Omaha daily bee., 1890-03-22
HE SERVICE PENSION BILL.
1t is Passed by the House After a
Lengthy Discussion.
MANY MEMBERS TAKE PART
Sherman's Antitrust Measure Con-
sidcrsd by the Senate-Mr. AL
Iison Mak~s an Address
Upon the Subject.
Senate.


WIsHIysToy, March 21.-In the senate
numerous petitions and memorials were pre-
sented for alaw against the employment OF
aliens on government work; some for the
free and unlimited coinage of silver; one
from Nebraska against an extension Of time
for the payment Of Pacific railroad debts to
the government.
Mr.. Plumb from the committe on appro-
priations reported back the house joint reso-
luton authorizing the appointment of thirty
medical examiners for the bureau of pensions
and gave notice that he would ask the senate
TO consider 1t tomorrow.
On motion OF Mr.. Sherman the bill TO de-
clare unlawful trusts and combinations IN
restraint of trade and production was taken
up for consideration. The substitute re-
ported by Mr.. Sherman from the finance
committee on the 18th inst. was read also
an amendment offered by Mr. Reagan.
MIR. Sherman addressed the senate
At the close OF Mr. Sherman's speech Mr..
Ingalls, offered an amendment which is
aimed against dealings In futures or options
1t asread and ordered printed.
On motion of Mr.. Sherman it was ordered
that the substitute report from the financial
committee be treated as the text of the bill
and so the amendments proposed by Messrs.
Reagan and Ingalls, are to be treated as
amendments in the first and second degree,
Mr.. Vest argued against the constitution
alty Of the origin al bill as well as of the
substitute, declaring his be lief that the
supreme court will Immediately throw it out
of court. The senate had been told last ses-
sion by Mr.. Sherman that whenever he was
satisfied that combinations were protected
by high protective duty he would be in
favor of reducing that duty, and that, Mr.
Vest said, was the real remedy. Those
trusts were protected by high tariff and
were enabled to work their iniquitous pur-
poses under the buttress afforded by the
tariff law.
Mr.. Hiscock said no attempt should be
made to give the federal government iuris :.
dictlon OF a subject over which the states
had ftAl and ample control.
Mr.. Blair removed his motion to recon
slider the vote yesterday by which the edu
cational bill was rejected and Mr. ingalls,
moved to lay that motion on the table, but no
action was taken.
A motion to adjourn over till Monday was
opposed by Mr. Sherman, who wished to
have action on the antitrust bill tomorrow,
and the motion WAS defeated,
Mr. Allison replied to Mr.. Vests argu-
ment as TO the connection between high
duties ana trusts, taking the ground that all
great combinations were practically outside
of the tariff and independent of IL. He would
not admit that oven the sugar trust was de-
pendent on tho tariff. He was not sure but
that IL sugar were on the free list there would
not DO still combination among the sugar re.
fineries. In the great staples-woolen and cot
ton goods, leather, boots and shoes, iron aud
steel, on which duties were high, there was
no trust except perhaps as to stee. rails and
nails. So also with the silk industry of this
country which produced probably half the
silk consumed here, and which was protected
by heavy duty, there was no trust or COM
binaton On the other hand there was q
very powerful trust or combination for rails
ing the price of beef and lowering the price
OF cattle on the hoof and no one could say
that that that trust was the result of high
duties. There was also the oatmeal trust
and the whisky trust, which had nothing to
do with duties Although he agreed with
tho gentlemen who were in favor of remod-
cling and revising the tariff, still the SEN
ators, II they wished to correct the great
full far short Of their purpose If
they confined themselves to q modification
of tariff rates. 1t was the duty of congress
to put on tho statute books such legislation
as would inhibt trusts and combinations.
Mr.. Coke offered a substitute for tho bill
and Mr.. George offered an amendment both
of which were ordered printed.
The bill then went over till Monday, when
1t Is to be unfinished business" and it was
ordered that the session tomorrow be con-
fined exclusively to business on the calendar.
In announcing the pairs on the Blair bill
yesterday the relative positions OF four sena-
tors were misstated on the floor. Messrs
Quay and Ransom, who were for the bill,
were paired with Messrs Butler and Casey
who were against. 1t was the reverse of
this that was stated.
After an executive session the senate ad-
journed.