The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1900-06-07
At Washington.

Saturday against the Littlefeld anti.
trust bill to amend the Sherman act of
! 1890 to make it more effective in the
prosecution of trusts and combinations,
their agents, officers or attorneys. MI
Mann, Republican, of Illinois, cast the
negative vote The bill according TO the
statement of the Republican leaders,
goes 10 the limit of the authority of
{ ongress under the constitution All
the Democratic minority amendments
except one were defeated. There was
an amendment declaring that nothing
in the act should be construed to apply
to trades unions or labor organizations.
All except eight Republicans voted for it.
The bill amends the Sherman antitrust
law so as to declare either contract or
a combination in the form of a trust or
conspiracy in restraint of commerce
among the states or with foreign nations
illegal and every party to such contract
or combination guilty of crime, pun.
ishable by fine of not less than $500 or
more than $4,000 and by imprisonment
of n Ut less than six months nor more
than two years. 1t provides that any
person injured by violation of the
provisions of the law may recover three
fold damages.
There is an understanding that the
case of Clarke of Montana will not be
taken up in the Senate during the pres
ent session. Clark will not endeavor to
have his credentials accepted and the
committee on privileges and elections
with this proviso are willing to let the
subject drop for the present, leaving it
exactly as it was after Clark resignation
and before his reappointment. The
evidence of conspiracy in the matter of
Cla1k's resignation and reappointment
is so overwhelming that it may be
doubted whether the Montana million
aire will undertake to get into the SEN
ate again except by regular process of
election. The chronology of the con-
sptracy now in possession of the COM
mittee on privileges and elections is in
itself sufficient proof. Its mere tabular
recital is suggestive.
The House Friday after lively debate
extending over two days, defeated the
joint resolution proposing constitu-
tional amendment empowering Congress
to regulate trusts. 1t requires a two
thirds vote to adopt an amendment to
the constitution The vote stood ayes
154, nays 1871 The affirmative vote was
therefore 36 short of the requisite two
thirds, 1872. Five Democrats, Messrs
Campbell of Montana, Napben of NJ assa-
chusetts, Scudder of New York, Sibley
of Pennsylvania, and Thayer of Massa
chusetts, and one silverite, Mr.. Newlands
of Nevada, voted with the Republicans
for the resolution and two Republicans,
Mr.. Loud, California and Mr. Mccall,
Massach usetts, with the Democrats
against it. These we're the only breaks
from party lines. The populists voted
solidly against the resolution. The de-
bate proceeding the vote had a strong
political flavor throughout and was at
times very personal. The features were
the closing speeches of Mr.. De Almond
of Missouri, and Mr.. Littlefeld of Maine,
for the respective sides.
At a cabinet meeting Tuesday, Sec
rotary Hay read a cabegram from
Minister Conger at Pekin, to the effect
that the situation in China was very
unsatisfactory and that even in Pekin
great alarm was felt. The minister will
be given wide discretion in dealing with
those new conditions
The secretary of the navy has received
the following cabegram from Admin al
Kempff, commanding the United States
ship Newark, lying at the Taku forts at
the mouth of the Pei llo river dated,
June 5:
Engagement has commenced, Have
landed force of so seamen more \ \ \
battalion of marines.
(Signed) KEMPFF "
The cipher message is not entirely
legible and it is supposed at the navy
department that the admiral means
that he has landed so seamen to REIN
force the battalion of marines already
ashore.