The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-01-30
ANTITRUST LEGIsLATIoN,
Republican Leaders Preparing to Spike
the only Democratic Gun,

kile NnlN l'NNlNtIAAlN 0uN,
NEW YORK, Jan GA special to
the Herald from Washington says;
Mr. Bryan and other Democratic
leAders are planning to make an anti
trust declaration one " the principal
phunks OF their platform, but the re-
puhlioens may execute a tlank move'
ment that will make the issue a very
,suhordinate one and viii give heir
party whatever credit is TO be gotten
out of Il,
Some OF the republican leaders have
cOn,c to the conclusion that II con-
sress should pass a resolution propos-
ing an amendment TO the constitution
to give the United states government
power over corporations it would leave
no chance Tor the intended democratic
assault ON trusts. should such a reso-
luuun be passed during the spring or
early summer IL could not be acted
upon by the various state legislatures
hefure next winter and the issue would
in the meantime be in suspense, with
the credit for having taken the first
step in the directionot eitectuU control
of trusts resting with the republicans
One step has already been taken in
this direction by the introduction OF a
resolution Icy Representative Jenkins.
of Wisconsin chairman OF the sub
committee of the house committee on
judiciary. charged with the Consldera-
ton Of trust measures and his action
is, In a way, a reply to a challenge from
democratic members OF the committee
At a recent meeting OF the commit
tee. Terry OF Arkansas. wanted the re-
pulllcans To take up some OF the vari-
Gus antitrust propositions that had
been referred to the committee They
informed him they proposed TO consld-
er the subject and report a measure.
4 study OF the various propositions
then before the committee led Mr.. Jen-
kins 10 the opinion that none was
practicable or effective. and the result
was the preparation OF his resolution
proposing constitutional amendment.
While republican members Of the
committee declare they win report a
measure OF some kind, they don't pro-
pose to oe hurried by the democrats,
and they will not do anything until the
report OF the Industrial commission has
been received. That report nelng de-
layed b. the difficulty OF the commis-
sioners in coming to an agreement, and
also by the fact that the testimony
taken during the summer has not been
fully indexed and digested.
Advocates of action along the lines
OF the Jenkins resolution figure cut
that II would put the republicans in IN
invincible position In the next cam
paign They could point cut the de-
cislons Of the supreme court OF the
United States as TO the present imita-
tiOns on tn. power OF congress over cor
porations and could show that they
had taken the first step in the direc-
tion Of removing those limitations and
giving to congress absolute power
Republicans could also assert that
the present antitrust law Is a republl-
can measure and that the only cases
successfully prosecuted under 1.-THE
Chicago Traffic Association cases and
the pipe trust case-were carried
through by a republican attorney-gen-
eral.
From this standpoint Of practical
politics it is declared a proposition to
amend the constitution so as to put
the control OF corporations under the
federal government would not meet
with disfavor among the managers Of
the great industrial corporations.
The first suggestions for national
control made before the industrial
commission came from Vice. President
Archibald, Of the Standard Oil Com
pany, and 1t was taken up and In
dorsed by almost every corporation
witness WHO appeared before the COM
mission.