The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-20
ANTITRUST BILLS
TO Be DEFEATED
Democrats Don't Think Re
puolicans Mean Business.
MR.. CLAYT0N's VIEWS
Georgia Representative Doesn't
Believe Any Act Will Be Passed
SEVERAL MEASURES PENDING
Virginia Members Think MIR, LittIef;er1
is in Earnest, and While the Hou.e
May Enact Some Conservative
Legislation. No Bill Can Be
Gotten Through Senate
at This Session.
SEVERAL MEASURES PENDING
Especial Dispatch to The Time. /,

| NNSN$Aoi piSpdtcn TO The Times
| WASHINGTON, D. c., December 1s.-a
notwithstanding the flood of anti-.rust
oiIis Oh every sort and description which
Is overwhelming the House COMMITTEES
on the Judiciary, the unanimous opinion
among Wen Informed Democrats In ths
Senate and House is that No affa.+;,-,
antitrust legislation will be passed hu
the tifty-seventh Congress. ;, measur.
OF some sort will in all probability he
allowed to pass the House, because the
| Republicans realize the necessity Of
making some show Of animosity TO the
great combinations for the sake of public
opinion, but it will not be a yery- harm
ful bill.
bareiete. OF Georgia. sprang a surprise
on the Republicans of the House on
Wednesday when he introduced his
amendment to the legislative executive
ana Judicial bill. asking that appropria-
tion or S3oo,GH be made for the purpose
OF hShtlnS the trusts. After some talk
a measure, drafted by Hepburn. of Iowa.
was adopted, making the augmentation
S5N.ooo. This was passed.
MS Is the first real step toward the
proper lighting OF the trusts that has been
taken so far. Attorney-Geueral Knox fs
on record to the effect that the Depart
ment of Justice cannot prosecute the
giant corporations, because it has no
funds available for the purpose. His
view is that the trusts all over the conn
try have IN their employ the very best
legal talent that can be found. and that
when the United States goes into court
against them 1t is represented onlv hy
district attorneys who are. for the most
part. men of medium ability only. aud i,n-s
able to cope with the giant forces op-.
posed to them. With an appropriation
from Congress for this special purpose
General Knox thinks he can accomplish
something He will cali in as special
counsel lawyers who are in the class
with those the payroll of the trusts
SO that the battle may be an even one
MANY OTHER BILLS.
In addition to this means Of enforcing
the antitrust laws now in existence
there are any number OF antitrust bills
being introduced in the House. Almost
every day new one appears. every man
being apparfstly anxious to have his
name appear on the list Of those who
are working for the undoing of the
octopus. The subcommittee of the Com
mittce on the Judiciary has dozens OF
bills before it, and hearings are con-
stantly being given to the authors OF
these different measures.
The two measures which are receiving
the most attention are those resembling
the publicity bill of Littlefeld and the
interstate commerce bill of DeArmon1.
There have been several bills OF the na-
t,Ire OF these two and the probabilities
are that the committee will finally report
a measure containing the elements OF
both. The publicity bills provide that
all corporations shall make statements
at regular intervals to the Interstata
Commerce Commission OF their transac-
tons. and that the public shall be al
lowed to call upon the commission for
.,<- = y Ia-.,
ing a corporation. The idea of this bill
is to prevent overca pital'zat!on. etc.
PROVIDES HEAVY FINE.
The interstate commerce bill which
provides for the regulation of the trusts
by the interstate commerce laws. pro-
vides that heavy fine be imposed upon
any ore who ships from one State to
OF course. the provisions OF the different
bills of this kind are various. some I'M
posing q fine and others imprisonment
ard others both rine and impris onment sse
Representative Joseph Clayton. of Geor-
gia. a member of the subcommittee of tila
Committee on the Judiciary. which has
charge of the trust bills. said to the rep
resentative OF The Times to-day that he
thought the session would pass by with
out the enactment of antitrust legisla-
ton. His full opinion is as follows:,
"I think our subcommittee will report
Il? antitrust measure which will contain
the elements that went TO make I'D tho
LittIefie1d bill of the Fifty-sixth Congress.
the distinguishing characteristics OF which
related to publicity. Our bill will also
deal with the interstate commerce phase
OF the matter 1t viii be a good measure
in every respect. in my opinion. and will
be adopted and favorably reported by the
whcle Committee on the Judiciary.
This bill. I think. will pass the House
~ for %f,,{
feel the necessity Of going on record as
having passed an antitrust law and be-
cause the whole Democratic party will
leave no stone unturned to get 1t through.
Bat 1t is doomed to death in the Senate.
I.ittlefelds bill died there before and this
bill will meet the same fate. No Repub-
iican Senate. in my opinion. will pass
a real antitrust law.
..As to the other phase OF the trust
question that which deals with the large
1nonopolies through the tariff, am per-
fectly confident that the Republicans will
take no action along that line
as member of the Committee on the
and assigned to the subcommit-s
tee on trusts, Mr.. Clayton is one OF the
very best informed men among the Deui-
ocrats OF the House to speak on this
Besides being one of the strong
asst men In the Alabama delegation he is
very strong among the members on his
side Of the House
VIRGINIA DELEGATION.
The Virginia delegation is somewhat di-
vided upon the question OF trust legisla-
ton. Taken altogether. they may be said
to be extremely skeptical OF any action
being taken by this Congress. even by
tho House. Several of them We're CON
suited to-day and their opinions asked.
Senator Martin said that the question
had not so shaped itself in the Senate
as 10 enable him to foretell the outcome.