The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-14
NO ANTITRUST LEGISLATION.
REPUBLICANS NOT LIKELY TO At
TEMPT TO PASS ANY.

The Most They VIII DO Will Prob
ably he to Put "a strong Antitrust
Plank in Their PIntform-Recent
Report of subcommittee That
Meant Nothing-Senator DePeW and
senator TiIImnn Are Becoming
Warm Friends.
Washington. Jan. 1S.-Democratic leaders
do not expect to see any ANTITRUST iesis-
lation put through the present Congress.
According to the lights before them, the
Republican progra mme seems to be TO
quietly suppress all efforts al substantial
antitrust legis alton, or If anything at
all is put through, 20 enact some meaning
less biz just before adjournment-some
thing they know will not stand he test
of the courts and will therefore, satisfy
the trust people, but which cannot be
passed upon by the courts until after the
presidential elecGo~
1t is more probable however that they
viii do uothing in Congress, but viii forti-
fly themselves for the campaign by putting
into their platform the strongest kind of
an anti-trust declaration. They will, if
they can find the language to frame 1t,
have plan more strongly antitrust than
that of the Democrats themselves.
The utterances Of Republican leaders in
the House-Grosvenor, Hepburn and 9th
crs. indicates purpose to claim all the
credit for the Sherman law and to attempt
nothing in the way of further legislation.
Any effort on their part to legislate would,
they fear, stir up strife among their own
forces. 1t is their policy. therefore, to let
well enough alone and trust to their plat
form declaration to carry them through
the campaign that is sure to be waged
against their party as the party of the
trust
Report Meant Nothing.
The Industrial Commission, which has
had before ii a great mass of testimony
on both sides of the trust question, is not
expected to make a report before March
or April The subcommittee, which has
had The trust question under its control
is a Republican committee. 1t prepared
a preliminary report which meant nothing
at all This preliminary report was, upon
motion of Congressman Livingston OF
Georgia. sent back 10 the Subcommittee,
with instructions to bring back "a report
which meant something. 1t was the idea
of those who voted with Col. Livingston
some sort of conclusions on the trust ques-
tion-should either declare the trusts to be
a benefit or an evil, and If an evil should
try and suggest some remedy.
senator Kyle of North Dakota, who is
chairman of the commission, is inclined to
take the view that the country is in the
transition stage and that it is yet to be
developed whether these great combina-
tiors of capital are beneficial or harmful.
I'VE may" said he in talking about the
subject "be on the eve OF a great COM
mercial movement of the twentieth cen
turv in which these vast aggregations of
capital will play an important and a ne
cessary part. We are, | for one feel very
much in the dark as yet. There has been
a great deal of agitation for instance
against the great department stores in
the cities and yet they are necessary
development of business and of great ad-
vantage to the public generally. The same
may be true about the trusts. Mind you
am not saying that it is, for l confess
am still in the dark"
Chauncey Is in Danger.
The people of New York will have to
keep their eyes on their junior senator.
He is in danger of being brought under
the voodoo influence of the Tillman rab-
bit foot The representative of the Van
derbilts and the representative of the
South Carolina dispensary are rapidly de-
veloping a warm friendship. Senator Till
man makes it a point to be particularly
friendly with new senator's as they make
their appearance, and it is noticed that
as rapidly as he makes acquaintance he
forms friendships even with the repre-
sentatives of plutocracy. His friendship
with Hale of Maine is only one of many,
and now that he has taken the lordly De-
pew under his wing Chauncey Is in dan
ger.