Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-01-31
TRUSTS AND M0NOPOLIES.
A BILL INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS
 TO DECLARE THEM ILLEGAL.

"A
 TO DECLARE THEM ILLEGAL. Full Text of the Measure-Mr. Rayner on
 the Necessity of Stringent Legislation.
 Labor Unions to be Exempt from Its
 Provisions-The Standard Oil Company.
 WASHINGTON, Jan. 31.-One of the most important bills introduced in the house yester- day was the measure prepared by MT lsldor Rayner, of Maryland, to prevent the forma- tion of trusts, pools and combines. The text of the bill is as follows:
 Section 1. Be it enact ted, etc., that it shall not be lawful for any individuals bodies, corporate associations or companies of any sort, residing, located transacting busine in any state or territory. to enter into any combination or to make any contract, agreement or arrangement of any kin or character, directly or indirectly, with any other individuals, bodies, corporate aS- ~ociatons or companies residing. located or ,ranSacting business any other state or rrl- tory. by which the price of any article or mer- chandise or commerce, or of any article 1n- t.uded for sale, use or consumption, shall be fixeI at common standard or figure or by which it's price to the public shall b in any man. ner co tro led, regulat or estGhlishe
 Sec. ,. That 1t shall not be lawful for any of the persons or bodies mentioned in the first sec tiou of this act to make any contract to enter
 
 any sort by which they shall bind themselves not to sell dispose of any article of trade, use mer- chandise, commerce or consumption below a common standard or figure, or by which they shall agree to sell such article at certain price, or by which they shall agree in any manner to keep the price of said article at fixed or gradu- ated figure, or by which they shall in any manner establish or settle the price of any article between them as to preclude among themselves at all times free and unrestricted competition, by they shall pool. combine any interests they may have in connection with the sale of such artice the result of which it's price might in any manner be affected
 Sec. B. It shall not be lawful for any of the persons or bodies mentioned in the first section of this act to combine, unite or consolidate, either directly or through the creation of trusts or intervention of trustees, directors, managers or other fduciary agents, any interests, fran chises property they may have for the purpose of affecting regulating the prices of any com modty whatever that tHey may sell, for the purpose of preventing competition between them, and any contr ct not to compete or under sell each other at any time made between them shall be unlawful.
 Sec. 1. Any contract made in violation of any of tie provisions of the foregoing sections shall [ .E absolutely null and void and not enforceable, either ill law or equity.
 Sec Any person the offic cr of any cor porute body who s. all violate any of the provis- ions of the foregoing sections, who shall di- rectly or Indirectly, enter into any of the con- tracts tn rein specified, or become party or prvy thereto, in any manner, shall b. guilty of mis- demeanor, and shall, upon conviction ill the dis trict court of the United States within whose jurisdictions the contract is madr, upon con- viction in the strict court within whose juriS- dictiUn the offending party resides, sojourns or lives. be fined i'll the of $l ,OUO imprisoned for period not exceeding one year. or both fined and imprisoned in the discretion of the court.
 Sec. 6. Any person buying any article from any person or body mentioned in this act that is transaciing business contrary to it's provisions, ssia not be liable for the price thereof, and he may at all times plead this act d fense to any sui that may be brought against him thei e. for.
 Sec. {. Nothing herein contained shall prevent the different assemblies and associations of or ganized labor from passing and adopting such regulations they may think proptr in refer ence to wages or the compensation for labor or the price of any article manufactured by the members of such assemblies or associations; and such assemblies and associations shall retain and there is hereby reserved to them-all the rig hts and privileges now accorded to them by law, notwithstanding anything herein contained.
 Sec. $. Nothing herein contained shall app y t1 the sale of any article of merchandise which is SO d entirely within the limits of any one state or territory by individuals or corporations resid- ing or located solely within the borders of said state or terr tory.
 Referring to the bill, Mr. Rayner said to a correspondent last night.
 ''There seems to be aa almost unanimous disposition in the house to pass a bill of this character. The trusts must be broken up, but the states are powerless to deal with them, as has been frequently held, notably in the Standard Oil company cases in the supreme court of Pennsylvania. A state cannot eXer- else jurisdiction over a corporation that is not within it's own sovereignty, nor over individu- als who do not reside within its limits"
 Has congress the power to act?"
 ''I think so clearly. There is an unbroker line of decisions upon this point by the su preme court of the United States. If indi viduals or corporations in different state combine to raise the price of ,merchandis throughout the country it affects the com merce of the country, and congress has th' power to prevent and regulate it. Iuvestiga tions amount to nothing. We know all abou monopolies without any more evidence
 ''The Standard Oil company stands at tn, head of the list. Its his ,ory is one of frauc and corruption, and it ought to be swept ou of existence Unless we do something soon individual enterprise in some of the mos important departments of industry and com merce will be swallowed up by these trust that bankrupt every one who does not srrren der tO them. y