The times., 1899-05-13
GENERAL POLITICAL
NEWS AND GOSSIP.
The Trust I..ae.-Tbat the trus


The Trust Issne.-That the trust is
sue will be one Of the leading issues in
the next Presidential campaign must be
perfectly obvious to anyone who has paid
any attention TO the drift Of public senti-
ment. The opposition to the universal
trust idea which is the only logical out
come of the present situation, is believed
to be much more deep seated than some OF
the defenders Of the system would like to
think. The Industrial Labor Commission
has taken up the subject and whether in
tentionslly or otherwise the Commission is
likely to evolve some splendid campaign
material before the Presidential battle of
1900 opens up The Commission is sup
posed to be non-partisan. Senator Kyle,
Of South Dakota, who has recently re-
signed the chairmanship of ii, started out
in life as Republican, subsequently turn
ed Populist and bushwhacker, and finally
landed in the United States Senate as an
Independent" Last winter he acted and
voted with the Republicans upon all mat
tiers of any Importance of a political char
acter. Mr.. kyle's successor as chairman OF
the Commission will probably be the Hon.
Thomas w. Phillips, OF Pennsylvania. Mr..
Phillips was formerly a Representative in
the House from the Keystone State. and
he was the author of the law which called
the Industrial Labor Commission into ex
istence. 1t was due almost solely to Mr..
Phillips efforts that the law was finally
placed upon the statute books. But for his
persistence and dogged determination the
bill creating the present Industrial Labor
Commission would never have run the
gantlet of both Houses of Congress and
received Presidential approval. He got his
first bill through in the closing hours OF
the Fifty-fourth Congress. Mr.. Cleveland
was up at the Capitol affixing his signature
to such measures that met with his august
approval. Mr.. Phillips and a number of
distinguished gentlemen waited upon Mr.
Cleveland to answer any questions that
he might wish to ask concerning this par
ticular piece of legislation. When they
reached the door of the room reserved for
the President upon such occasions they
found the door locked and a grim-faced
messenger stationed on the outside, who
said that the President did not wish to be-
disturbed. The situation was critical. 1t
lacked only a few minutes to IL o'clock
when the session would expire by consti-
tutional limitation. Unless the bill was
signed before Congress adjourned 1t would
be lost. At this trying moment the Hon.
William Sulzer, of New York. came nobly
to the rescue. Gentlemen" he said, dra-
matically, I'VE will get into that room if
| have to break down the door, Produc-
ing heavy black-thorn stick that had
been presented to him by some of his Irish
constituents, he began hammering on the
door. After a few vigorous blows had
been administered the door was opened and
the party followed Mr. Sulzer into the
room. Mr.. Cleveland was discovered over
in the corner discussing a cold bite and a
big black bottle with friend. He looked
up impatiently at the boId intruders. Sui
ger acted as spokesman. Assuming his
Henry Clayesque attitude. he said: "Mr
President. we wish to invite your atten-
tion to a bill in which every representa-
tive labor Organization of the United
States is interested-I might add, sir,
vitality interested" He then mentioned
the title of the measure and entered upon
an explanation of Its details and the objects
it sought to accomplish. Mr.. Sulzer wax
ed very eloquent, indeed, and several
times Mr.. Phillips tugged at his coattails
to remind him that the time was getting
short. When Snlzer finally came to the
end of his peroration, Mr. Cleveland took
up his pen and made a move as If to sign
the bill, which. happened to be lying before
him. AS he did so he paused and took out
his watch. Gentlemen" he said, II think
that this bill is all right. and had in
tended TO approve II. But observe that 1t
is five minutes past II; Congress has ex-
pired and have no legal right now to at
tach my signature to IT,"
few minutes later as the members OF
the party were slowly descending the Cap
itol steps in a somewhat disconsolate
frame OF mind. Mr.. Phillips was overheard
to remark to Mr.. Sulzer: "Mr Sulzer,
your speech was very fine, but if you
only could have cut it down our bill would
now be a law
However, Mr. Phillips did not give up
the fight. He was not a member of the
Fifty-fifth Congress, but he had his meas
ure reintroduced by friends In both Houses
and finally had the satisfaction of seeing
it enacted into law. He is very much
in earnest and will endeavor. so far as
may be in his power, to investigate the
trust proposition impartially.
Gen. Frederick Funston.-The poll
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