Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-12-05

FIFTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS
OPENS ITS SECOND SESSION AT WASH
INGTON THIS WEEK.

The Presidents Message Conservative Re
view of Previous Expressions Trust Leg
islation the Dominant Subject Admins
tration Antitrust Bill Introduced, Also
Others on Trust and Tariff Questions-Ok
lahoma Statehood Bill Road Bureau tt
Secure Uniform Road Construction ant
Taxation
The second session of the 57th Con
gress was called to order at noon Mon
day by Senator Frye, president pre-
Henderson in the House. The public
galleries were crowded and the floral
display, admittedly more magnificent
| than ever before, created a scene of
brilliant beauty. The most conspicu-
Gus floral piece in the Senate was the
enormous full rigged barkentine in full
sail on the desk of Senator Platt of
New York: "Uncle joe Cannon s
/ desk in the House was also literally
loaded with flowers and he came in for
great demonstration himself, being
congratulated generally on his assured
I election as speaker of the next House.
| The absence of the blind chaplain,
Rev. W. Fl. Milburn, was noted re-
gretfully in the Senate. He is in Cal
ifornia, and has resigned on account of
i'll health. The Senate was only in
session II minutes. Senator Burrows
announced the death of his late col
league, Senator Mcmillan, and pre-
sented Gen. Alger, appointed to fill
the late senator's uneXpired term.
The Senate then adjourned out of re-
spect to the dead. The House ad
iourned similarly on account of the
death of Representative Charles A.
Russell of Connecticut. Among the
business introduced was a resolution
calling for the investigation of the
title of Carter Glass of Virginia, a
newly elected member, to his seat, the
question being whether the negroes of
Virginia had not been unlawfully de-
prived of their franchise.
\ bill was also presented to incor-
porate in the department of agricul-
ture a bureau of public roads, with
director at its head. The purpose is
TO secure uniformity in road construc
tion and uniform system of taxation
for road purposes. \ number of bills
bearing on trust and tariff questions
were introduced and sent to judiciary
committee: and a joint resolution pro
posing an amendment to the constitu-
tion comforting on Congress the power
to define. regulate, prohibit and dis
solve trusts, monopolies, etc.
The presidents message was read in
both houses Tuesday. 1t was brief, re-
viewing his former expressions on pub
lie questions and the state of the coun-
try. 1t was conservative, polite and
unexciting, but generally satisfactory.
After dwelling at length on the pres
perity of the country, the greatness OF
the nation and the part it plays in the
world, the president took up the trust
question Corporations, he said,
'and especially combinations of cor
porations, should be managed under
public regulation. Experience has
shown that under our system of govern
ment the necessary supervision cannot
be obtained by state action. 1t must
therefore be achieved by national ac-
tion. Our aim is not to do away with
We are not hostile to
them: we are merely determined that
they shall be so handled as to subserve
the public good. We draw the line
against misconduct. not against /
wealth. " Publicity can do no harm /
to the honest corporation, and we need |
not be over tender about sparing the /
dishonest CORPORATION. = I'm curbing /
the combinations of capital we must .
be careful not to stop the great enter
prises which have legitimately reduced .
the cost of production, not to abandon
The place which our country has won
in the industrial world, not to strike
down wealth with the result of closing
factories and mines. - Il believe that
unjust determinations
which prevent or cripple competition,
fraudulent over capitalization and 9th
sr evils in trust organization and prac
ices which injuriously affect inter
itate trade can be prevented under the
power of the Congress to regulate com
nerce with foreign nations and among
he several States. - lift prove i'm
possible to accomplish the purpose
above set forth by such law, then, as
uredly. we should not shrink from
lmending the constitution so as to Sc
'ure beyond peradventure the power
nended this subject to the considera-
ion for the better enforcement of the
Inti trust law as it now stands.
Tariff reduction, he said, would be
wholly Ineffective in reaching trust
wills Many of the largest corpora
ions, who should be included in any
cheme of trust regulation, would not
,e even slightly affected by tariff I
hanges, except as the general pros
,erity of the country was interfered
With. The proposed tariff remedy
would simply make manufactures un-
,rofitable and ruin weaker competit-
RS struggling against the big corpor-
tions. The question of regulation of
he trusts stands apart from the ques- {
ion of tariff revision. The present
tariff system, acquiesced in {
" the country and attended by great {
should not be destroyed or ,
adically changed. The tariff should, I
owever. be readiusted from time to !
ime by practical experts to meet {
hanging needs, but there must never
e any change which will jeopardize !
he standard of comfort. the standard {
wages of the American wage work !
r.
The adoption of reciprocity treaties /
greatly desirable. They widen our !
larkets and reduce needlessly high 4
uties. If the pending treaties are 9
ot ratified, or others executed, then t
should be secured by di-
ect legislation. The tariff on anthra- +
ite coal should be removed, and an d
lracite put actually, where it now is 5
on the free list. This Il
ould have no effect at all save in d
rises, but in crises it might be of ser