, 1900-06-04
ANTITRUST BILL
LITTLEFIELD MEASURE PASSES
THE HOUSE WITH 4
WHIRL.
Bill Amends the Sherman Antitrust
Act ana, According to Statements
of Republican Leaders, Gees to the
Limit of the Authority of Congress
Under the Constitution.

Washington. June 2.-Only II vote
was cast in the house today against
the Littlefield antitrust bill to amend
he Sherman antitrust &C, to make it
more effective in the prosecution of
trusts, their agents or attorneys. Mr..
Mann republican. Ill., cast the mega
tive vote. The bill, according to the
statements of the republican leaders,
goes to the limit Of the authority of
congress under the constitution.
All the democratic minority amend
ments except one were defeated. That
was IN amendment declaring that
nothing in the act should be con-
strued to apply to trades unions or
labor organizations. All except eight
republicans, Messrs. Aldrich Of Ala
bama. Allen and LittlefeId Of Maine,
Bailey, Long and Calderhead of Kan
sas, and Cannon and Hit of Illinois
voted for it.
The bill amends the Sherman anti
trust law so as to declare every on
tract or combination in the form of a
trust or conspiracy in restraint of COM
merce among the states or foreign ma
tons illegal, and any party to such act
or combination guilty of a crime pun
ishable by a fine of not less than $500.
nor more than $4,000, and by imprison-
ment not less than six months, nor
more than two years.
1t provides hat any person injured
by a violation of the provisions of the
law may recover three-fold damages.
The definition of person" and per
sons in the present law is enlarged so
as to include the agents. officers or at
torneys of corporations. For purposes
of commerce it declares illegal all cor
poratiOns or associations formed or
carrying on business for purposes de-
clared illegal by the common laws;
provides that they may be pcrpetually
enjOined from carrying on interstate
commerce. and forbids them the use of
the United States mails. 1t provides
for the production of persons and pa
pers. and confers jurisdiction upon
United States circuit and district
courts for the trial of cases under it.
and authorizes any person, firm. corpo-
ration or association to begin and pros
eCute proceedings under it.
The last minority amendment pro,
| ViiaI that rnthinu in tho oct @1D,1J
be construed to apply to trades unions
or labor organizations. Against this
Mr.. Ray raised the point of order that
it was not germane. The speaker over
ruled the point of order, saying that 1t
was in order under the agreement.
The democrats greeted the ruling
with cheers. "Now we have you in the
hole shouted some one of the demo-
cratic side.
But many of the republicans voted
for the amendment. Mr.. Babcock of
Wisconsin was the first to vote with
the democrats, and his vote was greet
ed with applause. AS each republican
voted for it the democrats applauded.
They were especially demonstrative
when Mr.. Grosvenor of Ohio, Mr.. Ray
of New York and Mr.. Dolliver Of Iowa
voted in the affirmative. The amend
ment prevailed by an overwhelming
majority, 260 to 8.
The announcement was greeted with
cheers on both sides of the house.
Those who voted against the amend
merit were: Messrs. Aldrich of Ala
bama. Allen of Maine, Bailey of Kan
sas, Calderhead of Kansas, Cannon of
Illinois, Hit of Illinois, Littlefeld of
Maine, and Long of Kansas.
The ote was then taken on the pas
sage of the bill. On this vote the re-
publiCans repeated the democratic per-
Torrance of a%pplauding the democrats
as they voted for it. The bill was
passed. 273 to /. Mr.. Mann %(republi-
can. Ill., voted against the bill.
At $50 p. m. the house adjourned.