St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-07-07
NOTES FROM washington
Items of General Interest from the
National Center of Leg
isiation.
REPUBLICANS PLAYING A SHAM GAME.
Failure of Congress to Legislate
Against Trusts-The Cuban Steel
and Mining TroubIes-Imperialis
Gaining Ground-Hanna's Fund
Short,
[special Correspondence.1

| = H6 I6puDl1CauS are III d. U1uE 1uuh
because they realize that the country
is already sitting in judgment on the
failure of their congress to legislate
in restraint of trusts. Their alleged
constitutional amendment fell so fiat
that it became iimperatively necessary
to construct something else that could
be used for a 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 OPP
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 a week before adjournment
| and that the chances were very much
against its being pushed through both
houses, even il the republican majority
desired such result.
"We1l, 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 a clear majority in both
houses and could have passed 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 a sham display
Of opposition at this late date because
the voters of the country are already
voicing their indignation at 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 were 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.t the
constitution and leaving the Philip
pines in the control Of the president
which means Mark Hanna and his
friends.
The republicans are a 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 a twin lesson as to
the dangers of militarism and a big
standing army.
The republican majority of the house
committee on military affairs try to
Justify the use of United States troops
in imprisoning and finally exiling men,
whose only proven offense was menf-
bership in a labor union. The wage
workers of the country will not fail to
note this, and they fear that miitarism
will be found a much more convenient
toll than the usual injunction when
ever an industrial disturbance occurs.
It 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
favor of Furnishing the guilty to the
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
application of martial law which has |
no precedent in this country. Every
accusation as to the cruelties of the |
bullpen was sustained anditwas 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
constitution and substitute an IRE.
sponsible militarisnl. 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
house. He said if it did the next house
would surely be democratic. The dem
ocratie congressional committee is sure
that it viii be democratic anyway, but
the administration is very much
grieved over the failure Of the army
bill.
Application of Imperialism.
While an adjournment early in June
IS confidently advertised by the repub-
leans, there is plenty of work on hand
for congress. The house makes slow