The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-10
SENATE UNCERTAIN
NOT KNOWN HOW IT STANDS RE
 GARDING TRUSTS.
House Sure to Do What It Thinks Will Be the Popular Thing. Roosevelt Sounding
 the Senators.

NsW Orieans, Oec. IA Washington Special to The Times Democrat says:
 Of immense importance are the trust conference now in progress between the President and Senators. These confer- ences deal with the unwillingness of the Senate to attempt seriously to do some- thing at this session of Congress.
 The House Is practically certain to meet the popular demand and pass a bill for the further regulation of corporations doing an interstate business, but-a palsy has overcome the movement to meet the trust question so far as Senators are concerned.
 Believing tlnt 1t is important for the continued success of the party which he represents that there should be trust leg islation. President Roosevelt has been supplementing his message with personal talks with some of the Senators whose support he must have if he Is to get leg tslative action.
 Among the Senators with whom Mr. Roosevelt has talked are Messrs. Hoar of Massachusetts, Chairman of the Commit tee on Judiciary: Hanna, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, and o. H. Platt of Connecticut.
 If the President can get the party CO., operation of these powerful Senators. and that of Senator >Spooner, he will un-
 
 present apathy and get trust legislation before Congress goes out of office on March l. These influential Senators are all strongly inclined against trust iegis- lation at this time, but for different req sons. which each frankly gives.
 Senator Hoar takes the position that there is need for changes in the present laws, but that the question Is so compli- cated it can not be solved at short ses- sion of Congress.
 Mir. Hanna maintains that there are no trusts in this country, that they are all corporations, some of which have pur- chased others outright. and he defies any one to draw a constitutional law which will prevent one man from purchasing the business of another outright and doing what he pieases with 1t. He thinks the administration is playing with fire in attempting this legislation. senator Hannas position is still stand pat" Senator o. H. Platt fails to see why Congress should act at the short session or at any other time. He regards the sherman antitrust law as very thor ough piece of legislation and Is impressed with the constitutional difficulties in the way of putting into operation any addi- tional legislation. His policy appears to be Ego no further now.
  the difficulties presented by the relations of the Federal Government to the States. He believes the only way in which State corporations, even though they do an in- terstate business, can be controlled by the Federal Government further than now is by the adption of constitutional amendment and he ses no possibility or A constitutional amendment passing Con xress and being ratified by two-thirds Of the States.
 The Senate appears to be equally d. vided. It is plain, however. that unless the four Senators whose attitudes are defined change their views and warmly support the policy of the Presioent noun ing can be accomplished.
 senator Nelson today introduced joint resolution for an amendment to the con stitution 90 as to give Congress the power to conti ol trusts, and also bill'to amend the sherman antitrust law by more stringent provisions. The provision for an amendment to the constitution was as | forcws:
 | "ConRress shall have power to define, l regulate, prohibit or dissolve trusts, mo- nopolies or combinations, whether exist ing in the form of 6 corporation or other wise. Congress shall also have power to license, regulate and control all corpora tons engaged in trade, commerce or other business among the several States or with foreign nations"
 The bill for the amendment of the Sherman law makes ali mergers or com binations in restraint of trade illegal and provides punishment of the offense by a fine of $10,000 or Imprisonment for one year, or both. against each person en- gagged in the combination
 The bill also prohibits combinations in restraint of trade, ani all attempts to monopolize any part of the trade of the several States or Territories providing a fine of 5000 or Imprisonment for a year in each case. Corporations engaged in | interstate commerce are required to file | with the Interstate Commerce Commits sion each year a statement of their busi- ness. and also statement giving the rames of persons to whom stock was originally issued and the price received for it.