Evening star., 1902-08-06
FIGHT OF THEIR LIVES
The Trusts Preparing for Next
Session of Congress.
WALL STREETS PLAN
TWO CLASSES OF COMBINATIONS
INTERESTED.
Captains of Industry to Demand a
Hearing Before any Antitrust
Legislations is Enacted.
Special From a Staff Correspondent.

Special From Staff Correspondent.
NEW YORK, August Gin Wall street
they are planning to try to block the Presi-
dents little antitrust game. President
Roosevelt, Attorney General Knox and
Representative Littlefield may get together
on the back porch of Sycamore Hill or the
after deck of the Mayfower and hatch up an
antitrust bill, if they will. But that won't
be the end of it, and Wall street knows it,
At that stage Wall street proposes to take
large stack Of blue chips and get into
the game.
By wall street, of course, is meant that
intangible, mysterious influence, the power
of capital. A few years ago it was a
term to conjure with and raise the goose
flesh on the skin of the fearsome populist
1t was an expression allied with British
gold' and other horrifying though remote
propositions of terror to the honest hhs-
bandman and friend of free silver.
But in these piping times of industry
Wall street" takes on new meaning.
Now it applies not only to the purely bank
ing and financial interests of the metropolis
but to the great corporate and industrial
institutions well. The trusts all have
representatives in New York. Most of them
have offices here and they certainly depend
upon New York to finance their schemes
and get them under way, Many of the
trusts have closer relations with Wall
street. Their stocks are listed on the New
York stock exchange or are sold on the
curb
Two Glasses of Combinations.
Some of them, doubtless, thrive and fat
rThnSa WI nj
talized for the purpose and whose stock is
supposed to contain an excess of water"
assuredly depend upon Wall street fer their
existence. The Presidents scheme of pub
Ncity is aimed directly at that class.
But there is another class OF combinations
of capital interested in this antitrust move
ment and class which comprises probably
80 per cent Of the trusts. The genuine combi-
nations of industrial plants and of capital
invested in Industries are deeply concerned.
They are not averse to seeing the watcred
stocks hampered by law, If the law would
stop at that. But who knows where it will
stop? Might not an antitrust bill contain
provisions which would interfere with ex-
isting and projected enterprises?
Those are the questions that Wall street
asks, and the questions that Wall street in
tends to have answered satisfactorily if it's
power can effect that end. The trusts are
getting ready to move on Congress to pro-
tect their interests.
1t is not partisan movement Wall
street knows it can do business with the
democratic party, # necessary. Ample evil
dence of that was furnished when the dem
ocrats were last in power and the Wilson
tariff bill was passed. The trusts got all
they wanted out of the democratic party
then.
Would Prefer Democratic House.
In point of fact, the "captains of indus
try" in Wall street say they would rather
have a democratic House of Representa-
tlves elected this fall than to see the re-
publcans win. They say that if the demo-
Gratis should carry the House they would
propose some radical, long-haired, popu-
Istlc proposition to deal with the trusts
such ss8uch as taking off the tariff on articles the
ike OF which are made by trusts in this
country The republicans would not ac-
cept that and no action would follow The
trusts would then go their way serenely,
undisturbed.
If a republican House is elected, how
ever, they know they will have the fight
OF their lives on their hands The Presi-
dent has declared himself, republican state
conventions have gone on record in favor
tL ot curtallng the power of the trusts and
there certainly will be Something doing
IN TINS Congress or the next
II democratic House is elected in No
selnper' the trusts will devote every ef-
sa, LOTT 10 blocking legislation at the short
succeeding Congress, where they know it
would fail of action. If a republican House
~ erected, the trusts propose to set the
machinery in motion to supervise and pos
sioly restrict action in Congress.
Want Hearing.
Inc nrst move to be made when an anti
trust Dill Is offered in Congress will be to
demand that the business interests shall
ne given nearing. They point to the
uyho
under consideration, the great banking and
financial interests were freely consulted.
Ihey recall that the radical legislative ac-
tlon was not taken in the face of and de-
spite the interests to be affected by it.
dney say that when tariff bill Is under
oonsIueratlon the manufacturers are called
upon for their views and opinions of a
measure vitality affecting their industries
80 they want their day in court. People
VINO Know say they are likely to get it.
At any rate, they are going ahead to make
.nelr demands good, if possible The Pres
lueht ana mis- supporters in the House and
ts senate VIII experience the east wind which
the trusts are setting in motion as soon
that Dill goes into Congress.
20 me a great cry is to be the safeguarding
OF vested interests" The influence of
the trusts is widespread. 1t extends into
remote sections and will reach congressman
py devious ways, but reach them In an in
nuentlal manner. The great combinations
OF ed capital and industry have their tentacles
may De half a dozen little plants in Rep
rresentatlve Blanks district or Senator
So-and-Sos bailiwick. employing In the ag-
gregate several thousand people. He will
oegin to hear from prominent men in his
region; business is good, men are, at work,
tniils mi are running day and might; be care
tui now you upset business.
To influence the Legislators.
The word will come around In an insid-
ious fashion to set the legislator thinking.
no matter whether he is democrat or re-
publican. Even democrats are beginning
to be aware of the fact that the wheels are
going around in this country and they are
not alone the wheels insthe head Of the pop
uhst poiitican, either. ThSre are some
democratic senator's who ale In mighty
close touch with Wall street &pday, and the
views upon public questions they express,
Tor nome consumption, are hot the views
they entertain for the welfare of the coun-
try-and their own personal Interests.
Men OF influence in the financial world
nere VINO are In a position to know what
they are talking about say thafsyo may
as well set 1t down right now as a plain
proposition of fact that the great eombina-
lions OF capital aud Industry. lightly de-