The Courier. (Genoa, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1902-03-07
BABCoCK WEAKENs.
Party Lash in the Senate in Favor
of Trusts.

Editor Jo,pndI;-Recent events at
both ends of the CAPITOL give strong
support to what said in former let
ter concerning the attitude Of the Re-
publicans in Congress with reference
to the trusts. Your readers may re-
member that after speaking of the in-
harmony among the members of the
dominant party upon the tariff ques-
ton, | expressed doubt as to Mr..
Babcock's Willingness to make a fight
on the floor of the Honse for his bill
directed at the Steel trust.
Last Mondays proceedings more
than sustained me in the doubt, for
Mr.. Babcock made one of the most
complete and abject surrenders ever
witnessed in that body.
AS anticipated, the committee on
Rules brought in a resolution for the
consideration of the bill repeating the
war taxes-the one to which Mr.. Bah
cock in committee had offered his bill
as an amendment. The resolution pro-
vided for two days debate, but exclud-
ed all amendments except such as
might be offered by the committee, act
ing through it's majority. Mr.. Bah
cocks only hope was to procure a
change in the resolution so as to per-
nit amendments to be offered. In
stead of doing so he arose and an
nounced that he would support the
resolution, and he did so with his vote.
He was scathingly rebuked by Richard
son, who asked him how he expected
to satisfy his Wisconsin constituents,
who are demanding reduction of
duties upon articles the production and
prices of which are controlled by the
trusts. But Babcock made no reply.
His rudy face simply took on deeper
carmine, as, under the party lash, he
voted against his honest convictions.
SCREENING THE TRUSTS.
Another incident even more signifi-
cant occurred in the Senate on the 18th
inst. The bill making the Census
Bureau permanent was before that
body. Section 8 provides for the gath
ering of certain statistics of manufac-
lures. To facilitate the performance
of this work Senator Dubois offered as
an amendment what was essentially
an amplification of the Newlands'
amendment offered by Mr.. Newlands
in the Ways and Means Committee as
an amendment to the War Revenue
bill and defeated there by solid Re-
publican vote, requiring, in addition to
tax on receipts, sworn annual re-
ports from industrial corporations. 1t
provided that the reports should state
fully and accurately the nature of the
business, or different lines of business
conducted, the number Of establish
ments owned or controlled, the precise
character of the business transacted at
each, and it's gross receipts, the cap
ital stock and the proportion thereof
that has been paid up, the surplus, ex-
penses, wages and taxes, the quantity
of it's product sold for export, the re-
bates allowed upon exported goods
and the prices charged in the home
market, together with all agreements
with other corporations or individuals
engaged in the same or similar lines
of manufacture relative to prices and
wages and arrangements with trans
portation companies for special rates.
A failure to furnish the statements was
made penal, and severe punishment
was prescribed.
The proposed amendment was per-
fectly germane; il was offered at ex-
actly the right place, and it was straight
in line with the Presidents recon-
mendation.
SOLID REPUBLICAN OPPOSITION.
Instantly Senator Quarles, who had
charge of the bill, entered a strong
protest against the adoption of the
amendment. He made no point of
order against it and admitted that