Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-29
TRUST LEGISLATION UNLIKELY
Opposition of the East Gives Small
Hopes for Action This Winter.

Washington, Dec. 39.-Apparently il
| will be impossible for congress. in the
present session, to accomplish anything
/ OF Importance in the way of anti-trust
legislation. Before the session opened
many members expected that some sort
iof a satisfactory bin could be passed,
j iretiecing the PRESIDENTS views, but this
now seems unlikely. The best possible
iwili be the afsgsndnlent of the Sherman
law in certain minor particulars and
this will probably De accomplished. It
VIII be patchwork, however, and will
net, tough the main question.
Te.s3onaih!ity- forithis probable
yiiG2s viii lie with Sac members from
eslst : states, who have for constitu-
en;s 80 leading trust magnates. These
flifc1she-a are unalterahly opposed to
tS,2y trust regulation such as is favored
b. ti,a west and at present are in po-
,aitien TO make their opposition good.
They are the strongest men in botf,
houses, strongest in native ability, as
well as in the ripe experience which
comes from long service. Whatever
they want is usually accomplished.
Very little that they oppose is evar
enacted into law.
It is believed here that good deal of
the strong sentiment in the west for
tariff revision grows OUT of the desire of
that section to have the trusts placed
under better control. Many republicans
hold that the trusts would be hurt in
Iany lowering of the existing rates, and
50 they favor revision, not primarily
fp ifC o1yro, 1,iIf - ,x,,i ilxt,,
at the trusts. In the eastern states
this feeling does not prevail. Opposi-
ton to trusts as such Is not influential
or widespread here, and there is prac-
itcally no demand, outside of profes :
sional politicians and agitators, for
drastic legislation. The east is the home
of the trusts, and has thus far seen
only the best side OF them. 1t has seen
great Industries grow up, almost in a
single night, employing an army of la
boring men and paying vast sums an
nually in wages. These industries are
the pride of the communities where
they are situated, and nobody thinks of
attacking them, or doing anything that
will lessen their earnings. Even labor
in the east feels this way about the
matter.
The west is largely right in its idea
that the tariff is related to ths. trusts,
for protection gives these great indus
tries practically the entire control OF
the American market, with which as a
base of supplies they are able to reach
out for business abroad; and In search
for this foreign business they can fire.
quently afford to sacrifice their proflts
in an effort to establish themselves In
largtsr fields. International trusts are
more difficult of formation than those
confined to a single country, and thus
with the protective duties removed in
this country, it Is easy to understand
why the great trust organizations
would soon be forced out of business.
Incidentally, it may be said that the
eastern sentiment against revision is
largely due to desire not to harm the
trusts. In New England, New York,
Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jer-
sew the habitat of trusts, the tariff and
the trusts go hand in hand.