Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-06-07
TRUST RESOLUTION
is KNOCKED OUT
House Defeats the Republican Pro-
posaI for Constitutional
Amendment.
MEASURE LOSES BY 80 VOTES
Falls That Many short or Necessary
Two-Tlsirtls - Five Democrats
Vote for 1t, Two lscpubli-
cans Against.

a ~
~ debate extending over two days, de-
teated the joint resolution proposine
constitutional amendment empow-
erlng congress to regulate trusts. 1t
requires two-thirds vote under the
constitution to adopt an amendment
to the constitution.
The vote stood; Ayes, 154; nays,
131.
The affirmative vote, therefore, was
3S short of the requisite two-thirls,
1872.
Five democrats, Messrs Campbell of
Montana, Naphch of Massachusetts,
Scudder of New York, Sibley of Penn
sylvania, and Thayer of Massa-
chusetts, and one siiverite, Mr.. New
lands of Nevada, voted with the rcpub-
licans for the resolution, and two re-
pllblicans, Mr.. Loud of California and
Mr.. Mccall of Massachusetts, with the
democrats.
These were the only breaks from
party lines.
The populists voted solidly against
the resolution.
The debate preceding the vote had
a strong political flavor throughout,
and was at times very personal. The
features We're the closing speeches by
Mr.. DE Almond of Missouri and MIR.
Littlctield of Maine, for their respect
i've sides, and the short speech of Mr..
Mccall of Massachusetts against the
resolution.
Mr.. Thayer of Massachusetts de-
fined a trust as a business BASTARD
which Mr.. Hanna could not palm off
as the result of thrift, push and fair
dealing of the American people.
Mr.. Grosvenor of Ohio devoted a
few minutes to explaining that the
failure of the Ohio republicans to
nominate Attorney General Monnett
in Ohio did not Indicate that they
were opposed to the prosecution of
trusts. Mr.. Monnett had had two
terms, and it was the we'll established
rule that no man should be candi-
date for that office IL third time. Be
sides Mr.. Monnett was not candi-
date for reelection.
Mr.. Lentz of Ohio said it was ex-
ceedingly pleasant for him to hear
Mr.. Grosvenor apologize for the third
time for the treatment of attorney
General NIonnett by the republican
party of Ohio. Mr.. Monnett, he said,
had prosecuted one trust in Ohio in
spite of the temptations of a bride of
100000 and in spite of the brow-beut-
ing of the republican press of the
state. Mr.. l.entz had read an inter
view of the date of May 10. 1900, with
Mr.. Monnett, in which he predicted
that the republicans of the state
would be punished for their treat
mcnt of the trusts.
This constitutional amendment
was Il fraud, continued MIR. Lentz, and
the democrats would prove the
hypocrisy of the republicans before
Saturday night. "Elect William Jen-
nings Bryan" said he, '.and he will
place at the head of the department
OF Justice an attorney general-not
from the trust ridden state of New
Jersey WHO will keep the trusts SO
busy they will not have time to pur-
sue their rapacious vocation"
Mr.. Grosvenor, replying, said that if
the democrats elected their president
as Mr.. Lcntz predicted, and proceed
cd to destroy the trusts. that destruc-
tion must take place under republican
law placed on the statute books
against democratic opposition. Later
touching on an incident in the polit-
ical history of Ohio. he referred to the
way ne democrats had driven out Il
republican official as democrats in an
other state had hurled out repub-
lican governor.
"But they did not murder him.
cried Mr.. Ehea of Kentucky.
"Neiihcr did they put up 100000
to punish somebody who was not
guilty" retortcd Mr.. Grosvenor.
Mr. Pcarcc. of Tennessee. read a
signed interview with General Gros-
vcnor. printed some time ago. tleclnr-
ing that constitutional amendment
was unnecessary to deal with trusts.
After further remarks by Mr..
Reeves. of Illinois. and Mr.. Clayton. of
New York. Mr.. Dc Almond. of Mis-
souri,, closed the debate for his side
with speech an hour and a half in
length.
In his opinion the republicans We're
thinking. not of destroying the trusts,
but of the coming election. When con-
grcss assembled the republican leaders
rushed through under whip and spur
he financial law which they really
intended should 90 on the statute
book. Now at The end of the session
they proposed trust remedy. not to
remedy the evils of trusts, but to Tide
them over the campaign. He was OPP
posed to the hollow mockcry OF going
through the motions of sending it to
the senate to he buried there. The
trust evil was serious. all important
problem TO be solved. and no mere po-
litical trick would be satisfactory to
our people. The proposed amend
mcnt. lie said bore ,ipon its face irrcf-
ntabIr evidence that it was not intend
cd TO be placed in the constitution to
control trusts. but to be placed in
the campaign to drludc voters. In
conclusion Mr.. De Almond appealed to
his democratic colleagues not to vote
for the resolution.
A few minutes We're yielded to Mr..
Mccall. of Massachusetts. who said
he would vote for the Littlcficld bill.
but would vote against The rcsoln-
ton. He declared that the amend.
mcnt was more far-reac,ing than
nigh: be supposed at first blush. II
might he used TIC place all individual
combinations under the ban. 1t would
strike deadly blow at individual lib
crty and might be used to destroy la
Dor organizations. No a1fendihent
was necessary until every weapon in
the constitutional armory had been
exhausted.
Mn C,,,ouinrs of New York Snid.