Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-11-20
Attempt to be Made to Pass
Laws.
DONE AT NEXT SESSION
Systematic Effort to Be Made to Sc
cure Legislation to Curb Unlawful
Combinations Of capitaI-WilI Be
Along Lines Laid Down by Knox.

Washington, D. c., Nov 1S.-Im-
mediately after the opening of the
next session of congress systematic
attempt is to be made to secure some
satisfactory antitrust legislation. The
effort Is to be made almost entirely
along the lines outlined by Attorney
General Knox in his now celebrated
Pittsburg speech. 1t
there has been growing belief among
republican leaders that the object
aimed at by President Roosevelt and
the country generally can be reached
with but little difficulty by means of a
series of amendments to existing law.
The President and the attorney gen
eral cannot, of course, initiate any
Legislation at all. but they can recon-
mend general principles.
Quite a large section of the Presi-
dents annual message to congress will
be devoted to the trust question. His
treatment of the subject, while not at
all sensational, is entirely exhaustive.
This section of the message has al
ready been submitted to Senator
Spooner and several other republican
leaders. 1t has received in the main
the warm support of all of them, and in
view of this, steps are already being
taken to carry the recommendation of
the President into effect
Senator Cullom, of Illinois, who DIS
the author of the interstate commercn
law and who was for years the chair
man Of the committee having that
subject in charge, made an extensive
Sf,1Hu of tho Of hf,
| federal government over interstate
corporations. He is now engaged in
compiling all of the bills offered in
congress for years back along the line
Of attempted regulation of the trusts.
The most important features of these
different measures will be extracted
and then woven together into gen
eral omnibus bill in the nature of an
amendment to the existing antitrust
law. Senator Cullom's relations with
the administration are such that his
work manifestly has the approval oil
the highest authority.
Side by side with the various bills
offered in congress there will be col
lected complete digest of the deci
sions of the higher courts bearing il
whole or in part upon the Sherman
antitrust law. Such work has never
! before been attempted and it is be
| lieved when all these decisions are pu
together they will show in striking
manner that existing laws, if properl!
enforced and intelligently amended
can be depended upon to secure al
the regulation needed to keep thu
trusts within bounds. HI
Most lawyers agree that the Sher
man antitrust law is stringent piece
of legislation, and, furthermore, tina
it has been sustained by the courts il
all it's important applications.
| 1t declares contracts and combina
lions in restraint of trade or commerce,
among the several states to be illegal
\ and it provides punishment for eacl
4 person who makes any such contrac
/. or engagement by fine or imprison
4 ment or both. 1t not only conten
plates injunctions to prevent the OF
erations of trusts but it provides TO
criminal prosecutions as WE'LL
Some of the best lawyers in cor
gress are of the opinion that If littl
more attention were paid to the GRIN
inal side of the trust question tn
evils complained of would soon disal
pear.