The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-05-02
HrIrN'> Amcndment Ia ihc Army
Appropriation Bill Provoked
Sharp Debate.
MEASURE AIMED AT COMBINES.
Proposition Ia Restrict Purchase of
Army Supplies lo Antitrust
concerns Hcfeated-.;errl
Criticised Scvrii.

Washington. Man lin considering the
army appropriation .ll to-day Senator E'r
~ offered the fpllnUine smcuimc1i. Airi-,i
al trusts:
I n" QueTt"rm:Sicr'S Department. In
nia.<iilS contracts and purchases of articles
ana supplies for the military service. shal!
give preference. alt other things including
r'ice and quality, being equal. Jv articles Of
The growth. production and manufacture Of
iae United States. ard ~ between The pro-
1uceHS. manufacturers Merchants .I1d d,;ti-
,rS Of the United States preference shall be-
gwen. all Other things inclndinE lric" and
quality. being equal TO those producers.
manufacturers. merchants and dealers who
ar" not members Of OF in any way connected
with any trust or combine formed 10 pro-
Guce. manufacture or sell the articles which
are being contracted FOR and purchased ny
the Cuait"rmaster's Department for The
military service
Alr. Seweli OF New Jersey froui-.d what
he meant By trust. what We're commonly
known as trusts he said in many instances
had proved to be public beIiefac;ors 90 He
designated the Standard oil Company and
The American Sugar Refining Company as
two combinations Of capital which had
cheapened the products 10 the people
This "POpulistic sentiment about trusts,
ne said. was the adoption Of the small WAYS
business
not In any respect based upon good sense.
Berry Reptile. to ScwcII.
Mr. Berry replied that he hai not cx-
pected Mr.. Ssweli to b. in sympathy with
any effort To curtal or destroy the rover II
great combinations Of capital. lie declared
that the question OF trusts Was ore # ;ha
greatest n2w, faced by the people of Ihe
country. lie knew. he said. that tho leader;
OF the Republican party We're lot in favor
OF trusts and pointed ott that the Repuh-
itcans Of Ohio only last week mad a,iupt.d 4
platform condemning trusts.
''Of Course." said Mir. Berry. ';hr plank
was feeble one. hut ii was plank"
Mr.. Hawley opposed the amendment IN
the ground that the officers OF tha army had
no option but to accept the lowest bl.s 20.
supplies.
Mr. Stewart said most Of tn. legislative
efforts against trusts had been perfectly
wild and crazy, and the proposed lT"nd
ment was one OF a comedy Of error on the
subject.
Mr. Pettisrew attacked Nr ScwaIrs
statement that the Standard OIL Company
Were beneiactors OF the people and had
cheapencd products II" produced figures
which, he maintained. showed thar neither
of the companies mentioned had chcai."nyd
its PROJECTS. its action AT all times being
directed toward the crushing out of com
petition and the increasing of it, own
profits.
Mr.. Stewart maintained that the only
remedy for trusts was competition. II ii
favor il There We're combinations of capital
that were bad and others that were good.
'Seante Trust"
Mr.. Teller: viii the senator tell Us what
is the difference between bad trusts and
good trusts"
THE Senate Of the United States is a
trust" replied AIR. Stewart. and. be-
licve. good one" daughter Some of the
trusts. he said. We're moropnlies. and thry
were bad. Leave competition untrammelcd
and the people will Tid themselves of all ,
bad trusts az course. canno; in any
way stop the OverproducrG Industry or
bowling against trusts. simply To win votes
to get into office"
Mr. Teller believed that the trust Gucs-
tiOn was jmn, nscly important. and on"
that must lee mot sduar.ly and handled Ii
was desirable. he thought. that il shouii Tee |
dealt with by the States. but the difficulty ]
was that many legislatures were controlled |
10y the trusts themselves. National l"eisia-
:ion of Il kind that could or would De cu- |
forced was therefore. desirable.
If the sherman law were enforced.
said ne ''aS IL ought To bt. there would not |
t.. the CRY there H. now against trusts. II !
n law should be enacted providing thar the !
officers of any trust Of combination should |
be imprisoned for contributing to the fund !
Of any political party. stop would he soon |
nut to an alliance between trusts and poll |
tics"
Mr. Teller said the subject was a delicate |
one a. il WAS desirable that proper COR
porations should not be made to suffer.
Auneutl neuf Defeated.