Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-19
ANTI TRUST GOSSIP
Doubtful if Legislation Can
Be Effected.
THE HOUSE MAY ACT
BUT, THE SENATE CANNOT BE
HURRIED.
Any Amendment to Sherman Law
Will Be Debated at Length
May Cause Extra Session.

Among the TO Uniformed men in relation
to the work = the coming Congress will
do there Is Feeling of great doubt that
there will be any trust legislation. 1t is
known that the President will recommend
the amendment of the Sherman antitrust
law in order to further strengthen it and to
give the Attorney General power to erectu-
ally prevent action in the restraint of trade
on the part of some of the great corpora
lions. But however much the administra-
ton forces and all others may be inclined
to enact legislation Of that kind. there are
two difficulties in the way of prompt action
that are generally recognized. One is the
desire of SO many members of both houses
to be heard the subject, if for no other
purpose than to have their views placed on
record, and the other will be the difficulty
in having an agreement as to the exact
form of the proposed amendment.
No Hurry in the Senate.
There is little doubt that an administra-
ton measure might be put through the
House very promptly, but there will be no
hurry in securing it's enactment in the Sem
ate. There will be very full debate which
cannot be hurried. In both houses the
question will have to be gone over in COM
mittee A matter of such great Importance
will doubtless be before the Senate commit
tee on the judiciary, of which Senator Hoar
is chairman, for considerable time. All In
all, the prospect Of any antitrust legtsla-
ton Is very doubtful. This probable course
to be pursued by Congress a measure
that the President has been SO pronounced
in advocating is regarded as very likely to
lead to extra session. Otherwise that
legislation may not be acted on for more
than year.
May Be an Extra Session.
There is considerable sentiment in favor
of considering this question in an extra ses-
sion. 1t is claimed that the Fifty-eighth
Congress, coming direct from the people
after the discussion of this question, is the
proper one to act, and it Is also believed
by many that there would be advantage in
having the whole matter gone over In a
session called for that purpose, and nothing
else. The great objection to that course
that would be urged by many men high In
financial circles IS that 1t might unsettle
some Of the business interests Of the coun-
try. They say that If the subject Is dig
cussed in a regular session 1T Will not nave
so great a tendency toward the unSettie-
ment of any business interest. If 1t is taken
I'D in a special session called for that pur-
pose 1t would be clear to the people at large
that something would be done, and 1t would
perhaps for months be the paramount topic
for popular discussion.
If such an argument should be made,
those who are afraid of the results OF an
extra session will be told that the way to
prevent it will be to join the forces desiring
amendments to the Sherman law, and to
have them adopted by Congress during the
coming short session.
Senator Cullom at Work.
In the meantime Senator Cullom is col
lecting numerous references and documents
that will be useful in instructing the Sen
ate on many things that will be called for
while the subject of the trusts is before the
Senate. Senator Cullom Is anxious to have
prompt trust legislation. He would like to
have action taken before Christmas, but
that Is regarded as impossible. What at
least may be done is to have the Senate
refer the matter to the committee on the
judiciary, have that committee consider
and report upon it, and then to have as
much discussion and criticism as there may
be time to devote to it. In that way 1t is
believed at least the objections that may
exists will be heard so that when the Fifty
eighth Congress meets the Senate will have
done preparatory work to greatly facilitate
the passage of the measure If there should
be an extra session. 1t is not thought I'M
likely that the House may put through the
administration amendments to the Sher-
man law. The difficulty in getting acton
is regarded as almost entirely centered in
the Senate.