The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-20
THE POSITION OF Mr.. WOOTEN
WHY HE TAyORs ANTITRUST BILL
IN IT'S PRESENT SHAPE.
Time and Now Is as
Good ms Any.

1
Time and Now Is as
Good ms Any.
Austin. Texas, April 10 The following
was given the press this morning by Mr..
Wooten:
have received SO many kilograms that
can not undertake to answer them sep
arately and therefore / ask leave to SUBJ
NIT these remarks through the public
press.
In joining Mr. Henderson of Lamar and
Mr. Smith of Grayson in the introduction
OF the ''anti-trust bil'' in the house, |
think we have simply complied with a
plain mandate of the State democratic
platform, with the universal demand of the
people at large, and with the most i'm
peratlve necessity of the times,
The time has come when it must be
decided whether the trusts are to govern
this country and its institutions or the
constitution and laws are to be the SUI
preme rule OF conduct alike to the indi-
vidual citizen and the corporation syndi-
cate.
am surprised that such tempest of
protest has been raised in certain quar-
tiers against the measure. II anybody Is
conducting business in Texas now under
the methods OF trust he, she or it is vio-
lating the existing law. The proposed act
is merely an extension and strengthening
OF the provisions of the present statute
Tho principal, II not the only opposition
to this bill, comes from the fire insur-
ance companies and those who are in
tiuenced by the threats Of the insurance
peplc.
| ! haye seen cpy of telegram which
was sent out yesterday from Dallas by a
leading insurance Agency, and which reads
as follows;
10 ~-~--~--- Insurance Agent
Tho Arkansas statute against trusts
has been introduced In the Texas leg
lslature, and II IT. should become
law II will compel all insurance CEN
panies to withdraw from Texas Go
To work at once and get up petitions,
| femonstrances. etc, from insurance
men 10 the legislature. Get them
signed as numerously as possible, ana
/
OF your friends who will do likewise
ARRANGEMENTS have been made with
the Western Union company 10 pay
! here for an kilograms on this subject,
| etc,
! This accounts for the apparently sponta-
! neouS outhurst among the business men
against the bill. The insurance companle.
are simply terrorl1ing tho leading bust
! ness firms and lnterests of the State IN
I n
I the fire Insurance trust from the opera
! lions of the law. IL tho Insurance peo-
pie are not engaged In trust, why do
/ they fear This legislation? And has il
I come TO this that they have such a despotc
hold upon the business interests OF the
country that we must abide their dicta-
\ tiop and be inundated by their threats
OF withdrawal This fight has got to be
made and won or the people had as well
conclude TO submit to the absolute tyranny
( OF the various combines, trusts and syn
dlcates that today represent over 80 per
cent of tho capitalized industries and en-
| terprlses OF the country
II these insurance companies and allied
! corporations can paralze the legislative
powers OF the government through the
fears and protests OF the men whom they
hold in their grasp, there Is no hope for
any reform or regulation; for ''if they can
do these things in the green tree. what
Will they do in the dry?" The stand must
be made some time somewhere. some
how, and ! know no filter time, no better
place, no more effective way to accomplish
the desired result than now and hero and
by this bill, II is useless to argue that
the result will be to deprive our people
OF the benefits Of insurance. II Is q false
clamor to begin with and then there are
some things more valuable TO a free peo-
Pile than Are insurance. We have been
celebrating the memory and maxim oil
Thomas Jefferson lately, and IL was a IA.
| ycrite and fundamental precept OF his
that he had rather have the human race
reduced to single pair living on a desert
| island. enjoying the blessings OF freedom,
than to have populous earth grooming be-
/ meath the burdens OF eSaetions and tyrau-
/ NY
| 1t is getting to point in this Union
where We must have the nerve to 90 back
| TO this primitive faith OF democracy and
/ live or die by It's principles. Arkansas
has had the courage TO lead the way IN
this supreme struggle against the most
dangerous and destructive evil OF the age,
and Texas, as the banner democratic State.
ought 10 have enough political bravery to
enact an equally strong and adequate stat
! ute on the subject | shall give a full
| hearing in my committee to all parties
interested, but it is my positive conviction
! that tho bill ought 10 pass substantially
as introduced
II think, perhaps, an amendment might
be made clearly limiting the operation o.
the law TO the territorial jurisdiction OF
this State, for IL is doubtful II the control
lover trusts can be legally extended TO
their combinations and agreements out
side of Texas. All rates, prices, etc. chat
are charged In Texas, whether fixed by a
board on other organization inside or out
side of the State, should he subject 20 the
provisions OF the antitrust law, and II
is probably not possible nor advisable to
undertake more than this This, under
stand, was the original purpose and con-
struction of Judge Rector. the author OF
the original bill passed by tho Arkansas
legislature. II such an amendment a
deemed necessary by the committee II viii
pc reported or may be attached in the
house. The whole country is aroused. and
we'll II may be, upon the subject OF sup
pressing the wholesale robbery OF the peo-