Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-26
NOT TO TOUCH LABOR.
Sherman's Antitrust Bill Radically
Amended in the Senate.
REAGAN'S PROVISIONS ADOPTED.
A Final Vote on the Subject May be Reached
Some Time To-Day.
FEATURES OF TIE LIVELY DEBATE

WASHINGTON, March 25.-In the Senate
to-day the principal subject under discus
sion was the antitrust bill. Senator George
moved that the bill and amendments be re-
ferred to the Judiciary Committee. Mr..
Morgan moved, as an amendment, that the
Judiciary Committee be instructed to report
back within 20 days. Mr.. Wilson, of Iowa,
declared himself in favor of legislation on
the subject of trusts; and he desired to reach
a result al the earliest practicable moment.
Mr.. Sherman opposed reference to the Ju-
dietary Committee. He asked that the bill
should be voted on now. Then, if the Sem
ate passed it, there would be bill which,
while it might not be perfect, would be a
tangible proposition that could be sent to
the House for consideration. In that way
the controversy about trusts and combina-
tions would be dismissed from the Senate for
this session at least.
CONGRESS NOT VERY RAPID.
Congress had now been in session nearly
four months, and had not dealt with any of
the great questions awaiting consideration
and action. If the pension bill was to be
sent to another committee, and then to come
back again and to be debated for three or
four days more, what was to become of the
tariff, the silver question Legislation and
other important matters? He thought it
much better to dispose of the bill ct once, to
vote upon it before Senators went to dinner
to-day and to end it.
Mr.. Platt spoke of the bill as a sham and
a delusion, and a nothing more or less than
a humbugging of the people. Mr.. Morgan
said the protective tariff was the great
nursery and breeding ground of monopolies,
trusts, combinations and conspiracies. He
characterized the bill as a tub to the
whale.
THE SENATORIAL MoRGUE.
Mr.. Vance made a humorous speech
against the reference of the bill to the Judi
ciary Committee, which he regarded as the
grand mausoleum of Senatorial bantlings.
Il the bill was referred and ever came back
to the Senate, it would be so mutilated that
it would not be worth the paper on which it
would be written. The country knew, by
this time, the receptacle where the Senate
deposited its dead and there was no longer
any hope of concealing it.
The discussion having come to close, the
question was taken on Mr.. Georges motion
TO refer the bill TO the Judiciary Committee.
The motion was rejected: Yeas, 10; nays, %.
The question was then taken on Mr..
Reagan's amendment (adding to the bill his
antitrust bill, as sections 5, and 81, and it
was agreed to: Yeas, 81; nays, IL.
Mr.. Reagan'S amendment provides:
All persons engaged IN the creating of any
trust, in any capacity employed in any business
carried on with any foreign country, or be-
tween any of the States or Territories of the
Union using its powers for either ofthe follow
ing purposes, shall be deemed guilty of high
mIsdemeanor and shall be subject to fine of
not more than $1,000, or Imprisonment not
exceeding five years or both, viz: To create or
carry out any restrictions in trade; to limit pro-
ductiOn or to increase or reduce the price OF
merchandise or commodities; to
PREVENT COMPETITION
in merchandise, produce or comodities; TO fix
standard of figure whereby the price of any
article, commodity, merchandise or produce
intended for sale, use or consumption shall be
in any way controlled; to create monopoly in
the manufacture, sale or transportation of any
such article: to enter into any obligation by
which they shall bind others OF themselves not
to manufacture, sell or transport any such arti-
Gle below common standard figure, or by
which they shall agree to keep such article or
transportation at fixed or graduated figure;
or by which they shall settle the price of such
article so as to preclude unrestricted competi-
tion.
Mr.. Sherman moved to amend the first
section by adding to it the following pro-
viso, which had been suggested by Mr..
George:
Provided that this act shall not be construed
to apply to any arrangement. agreement or CON-
binatiOn between laborers, made with a view
TO lessening the number of hours of their labor,
OF OF increasing their wages: nor to any ar
rangement. agreement, association or combi-
nation among persons engaged in horticulture
or agriculture. made with view of enhancing
the price of their own agricultural or horticul-
tural products
SOME ALLEGED HUMoR.
Mr.. Blair made a humorous suggestion to
Mr.. Sherman to include in his proviso those
engaged in cod-fshing and boot and shoe
making in New England, and Mr.. Platt
asked (in the same spirit) whether it in
cluded the wool men of Ohio.
"Yes," said Mr.. Sherman, 81 think it
would Include their own wool"
And the answer raised laugh. The
amendment was agreed to. Mr. Hoar moved
to strike out of the first section tine words
''oi different States, or between two or more
citizens or corporations, or both, OF the
United States and foreign States, or citizens
or corporations thereof" and it was
agreed to.
The question was then taken on Mr..
ingalls, amendment Gaining at dealings in
''futures" and ''options") and it was agreed
to without division. A number of minor
amendments were offered, pending which
the Senate adjourned till tomorrow, Mr..
Sherman giving notice that he would ask
vote on the passing of the bill after the
morning business tomorrow.