New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-28
NO TRUST PANACEA FOUND
THE INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION NOT
LIKELY TO MAKE ANY RECON-
MENDATIoNs TO CONGRESS.
TBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rn1BuxE.l

statements and testimony which It has indus
trously collected since organized in October.
1895. This enormous mass, of which large proper
tion, IL is asserted by men who ought to know con-
siss Of rubbish, has all been printed for the of
the Commission" and when published by Congress,
If that shall be done will I'LL fifteen or twenty thick
octave volumes. The digest of the matter relating
to the investigation of trusts alone will I'LL big
volume. IL not This investigation was not
contemplated by the act constituting the Commits
sion, but, explained by members thereof, natu-
rally grew of the investigation by sub-commit-
tees Of the subjects of agriculture manufactures.
mining and transportation. IAN these investga-
tions pointed to the necessity of investigating
trusts and other combinations of capital" said a
member of the Commission recently. Be that as it
may, the free energies and efforts of the Commits
sion have been devoted to that subject during
months past. II is now understood that the Com
mission will not submit a report accompanied by
recommendations 10 Congress this any other
subject. but will itself with transmitting
TO that body the enormous amount of testimony it
has collected on various subjects and inviting at
tention to some features Of it which said to be
striking.
A SCHEME THAT WOULD NOT WORK
1t appears that the Commission at one period of
its labors devoted some consideration TO a uni
versal panacea suggested to the evis Of trusts
and combinations which was in some respects very
like the remedy which Colonel Bryan is exploiting
as an original discovery Of his own The scheme
considered was bring all trusts and combinations
under the supervision and control of the General
Government by the enactment by Congress of
law authorizing the creation OF a bureau or de-
partment in Washington which should appoint off,
cial examiners who should investigate and make
regular reports concerning the affairs and
lions OF all trusts in about the same manner
that the Controller of the Currency under the Ma
tional banking laws supervses and controls. within
certain limitations, the affairs and transactions of
the National banking associations chartered and
organized under those laws. The scheme
dropped it's impractcabity was sug-
gested and disclosed, and the radical difference
tween corporation operating under National
charter and one operating under State charter
pointed out.
Then came the recent decision of the Supreme
Court OF the United States sustaining the Sherman
Antitrust law. the provisions of which, 1t appears.
were more potent and far reaching than great
many persons had supposed or believed them TO be.
That decision called halt in the trust investiga-
tions Of the Commission, which were, Indeed, not
as thorough as they perhaps might have been If it
hao been clothed with authority to summon and
compel the attendance of witnesses and examine
them under oath. Even bureau of informa-
ton" in that respect at least, the Industrial Com
mission not well equipped. 1t has not been
total failure, however, for its operations have
WINGED some If not majority. of fits members that
the existing antitrust legislation embodied in the
Sherman act is comprehensive and effective as
any which could be devised by Congress that would
be sustained by the courts. AS member of the
preme Court shows that the existing law and
Will be enforced, and 1 believe that Congress will
hesitate long before attempting to any further"
The law referred to was enacted at the first
sion Of the List Congress. and approved by
President Harrison July 2. 1890.
FORMER TRUST INVESTIGATIONS.
brief reference to previous antitrust investiga-
tons is appropriate here. At the first session of
the Lth Congress the House Committee Manu-
features, Of which Mr.. Bacon, of New-York, was
chairman, and Messrs. Wilson, of West Virginia;
Breckenridge. of Arkansas, and Bynum. of Indi-
ana, ali Democratic members of the Ways and
Means Committee, were also members, directed
10 investigate the trusts of the United States,
and in order that the investigation might be thor
ough the committee clothed with power to ad
minister oaths, examine witnesses, compel the at
tendance of persons and the production of papers
and to employ stenographer Mr.; Mills, of Texas
means committee were then engaged in framing a
tariff BILL and it perhaps felt that such in
lantern proceedings With JOYFUL aiaerty and en-
5Snus,iasIn and with loud flourish Of trumpets
entered upon the investigation March s, 1885,
They summoned and examined more than a hun
bred ard twenty-five witnesses, including H. o.
Havemeyer and Claus spreckels of sugar fame
Mr.. Rockefeller. Mr.. Flagler and others of the
Standard on Company and representatives Of the
On jay % the testimony relating to the sugar
Trust and the Standard Oil Trust was submitted to
leaving iegisatiye bbbe on the s,rf FADE w sr
he nfaee Where If VENT S I me h 10 1afh
submitted no recommendations as it in
passed the House, carrying duty on refined sugar
OF nearly a cent a pound more than the Dingley
law of 1897. After short breathing spell Chair
man Bacon's committee resumed its Investigations
dealing with the Whiskey Trust and the Cotton
Begging Trust final report was submitted on
March 2 1883 one day before the expiration of the
lowing 10 present difference OF opinion between the
members Of the committee"
There was another investigation by the House
Judiciary Committee in the Lid Congress- of
which the whiskey Trust was the chief subject
After an examination of many witnesses report
one of the findings of which was that none of the
methods employed by the trust in controlling the
production or disposition of their products are in
Violation Of the laws of the United States" and
that ''t is clearly settled that the production
manufacture of that which may become subject
OF Interstate commerce and ultimately pass into
fscturers of any sort be instruments of Commerce
within the meaning Of the Constitution"
THE WORK OF THE COMMISSION
There the matter rested until the Industrial Com
mission undertook investigation OF the SUBJ
3ect with the conclusion before mentioned. This
Commission authorized by an act passed at the
second session of the LVth Congress, and 1t
sists of nineteen members four of whom are men,
bers Of the United States Senate, five members
Of the House Of Representatives and ten ap-
pointed from civil life by the President, each OF
whom receives salary of s.. 800 year and neces-
sary travelling expenses when official business.
The Senators and Representatives also receive
money pay their travelling hotel and other
penses S--sn employed ir the work of the Commits
sion. Congress has made an appropriation of s75,-
600 for the expenses Of the Commission and an in
definite appropriation for salaries. The total
amount drawn from the National Treasury on ac-
since II was organized is $ll2.593 r. OF which $685.
oSs 56 was on account of salaries and $7504 16
on account Of expenses. Congress provided that
the official existence Of the Commission should
w he a rf has hzar 1nNl