Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-14
VIEWS ON LIVE ISSUES
ANSWERS OF REPRESENTATIVES.
TO PERTINENT QUESTIONS.
Western Republicans Favor Federal
Control of Corporations-D-
verse Opinions.

| to each member of Congress a request that
he make reply to the following questions:
| % Do you think that the powers of Con-
gress under the Constitution for controlling
| or restraining industrial corporations have
been exhausted in the so-called Sherman
| antitrust act?
| ~ Are you in favor of amendments to
the Constitution to give Congress additional
power to control corporations?
| (3) Do you favor the reduction or repeal
of import duties on articles whose produc-
| ton in the United States is controlled by
| monopolies?
| a. Do you favor the appointment Of
| tariff commission to prepare changes of
| the tariff for the consideration OF Con-
| gress?
(5) Do you favor the ratification of reel
procity with France now pending In the
Senate?
From the IA members Of the Senate and
House Of Representatives seventy-nine re-
plies were received The greater willingness
of the democrats to put their views OF the
trust problem on record at the present time
was seemingly indicated by the fact that
| bers of that party in the two houses. and
only thirty from the 254 republicans. In
Massachusetts, to take an extreme case,
| there are three democratic and ten republic
| san representatives. Answers came from
all Of the democrats, but from only one re-
publican. But two of the f1fty-four repub-
| llcan senators answered the questions at all.
Powers Of Congress.
OF those replying, sixty-three believe that
| the powers of Congress in dealing with
| corporations have not been exhausted by
| the Sherman antitrust act and eleven are
| of the contrary opinion. Twentythree re-
publcans and fifteen democrats are In favor
| of constitutional amendment to give Con-
gress additional power to control corpora
|
democrats are opposed to that policy. Thir-
| teen republicans and forty mine democrats
| are in favor of the reduction or repeal of
import duties on articles whose production
| is controlled by monopolies. Fourteen re-
publicans and no democrats are opposed to
| that policy. Seventeen republicans and six
| democrats are in favor of commission to
| revise the tariff Eleven republicans and
| thirty-seven democrats are on the opposite
| side. Finally. ten republicans and twenty
one democrats are in favor Of the pending
| treaty of reciprocity with France. Only
| six republicans and four democrats are on
! the other side.
| No Party Lines.
The answers printed by the Evening Post
| show that party lines have not been drawn
| on the subjects to which the inquiries re-
| late.
| On only one question were the members
of either party found to be in perfect una
nimty. All the democrats in the House and
| Senate who answered the third question
| were in favor of reducing the tariff on
| monopoly made articles. The republicans
who put themselves on record were almost
| equally divided. thirteen in favor and four
teen against.
Replies to question No 2 Indicate that
| the sentiment in favor of a constitutional
amendment giving to Congress power to
| deal with corporations Is strong among the
| western republicans, sixteen of whom put
| themselves on record for this proposition
| to two against it, while the eastern repub-
| ncans stood seven to three. On the other
side. 1t seems that the southern democrats
are most strongly against amending the
| Constitution In House and Senate TWEEN
| ty-hve southern democrats answered the
question No to seven who wrote Yes"
The northern democrats divided almost
| evenly. eight affirmative to seven negative.
Sectional Disagreement.
The answers to the question regarding
the appointment of a tariff commission re-
veal sectional line among republicans. A
| majority Of republican answers favor such
commission. and a large majority of the
| democrats oppose it. Analysing the returns
further. 1t appears that only the western
| republicans favor it. Twelve of them want
a commission and only five do not, while
the eastern republicans in House and Sem
ate stand six against the plan to five in
favor Democrats. both northern and
| southern. oppose 1t.
The republican senator's who replied were
| Messrs. Gallinger and Cullom. Mr.. Gal
| linger Is inclined to think that the Sher-
man law goes as far as Congress can con-
sttutlonally legislate the trust subject.
He sees no good reason for the appointment
Of tariff commission Congress, he says,
Is competent to deal with the question at
the proper time He does not favor the re-
duction of import duties on articles whose
production In the United States is con-
| trolled by monopoiieS.
Senator Cullom says: Some amend
ments might be passed to the Sherman
| antitrust act, making the general prov-
sions Of that act more specific, and It's en-
| forcement by the federal courts more easy
| Nothing broader than the Sherman ant
trust act can be passed by Congress W tn
! out an amendment to the Constitution
! He is opposed to the repeal of the import
| duties on articles the production of which
| Is controlled by monopolies, or, rather great
| corporations, for the reason, he says. that
| while such a repeal would inJure such cor
| porations. it would also ruin the thousands
| Of small producers, would close the smaller
| mills and factories, If not the larger on u.s.
| thereby throwing our labor out of employ
| ment.
| Senator Cullom favors the appointment of
| tariff commission.
| Senator Gallinger opposes ratification OF
| the reciprocity treaty with France, and
Senator Cullom favors ratification.
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