The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-07-09
az Interest To Millions.

papers hs n 'he'h uPph "P'NfN
by Congree, This alleged utterance
of Mr. LIT LkFIELp turned up again
Yesterday in a Washington despatch to
u ncighbor, the World, in tho form
subic'rcG.
Hh Were 70, Tor n. nev,pApsr represented 81
Warrington I would 10 AFRAID 10 urau myself with
N. members OF The Hsuss. 50 dSrs and devious are
ths ways OF some
This is a variant OF the remark a. orig
inalIy reported AMI innocently copied
from a Western newspaper by The SrN
about two months ago
II 10 we're no, for u. n-v,psp.n. the job'
which woad 90 thru On Consr.,, are terrible 10
contemplate. ~ there wers no new,pape- al ell.
! don't b.usye / would b. v1rins 10 trust myself
alone in the House n Representatives for hn'ea
MINUTES
To print the foregoing remark in quo
tation marks ~ the expression NJ
NJ. LIITLFFTELp's sentiments about his
fellow members Of the House is unfair
10 tYlat gentleman. He wrote 10 us on
Nav 10 denying that he ever made
ANY such statement and adding that
he rega rded it IA a = gross and unwar-
ranted reflection on Congress" But Mr..
LIrILEFnID continued:
-whr. I have never mad. any such ss,.men,
I hay. In sub, lance sale In referring 20 that sub
ject that the pr.s.nc. Of The representatives OF ,n.
press a, the capitol ere 'ris.d = mos, conservative.
inaSnc- on ConrreSs and that without the inre-
aA,e and general pubno,y which results from
-. 5000 80 4.ANs .afg ~. nae
unvise and ln'udhiolis tt ihss don't,
We repuhlish Mr.. L%iTTIHFIELD's state
mcnt. in hls exact language. because
great significance now attaches 20 his
general opinion % the wisdom or IN
wisdom of Congress, and the compe-
tencv or inCompef ency 81 its members
10 handle vast and complicated legisla.
tive questions. His lighiest word on
the subject will he studied with eager
ness bv millions.
II is not a question ~ Mr.. LITTLE
FIFID's W wisdom and competency
10 decide. for the best interests 81 all,
what particular combinations 81 capt.
tai are beneficial and what pernicious,
what particular trusts should be per-
mitted 30 exist. and what trusts pro-
hih,,ed and Dissolved. He ran draw
a bill, and no doubt a very good bill,
nj tho request Of the President and the
Attorney General. dealing with the whole
subject Of trust restriction. Mr.. LITTLE
FIELD can do that all alone: but Nil alone
he cannot enact the measure his acute
intelligence has framed.
Whatever Mr.. L%rTTLFFIELn may think
~ the unwl-dom and prccipitate habits
Of judgment Of some or many Of his
associates in the House. he will have 20
depend upon their votes 10 get his hill
through. His impending Measure will
~ discussed hv tho foolish a. we'll as
nv the wise Representatives. The vote
of the most foolish Congressman in
the bunch. tho hnstics' snap-iudCc who
answers 10 the rnll-call. counts for lust
a. much as Mr.. L~TTLEFIELp's own
maturely considered YEA or nav when
II 20 a question Of passage.
We therefore ncall with some little
apprehension tho Hon. CHARLES + LIT.
T%LEFIFLD's views concerning tho i'm
p%ortance 81 the conservative influence
Of the newspaper press a. n safeguard
against unwse and iniudicious action
nv Congress HIS views are very com.
plimentarv 90 our profession. hut tho
Newspaper is not an officially recognized
rart If the system Of government. II
has M veto power. Legislators ran
take rs advice or reject II, can heed its
warnings or sCorn them. Just Rs thew
please. " is doubtful il even Mr. LITTLE
FIELD himself would 10 DETECTED from n
fixed Legislative purpose bv any amount
81 journalistic criticism Why, even tho
decision Of tho Suprcm" Court of tho
United States did not shake his con-
fdence in tho soundnc>s Of his own
opinion concerning tho Constitutional
questions involved in the inSular cases.
Mr.. LITTLFFIrLn read tho decision and
then went out Ia Denver and calmly
overruled the supreme Court IN an
address delivered To the American Bar
Association.
We have said this matter is 81 interest
IN millions. and IL certainly il. For Mr.
LiTrlErIELD has proposed 10 confer
upon Congress hv Constitutional amend
ment a new and UNPRECEDENTED power
of life or death ovcr every business in
dustry in which tho American people
il engaged, or may hereafter become
engaged. As n preliminary 10 anti
trust legislation, he has learnedlv and
enthusiastically advocated n change Of
the fundamental Law which shall en-.