Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-05-01
AGAINST MONOPOLIES
ANTITRUST BILL IN THE HOUSE.
Senator Vests Report on the Meat
Products Investigation.
OTHER SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
SENATE.

GERS of the army and to regulate promotion
therein.
Mr.. ingalls,, at the request Of the Wage
Workers Alliance. introduced bill to abolish
local taxation. Referred.
REPORT ON NEAT PRODUCTS.
Mr.. Vest, from the select committee on meat
products made a report and accompanied 1t
with an explanation. He said that the COM
mittee had investigated the subject very fully
and had now reported four measures for the
consideration of the Senate. The first was a
concurrent resolution asking the President Of
the United States to inaugurate diplomatic
correspondence with the authorities of Great
Britain to bring about repeal or modification
OF the existing quarantine regulations of the
United Kingdom. The next measure was one
providing for a national inspection law and re-
quiring that all live cattle shall be inspected
when exported; and also that cattle intended
for expectation (or the meat of which is in
tended for exportation) shall be subject to in
spectIon at the places where killed. The
next measure was intended to prohibit
the monopoly now practiced as to the
storage capacity OF steamships carrying cattle
to foreign countries. The evidence had shown
conclusively (no dispute about it, that in the
port Of New York the practice had obtained
among the steamship companies belonging TO
foreign nations (there being no American lines)
OF leasing or contracting sometimes a single
vessel. sometimes all the vessels of the line. for
a number OF months in advance to one person.
The result was that the shipper, who was not
the favored contractor, had no opportunity of
putting his cattle ill the foreign market at all.
ALLEGED UNJUST DISCRIMINATION BY RAILROADS.
Another of the bills reported was one in
tended to prevent tho discrimination which
now existed on all the railroads belonging to
the Trunk Lines Association (and that embraced
all the roads running from Chicago east under
which no mileage is given to any of the i'm
proved cattle cars carrying live cattle
from the west to the east. The evidence
showed that on the lines west of Chicago be-
longing to the Central Traffic Association mile
age of from to II cents mile was given to
cattle cars, whether improved or unimproved,
that belonged to private individuals. As be-
tween railroad companies a custom had OBJ
tained and was generally observed by which
company using the cars of another corporation
paid mileage Of "a of a cent each way for the
Use of the cars.
The evidence showed that on the lines east
OF Chicago the refrigerator cars in which
dressed beef dead meat was conveyed re-
ceived mileage of three-quarters of a cent
each way, although they were hauled back
empty. bu. improved cars in which the live
cattle were transported on the same roads re-
celved no mileage at all since June,
1888, by resolution of the trunk lines
association. The Judgment of the COM
mittee was that that was an unjust
discrimination against live cattle. and the COM
mittee had reported bill amending the inter-
abuse. Those bills, he said, were submitted
with the report.
IMPORTANCE OF THE SUBJECT
He called the attention Of the committees on
each side of the chamber which had control of
the order of business of the Senate to the i'm
portance of those measures to the cattle inter
est of the United States, which was now in q
very depressed condition. The select CON-
mittee was pOwerless to bring about
an early consideration of those bills.
The matter was entirely under the control of
those two committees. and of tn Senate event
ually. and he asked. III the name of the cattle
raisers of the country, that the bills be taken
up and considered at an early day.
Mr.. PI.ATT WILLING.
Mr.. Platt said that he regarded the subject
as one of great importance and which ought TO
be considered by the Senate at an early day.
He thought that soon as the bills
and report were printed some arrange
ment could be made by which they
should be taken up and considered. He as
sured the Senator from Missouri that so far
as he was concerned and SO far as he rep
resented his friends on his side of the chamber,
he would do his best in that direction.
Mr.. Cullom chairman Of the committee on
interstate commerce. recognized the import
himself anxious to secure their early consider
alton
A COMMITTEE OF CONFERENCE.
After further debate the House amendment
to the Senate bill for public building at
Aurora, H., was non-concurred in and a con-
ference asked.
THE CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATIVE BILL
was taken up, the pending question being on
Mr.. Gray's amendment securing to an ag-
grieved importer the right to bring a common
law suit against the collector.
The matter was discussed by Messrs Eyarts
and Gray, a large portion of their remarks be-
ing directed against the position taken yester-
day by Mr.. Hiscock to the effect that in re-
gard to such revenue matters there should be
no jury trials.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Mckinley, from the committee on rules,
reported resolution for the immediate con-
sideration of bills reported from the Judiciary
committee in the following order: