The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-27
No Anti Trust Legislation of Any
Account Can Get Through
E.-.a This Session. NJ"
Members Of Congress From the East
ern States Are Looking Out
80 for the Octopus.
Tariff Revision Is Considered Hostile
to Them and Will Be Bitterly
Fought.
from The Journal Bureau, Room IS, Post Build


ing, Washington. a.....
Washington, Dec. 27.-Apparently it will
be impossible for congress, In the present
session. to accomplish anything of i'm
portance in the way Of antitrust legisla-
ton. Before the session opened many
members expected that some sort OF a
satisfactory bill could be passed. reflect
ing the presidents views, but this now
seems unlikely. The best possible will be
the amendment of the Sherman law In
certain minor particulars, and this will
probably be accomplished. 1t Will be
patchwork, however, and viii not touch
the main question. o.. ..-.-
The responsibility for this probable
failure will lie with the members from
eastern states, who have for constituents
the leading trust magnates. These mem
bers are unalterably opposed to any trust
regulat ton such as is favored by the west,
and at present in position to make
their opposition good They are the
strongest men in both houses, strongest
in native ability, as well as in the ripe
experience which comes from long service.
Whatever they want is usually accom-
plished. Very little that they oppose is
ever enacted into law.
No Constitutional Amendment.
The dream Of antitrust advocates is an
amendment to the constitution, lodging
with congress the power to regulate and
control all corporations doing an interstate
business; but that dream is as far from
reali1a ton as dreams usually are. By
tradition, the democratic party is OPP
posed to any increase Of the power Of the
general government which will curtail the
powers of the states. States rights is
still a democrats principle, and it is
agreed that such an amendment to the
constitution would not receive a demo-
cratic vote in either house, which means
that it could not pass, for a two-thirds
majority is necessary. But as II this
were not enough, these democratic mem
bers would be joined by many republicans.
representing districts and states in the
east, where the sentiment is favorable to
the trusts. But if by any accident the
bill submitting an amendment should pass
both houses and receive the presidents
approval, 1t Is very unlikely that it could
secure the approval Of three-fourths of the
states. All the democratic, and several
of the eastern republican states, would OPP
pose it in their legislatures, and 1t would
be dead before its friends knew what had
happened. ~ H., .. n 1. ~ ~
The road to constitutional amendment
Is rough and rugged, even when proposed
amendments do not arouse sympathetic
or intelligent opposition; but in the pres
ent case it is hardly possible to conceive
of a condition of affairs which would
smooth out the rough places. This will
hold good, no matterwhfch party controls
the government. The democratic party,
in power, would never amend the con
stitution along the line suggested: while
the republican, as at present led, Is equal
~ opposed.
Effect Of Tariff Revision.
1t Is believed here that a 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
tho trusts would be hurt in any lowering
of the existing rates, and so they favor
revision, not primarily for it's own sake,
but as a means Of striking at the trusts.
In the eastern states this feeling does not
prevail. Opposition to trusts as such is
not influential or widespread here, and
there is practically no demand, outside of
the rank of professional 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
laboring 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 attack
ing 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
protection gives these great industries
practically the entire control Of the Amer
lean 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 frequently afford
to- sacrifice their profits in an effort to
establish themselves in larger fields. In
ternational trusts are more difficult of for
nation than those confined to single
country, and thus with the protective du-
ties removed in this country, it is easy
to understand why the great trust organ
izations would soon be forced out of bust
ness. incidentally, it may be said that
the eastern sentiment against revision
Is largely due to a desire not to harm the
trusts. In New England. New York,
Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey
the habitat of trusts, the tariff and the
trusts go land in hand =
,-.. .. .. w. w. Jermane.