles
To the consumer. Any person injured or
damaged by such arrangement or trust may
sue for and recover iii any United States
court the amount of damages suffered Any
corporation that takes part in any such ar
rangement forfelts its corporate franchise
and the United States district attorney is TO
institute the proper proceedings to enforce
such forfeiture.
senator Reagan's bill to define trust
calls it "a combination of capital or skill by
two or more persons for the following pur-
poses: First, to create or carry out restrlc
lions on trade: second to limit 10 reduce, OF
TO increase the production OF prices of mer
chandise, or commodities; third, to prevent
competition in the manufacture making,
sale or purchase of merchandise or com
modities fourth, to create a monopoly II
be connected with trust in any manner
be the trust national or international, stat.
) or interstate, is to be guilty Of high mis-
demeanor which shall be punishable by &
fine of not mora than $4,000 nor less thar
81, 600, and impris onment for not more thai
five years nor less than one year may h-
added The dealer in trust commodities /
made equally guilty with the member of tn
trust
When the fisheries treaty WAS resumed
Morgan in the course of Il speech, said tina
the tongue Of scandal had been loose in thi
debate in way which might convince tn
world that when the senate sat with close
doors nothing but the scorpions whip wa
applied 10 the backs Of American citizen
who had been nominated for office or VII
had taken a part IN negotiating treaties H
would say, however, that this was the yer
, first occasion that he had known such thing
to he done He PRAYED God that senator
would be speedily sent back to the saclusio
in which their fathers had put them, 50 tha
they would not be forced into that dirty cor
dition where politics put them of scatterin
their filth among the muts that howl arouu
G the StumpS
i There a spaEk of war in the house fo
+ a short time ONeIl took exceptions to a
g article printed in Washington newspape
L which declared thTt the efforts of the Demo
r Gratis to pass the bill for the relief OF Ii
l. | Cherokee freedmen Nss the price Of the serN
/ ices Of J Milton Turner-a prominent n,
: gro LAWYER and the attorney for the free
> men-at the recent colOred Democratic COZ
e vention in Indianapolis O'Nelll said It
( statement WAS an absolute lie
IS Owen of Indiana mentioned in the artic
, as having objected to the bill because Of h
e knowledge Of the bargain asked II the ger
y tleman meant any personal reflection o
d him
O'Nell-lf the gentleman saTs that am
party TO any harhsn in connection with tn
bill he states what Is a lie | don't mean
offend the gentleman, he understands m
a Laughterl
owen thought the gentleman incapable
,. offering him personal atfront He had 0
lie jected to the htll on account of certa
lie Ian guage which he had heard J Mitt
Turner use He did not believe it was h
duty to sit on the floor, and by his slen
allow the Democratic party to pay its deb
l. to Turner. Applause on the RePublica
. side
i | O'Neill said he had introduced the bill
"a the interest OF humanity; it was an act
a humanity to pay the slaves of the India
:, what was due them He did not think q
: gentleman should have Objected to the b
4 because he objected to a certain gentlem,
, and his politics