Iron County register., 1900-06-07
NOTES FROM WASHINGTON
Items of General Interest from the
National Center of Leg
isiation.
REPUBLICANS PLAYING A SHAM GAME.
Failure OF Congress to Lesisiate
Against Trusts-The Cuban Steel
and Mining }TroubIes-Imperialf
Gaining SGround-Hanna's Fund
Short.
Especial Correspondence

The republicans are in a blue funl
because they realize that the country
is already sitting in Judgment on ths
failure of their congress to legislatt
in restraint of trusts. Their alleged
constitutional amendment fell so fla
that it became imperatively necessary
to construct something else that coulo
be used for campaign scarecrow.
The ways and means committee is
holding night sessions and calling in
the best legal talent to aid it in draw
ing up what the republicans advertise
as real antitrust BILL
This is going to be constitutional
and it will squeeze all the water out
of trusts and prevent them from op-
pressing the people, said a republican
| who stands very high in administration
councils.
1t was pointed out that the date set
for the introduction of the bill would
only be week before adjournment
and that the chances were very much
against its being pushed through both
houses, even if the republican majority
desired such a result.
well, of course, it may not be passed
this session. said this same optimistic
| manufacturer of campaign material,
''but at any rate it will show the peo-
| pie what we intend to do and they
ought to keep the republicans in power
when their intentions are so good
The trouble is that the people have
grown tired of promises and good in
| tentions on the part of the republic
| ans. They had clear ms iority in both
/ houses and could hare joassed any de-
| sired antitrust legislation long ago.
! The fact is that they never intended to
meddle with the trusts and have only
| been frightened into sham display
of opposition at this late date because
the voters of the country are already
voicing their Indignation at a party
which not only refuses to restrain the
mischievous tendencies of trusts but
actually promotes their interests as
far as possible by power of congress.
Republican Pretense.
Even if a really effective antitrust
law We're passed, the republicans could
always find an attorney general, like
the present one, who would declare the
law imperative.
A proposition to restrain trusts will
be in nice company with the ship sub
sidy bill on one side of it and the armor
plate steal on the other. not to say
anything of the opportunities for trust
exploitation so generously furnished
in legislating for Porto Rico outside the
constitution and leaving the Philip
pines in the control of the president
which means Mark Hanna and his
friends.
The republicans are little late with
their pretense of restraining trusts
This congress will be judged on what
it actually did in relation to trusts, not
what it proposed to do.
The Cuban Postal Frauds.
The Cuban postal frauds gave one
object lesson on the effect of imperial
ism, and the investigation of the Idaho
mining troubles and the application of
martial law gives twin lesson as to |
the dangers of militarisna and a big !
standing army.
The republican ma ajority of the house |
committee on military affairs try to |
justify the use of United States troops |
in imprisoning and finally e;1iling men,
whose only proven offense was MEM |
bership in a labor union. The wage |
workers of the country will not fail to |
note this, and they fear that militarism |
will be found much more convenient |
toll than the usual injunction when
ever an industrial disturbance occurs
1t is not that the punishment of the
rioters in Idaho is condemned. On the
contrary the labor organizations all |
over the country have condemned the /
riot and put themselves on record in
fn fNf arch
fullest extent of the law. The trouble
is that the administration and its party
seem to think that martial law is a
good substitute for state and federal
law and that it does not matter how
many innocent men are punished on
suspicion that they are exercising their
rights as citizens in belonging to a
union.
The minority report on the Idaho
trouble shows that Gen. Merriam and
Gov. Steunenberg cooperated in an
of martial law which has
no precedent in this country. Every
accusation as to the crue1ties of the
bullpen was sustained and it was shown
that martial law is still in force in
Idaho for the sole purpose of enforc-
ing the permit system.
The wage workers of the country
are alarmed at this disposition to take
away from them the protection of the
and substitute an IRE
sponsible militarism. One of the first |
results of the Idaho investigation is
shown in Speaker Henderson's report
to President Mckinley that the army
reorganization bill cannot pass the
rouse. He said if it did the next house |
would surely be democratic. The dem
ocratic congressional committee is sure
hat it will be democratic anyway, but
he administration is very much
,rieyed over the failure of the army
,iIl II
Application of Imperialism.
While an adjournment early in June :
S confidently advertised by the repub- !,
leans, there is plenty of work on hand !
or congress. The house makes slow 6
with the Alaskan code. It is !;
most voluninous bill and the demo- !,
rats show an eNasperating tendency
o thoroughly sift number of its :
most Objectionable features. Among
'ther things it is proposed to very :
much extend the power of the adj !,
ninistration-appointed judges and to !
urtail the cases IN which trial may
'e had by. jury. The whole code shows
he application of imperialist notions,
hat is taking the power from the peo- p
lie and putting it into the hands of the il
administration. n
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