National Republican., 1888-01-26
THE HOUSE.

THE HOUSE.
Mr.. Randall, of Pennsylvania, introduced
bill for the appointment OF board OF en-
gineers to examine and report whether
Smiths island and Windmill island, In
Delaware river, between Philadelphia and
Camden, constitute an obstruction to CON-
merce, and authorizing the Secretary OF
War, in case this should be found to be
true, to purchase those islands for the pur-
pose Of entirely removing the same from
the river. Referred.
Mr.. Henderson, OF North Carolina, from
the committee on the judiciary, reported
bill to amend the internal revenue laws.
i use calendar.
Mr.. Landes, Of Indiana, from the com.
mittee on banking and currency, reported
back resolution calling for Information
from the Secretary OF the Treasury whether,
at the date when the act OF 1878 fixed the
amount Of United States notes at a limit
issue Of $346, Gal, 900, such amount was
actually In existence. House calander.
| In the consideration morning hour, Mr..
| Peel, OF Arkansas, called up the bill pl ovid
| ing for the sale of certain Indian lands In
| Kansas.
Mr.. Perkins, OF Kansas, explained the
measure, what was opposed by Mr.. Blan-
chard, OF Louisiana.
Pending discussion the hour expired and
| the bill went over until 10 day.
Mr.. Bacon, Of New York, asked unani-
| nous consent for the present consideration Of
| the resolution reported from the committee
| on manufacturers, directing that committee
to inquire into the names, Dumber, and ex.
tent OF the corporations engaged In manu-.
featuring or mining or dealing In any OF the
necessities Of life, and known as trusts aud
| pools, their methods OF doing business, and
the effect OF their combination upon the
| prices Of necessaries.
| Mr.. Randall, of Pennsylvania, said that
| when the resolution had been offered orig.
inally be had objected to It's immediate con
sideration because he had thought 1t was
not comprehensive enough. He would like
| to have the resolution amended SO as to
extend the inquiry to include the STANDARD
Oil Company, perhaps, aud the whisky
trust, perhaps, and every trust Of any kind
In the United States. IL Congress had a
federal way OF interfering with these organ
izations 1t might be useful to exercise IL.
Mr.. Brpmm, of Pennsylvania, wanted to
have the inquiry extended SO as to apply to
anthracite combinations.
Mr.. Scott, Of Pennsylvania, inquired
| what power Congress would have to re-
dress evils which the committee might find
to arise from combination between a
corporation incorporated In one state aud
private citizens OF another state. What
all? Were not the states amply able to
take care Of themselves and protect their
| people against all combinations and all
conspiracies? There was no authority del.
egated TO Congress by the constitution to
interfere.
the resolution only looked to an investiga.
tion. Congress then could determine what
powers 1t had In the premises.
Mr.. Scott called attention to the fact that
nothing had come Of the congressional In :
yesiigation into the strike on the Missouri
Pacific.
MIR. Hopkins inquired whether the gem
tleman, because one criminal was ac-
quilted, would not try to enforce the GRIM
inal laws.
Mr.. Scott replied that he was not trying
to acQuit any one.
Mr.. Mason, OF Illinois, the author OF the
resolution, stated that 1t was not his object
to authorize a smelling committee to invade
states and investigate the business OF per-
sons doing business under state law.
The object OF his resolution was the as
certainment OF the effect which combna
tions had on the price of necesSaiies, and
further to ascertain whether or not, by
reason Of the tariff, those combinations
were able to raise the price OF recessaries.
There Were some industrious men In our
country who would like 10 have corner on
the sunshine and levy q tax Of 81, 900 day
upon 1t. His object was tn prevent the
tariff laws (Which he believed iu) being
| perverted ana turned against the people,
Mr. Nelson, OF Mille5ota, inquired
whether the gentleman had any doubt that
the tariff law indirectly co. operated to aid
| the trusts,
Mr.. Mason replied that he hal no doubt
that there was Il class OF men who took ad'
vantage Of the tariff laws, and therefore
those who believed In 4 high protective
tariff thought that there ought TO be some
way to prevent those laws being perverted.
II there was no way to protect the people
against these trusts except by revision of
the tariff he was ready TO vote on that ques'
tion now.
Mr.. Brumm, OF Pennsylvania, suggested
that the greatest monopOlies IN the country
were those which We're not affected by the
tariff. They were the Standard OH Com.
| pany, the Western Union Telegraph, aud
the anthracite coal combination.
Mr.. RaSner, OF Maryland, criticised the
resolution as not being broad enough. II
would not include the Western Union Tel
egraph Company, which had swallowed up
every other telegraph company for the pur,
pose Of controlling the business. 1t would
not affect the Standard OIL Company,
That was not combination Of individuals
II was combination of different corpora
tions, each one of which was created by the
sovereignty of particular state. The reso
luton would not apply to that. The Read
ing coal strike was great question, which
was agitating the public mind.
The Reading Company was incorporated
by Pennsylvania, but IL shipped its com