The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-06-01

had placed on the statute books in 1880
the Sherman antitrust law. The Dem
ocrats came into mower in 1892 on a
platform containing a strong plank
against trusts. For four years their
executive did not take any steps to
enforce the law the Republicans had
put upon the statute books. The great
Populistic Democratic leader at Chica-
go declared that a constitutional
amendment should be passed giving
congress the power to regulate trusts.
Present Law insufficient.
yet when we come here said he,
with that very remedy the leader on
the other side appeals to his colleagues
TO stand together on it. You charge US
with bad faith. You say that no con-
stitutional amendment that infringes
the power of the states should be
passed. Your objection is not to the
form. but to the substance. The rem
edy proposed by the gentleman from
Texas already exists. The supreme
court has decided that it is not suffi-
Gent. With that remedy alone congress
is pOwerleSs. If the trusts are not to be
frightened at the prospect of this leg
islation it is because they know that
between them and il stands the demo-
"
You believe in demagoguery on the
stump; We believe in effective Iegisla-
ton upon the statute books" (Repub-
lican cDDlause.
Mr.. Richards attempted to offer a
motion to recOmmit. but Mr.. DalzeH
made a point Of order against it, and
was sustained by the speaker. The
vote was taken amid considerable ex-
element, and the rule was adopted 141
to rs. 1t was a strict party vote, with
the exception of Mr.. Mann (Ills), who
voted with the Democrats against the
rule.
Ray Opens Formal Debate.
The minority amendments to the bill
were then offered and considered pend
ing, after which the debate upon which
the resolution was formally con-
sidered was opened by Mr.. Ray,
chairman Of the judiciary COM
mittee. Mr.. Rays argument fol-
lowed the lines of his report He said
the proposition of the minority to write
into the constitution something that
was already there was ridiculous. The
power to regulate corporations engaged
in interstate commerce already existed
II the proposition of the minority was
not political clap-trap, he did not know
What It was The people had felt the
sting of the trust evil, he said, and had
appealed to state legislatures, and
twenty-seven had responded. Twenty
of them had passed effective anti-mo-
nOpoiy legislation, but if the laws of
the fOrty-fiVe states were uniform and
if congress passed laws in perfect har-
mOny with them, he argued it would
still be impossible for the states and
the United States to get together with
out a constitutional amendment to re-
lieve the people.
Mr.. Ray said if the resolution was de-
feated the responsibility would rest up
on the Democrats. The majority had
but eighteen majority. II required a
two-thirds vote to pass the resolution.
If the opposition defeated it they must
answer at the polls.
Mr.. Ray was followed by Mr.. Terry
(Ark) on behalf Of the minority. He
expressed regret that in so grave an is
sue the Republican party had seen fit
to present a constitutional amendment
in so Objectionable a form that it could
never be Incorporated in the constitu-
( ton. The whole question, he said, had
been trea ~ not from the broad stand
point Of patriotism, but from the stand
point of party expediency. If there was
a sincere desire to adopt a constitution
al amendment why, he asked, had the
very first section been so wOrded as to
make every Democrat who voted for ii
subscribe to the doctrine that the con-
/ stitutiOn did not follow the flag. Why
submit such an entangling proposition
as this?
Republicans Not Sincere.
In view of all the facts, he said, the
| country would not believe that the Re-
/ publicanS were sincere. The leaders OF
i the Republican party knew where the
/ sineWs of war came from, and they
would do nothing to actually threaten
/ their base of supplies. The trust man.
1 ayers, he said, were laughing in their
/ sleeves at the antics being cut up here
with the purpose of deceiving the peo-
/ pie.
! Mr.. Terry contended that there was
! ample authority without a cOnstitu-
/ tional amendment to suppress trusts
! The very power invoked a few days age
4 in the bill to place convict-made goods
/ within the police powers Of the states
/ he said, was available.
IF congress could place convict-madt
/ goods under the control Of the states il
could place trust-made goods under
similar control" Democratic al
! plause.)
Mr. Landham (Tex.) occupied the re-
mainder of the day session in opposi
ton to the resolution. At sos p. m. the
house took a recess until o'clock.
Sulzer Charges Deception.
The chief feature of the night session
| arose out of a speech made by Mr. Sui
ger Dem.. N " against trusts. Mr.
Sulzer charged that the Republican,
were trying to deceive the people will