The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-03-27
SENATOR SHERMAN'S
Antitrust Bill and its COnStitu-
tionality and
BEARING ON STATES RIGHTS
Kansas City Senator Puts on His
Bloody Shirt.

WASHINGTON, March 26.-After transacting
business of minor Importance, the antitrust
bill was taken up and various formal amend
ments made.
Spooner offered an amendment giving the
committe authority to issue writs of injunction
prohibiting combinations from proceeding fur
Their in their business except to wind up their
affairs.
The legal bearing and effect of the amendment
as well as the bill generally, was discussed by
Spooner, Gray, Hoar, Stewart, Vest, Regain
and Eustis. After some remarks in reply to
some things said by Reagan yesterday,
Vest said he would not say another
word about the constitution. He was prepared
to 'join the procession He would like the
Senator from Ohio (Sherman) to say whether
he considered the clause Incorporated in the
bill by Ingalls, amendment imposing a tax on
dealings in options" constitutional or not. He
characterized the bill as u remarkable act of
legislative legerdemain.n
Eustis said he regarded the bill as the gross
est usurpation of states rights ever attempted
in the history of the government.
Ingalls, said the amendment was not intended
to interfere with bargains, purchases, sales or
exchange of any products of which the parties
might be possessed, or be producers, or which
they intended actually to deliver. 1t was di-
rected against that gigantic modern invention
known as dealing in futures His amend
ment has been met at every stage of the pro-
l. SONsAAAC " thS AAbCA O1ibACh ~ DNiiC 4a1obhCL
of order or some question of conStitutionality.
The people of the United States, ingalls, con-
tinued, have a reasonable degree of respect for
the constitution, but they are not afraid of 1t.
The constitution was a growth and not a manu-
f~acture, and the constitution of 1890, by reason
of the operation of the will of the people
instrument from the constitution of 1889. It's
authors would not know it. They had made it
for a specific purpose-not for the object of ena-
bling country lawyers to devise definitions or to
| MT obstacles and harriQrS To the will Of the
people. But the constitution was perpetually
invoked by narrow and rigid and illiberal con
structionists as an insuperable barrier against
every effort to benefit the condition of the peo-
pie. Senators supporting the bill had
been tainted with bad faith, with
false chivalry, with fighting sham battles be-
vision which was entirely within the limits and
provision of the constitution. Those gentle
men Eustis, George and Vest) had spent con
siderable time endeavoring to destroy that con
s~titution they now plead on every occasion,
There had been no step in national progress for
the last thirty-five years against which these
Senators have not risen and declared it against
the constitution. He, ingalls,, recollected there
was once q great demonstration to prove
there was no power in the constitution
to coerce q state which saw fit TO go out of the
union, yet the people had found it. There ha6
been similar protests against the abolition Of
slavery, in the reconstruction laws, etc. Re
Gently, when a resolution was offered to inquire
into a violation Of the constitution, the govern
ment had a right to go anywhere else in the
world where the rights of American citizen:
were violated, but had no power to take care o.
the rights of American citizens assailed in Mis-
siSsippi. He commended to these conStruerso
the constitution a contemplation Of the result.
of their criticisms during the last thirty years
Vest said if the Senators representing the
southern states were to be under prescription
as announced by the Senator from Kansas, the,
might as well be out of the union. He wa
under obligation to the constitution but not tt
take the construction put upon it by Ingalls,
He moved Ingalls, amendment making tn,
license 10,000 instead of 81 COO.
Eustis also replied to Ingalls, remark
briefly and argued against the amendment. 1
the Senator Qngalls) sought to correct tn
morals of the people, he (Eustis) asked him t
leave out louisiana.
: IngalIs-We van to take hold of your lotter
by and by.
Vests amendment was then adopted, as wer
/ also the following:
f.; By Notwithstanding the provisions of tn
: bill to stocks and bonds.
BY notwithstanding its powers to cotto
prints, steel rails, boots and shoes, lead an
lumber.
By Blair-Including wooden goods and whisk
and all kinds of intoxicating drinks.
The committee of the whole then rose, rt
. ported the bill and after executive session tn
/ Senate adjourned.