The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-29
KITTRELL ON ANTITRUST BILL
THE MOST IMPORTANT MrAsrrr
BEFORE LEGIsLATURE.
ne Thinks Its Passage Would he =
Most Disastrous Thinn for
the state.

Austin, Texas, April 2s.--R Representative
kittrell has the following to say on the
antitrust bill:
In my judgment the antitrust bill is
BY far the most Important measure which
has been or will be before this body. and
Tor that reason Il should be considered
calmly, dispassionately and in absolute
( freedom from prejudice.
] legislator sits under the Obligation of
profoundly solemn oath and should at
least endeavor to decide the point in issue
just as he would do II he we're Judge
! upon the bench, this / shall certainly try
70 90 and since when held the position
OF Judge | paid not the slightest at3ention
TO popular clamor on either side Of any
cause, | certataly shall not do so In tbia
matter.
suppose that now am In the minority
nut ! was In the same. position in August
on tho question OF expansion. but apprc-
nenu ! am not now and do not believe
VIII be in the minority on this question
SIN months from now; however. do mot
consider the question OF majority or
minority. ! sympathize neither with ihe
integrity nor intelligence of any fct,o,v
member but have no test or rules nv
wtlch TO be guided except my own iudu-
nun'i conscience and convictions and,
suiueu ny these. | shall oppose the anti
trust blll unless the amendments ihcreto
reltrled by majority OF the committee
gre adopted. MY reason for my action ara
these NV
All legislation should BIO practical and
reasonable aud confined within constitu-
tlon limits Actualities should not be sub
ordinatod to localities. We should not at
practical effect
we can have no possible control over
the action OF any individual or corporation
outside OF Texas, so long as such action
Is not Intended TO AFFECT Texas people or
leNas interests, but We should use an our
constitutional power TO crush out any
trust or combination, which is intended TO
interests.
II. as the attorney general of tho
United States says, the Federal gov
ernment. the aggregation OF severn, xa
states, has no Jurisdiction In the
premises, but that the task of crush
ing trusts must be left TO the States"
then manifestly to make stale action sf-
feetive it must be harmonious uniform ana
concerted. Reciprocal action by all the
states viii necessarily roach the evil but
In the absence of such action no one state
can control any trust beyond It's own linz
its, then the question arises, How far
will we go?"
itcfcrriag to insurance companies. the
bill as oflorc1 says In effect That iAnny
insurance company belongs to or ia my
wise connected with any rating bureau in
any other State though such come 1tion
be there entirely lawful ard though the
action OF such bureau is mot intended to
and does not pretend to affect rates In
Texas, yet such company shall not do
business In this state In other words. We
make that unlawful in another state which
is by law OF that State entirely lawful.
II by reason OF the law tho companies
can not do business In this State oxcep,
at the peril of heavy penalties then they
must withdraw either from this State or
from other States. and, as their returns
from other States are far larger than from
this State, as plain BUSINESS proposition
they must quit this State. do not believe
that the results which would follow such
actions are fully appreciated or the legis-
lation proposed would not be advocated
The South. including Texas, has just
now. at the end OF a struggle of third of
a century, reached safe financial ground
and begun to ascend to the plane OF pros
perlty. To a very large extent the basis
OF her peoples credit and OF security for
their debts is to DO found In insurance
policies, and any action that Will even /
possibly deprive her people OF ouch basis
of credit will be a far reaching and un-
mixed calamity.
1t is said that the companies will not
leave Texas. but It must be evident that |
they will be obliged TO do so unless we |
can compel them TO sever their connections /
which are lawful elsewhere, and this we |
can not do.
II we declare in unmistakable and forcl-
Il. 4 $50 g I I..,ll
shall do business here which here or else
where makes rates to be enforced hc~n
to our laws, we have done all we
ran constitutionaly do.
No man Is more bitterly opposed 10
trusts formed to raise prices or crush out
than am. No man can Justly
challenge my devotion 10 democratic poli-
,ies or principles, but ! assert that VIC
should not fer the SAX of political the
ory and abstract principle enact II law
Intended 10 have extra territorial effect
nd which will result In the disturbance
IF values, impairment OF credits. destrnc
Ion CT securities and consequent financial
lisnster.
We can not wisely follow our ideal Of
81 at we would like and what we think
,ughL 10 be to the extent OF on unayold-
lble and harmful clash With the actual
or which we are not responsible and
which we can not prevent or control To
10 so will be to use homely phrase TO
bite off our nose 10 spite our face" We
hould not while striking at trusts stab
be profoundly important business Of in
urance to the vitals.
Leaving out of calculation the interests
i the rich. the homes of thousands Of the ,
laily laborers OF Texas depend on our
lction, and woe be unto him who would
mperi the homes that shelter the labor
ng men OF this State and their families.
The contention that home companies
would speedily be formed In sufficient
numbers TO do business is altogether un-
found There are many plants and stocks
n Texas which all the insurance companies
LONG business in this State can not fully
over
feel that the bill should be entitled
AN act 10 Imperil the homes OF the peo-
lie, paralyze industry. create financial
panic and stop progress and development
IN Texas"