Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-02-04
FROM WASHINGTON.

=.
This was another day of conferences IN
the Venezuelan affair. The British am
b ,ssador. Sir Michael Herbert, was an
early caller upon Minister Bowen al lne
Iatter's hotel. after which the three rep
resentatiyes of the allied powers again
oot together to discuss the Instructions
which are reported to have been receiseu
Inv them last night from their respective
foreign offices, relative to Mr.. Bowen
nronosition for preferential treatment for
a brief period, after which all the cred
;tor nations are to share alike in the
customs receipts of the two principal
Venezuelan ports. 1t is believed that
later in the day they will meet with Mr..
Bowen and present to him the concensus
of opinion of their governments. Before
they went into conference Sir Michael
called also upon Secretary Hay, who
Immediately aiterward went over to the
White House to consult with the Presl-
dent.
Within ten days it is said by the
knowing ones that the entire antitrust
nroeramme recommended by the Presi-
dent and Attorney General will have
been enacted into law. 1t includes pub
Iicity of the details of the business of
corporations, the prohibition of the
granting of rebates or other favors by
carriers in order to gain the business OF
large shippers, and the adoption of leg
islation which will enable the Attorney
General to expedite through the courts
cases brought against corporations for
violations of the antitrust laws Some
progress has already been made towards
carrying out this programme. The
Senate Yesterday passed without debate
or opposition the Elkins bill prohibiting
the granting or acceptance of rebates.
It also received favorable report from
the judiciary committee on the bill to
expedite trust causes in the courts and
it is expected that this bill will be
passed before the end of the week. The
conierees on the bill creating the new
Department of Commerce had a long
session Yesterday at which the amend
ment proposed by Senator Nelson re-
curing the publication at stated
intervals Of the condition of all
corporations doing interstate com
merce business was practically
accepted by the House conferees.
Their report, which it is expected will
be made within few days, will bt
privileged and can be considered at any
moment in the House and Senate. II
will undoubtedly be adopted without
lengthy debate. In the House the
Littlefeld antitrust bill has been giver
the right of way for the latter part o.
this week. 1t contains two features
publicity and prohibition of rebates. Il
is expected that the Eikins bill against
rebates will be substituted for the Little
field measure, so that the question vii
not have to go back to the Senate. The
publicity feature will have already beer
provided for in the department OF com
merce bill, so that there will be nothing
left of the Littlefeld measure as intro
duced. So far as the effect of this legis'
lation is concerned it is believed that tho
most important will be felt by the rail
roads. The adoption of the Elkins anti,
rebate bill means the Inauguration of an
extensive rate-cutting war in which per
haps the public will get the most bene'
fit. Large shippers are sure to use the
railroad which offers the cheapest rate:
and in order to obtain business, which
they now get by paying rebates, the
roads are equally sure to cut rates. This
will create much confusion in the rail
road world and will probably call fol
new agreements and combinations. Cor
porations that have nothing on theii
books of which to be ashamed have moth
ing to fear from the publicity features o
the antitrust programme.
Representative Dayton, OF West Nlr
ginia. the ranking republican member O
the House committee on naval affairs
had a conference with the President thi
morning over the ship building pro
gramme of the country. owe must pu
up or shut up talking about the Monro'
doctrine" said Mr.. Dayton, after hl'
call 'In other words, we must builC
more ships and bring our navy up to thu
standard of the great European powers.
The President is in full accord with thu
idea. In order to increase the personne
of the navy, it is theintentiOn OF the com
mittee to so shape legislation as to maxi
it easier in the future Tor competent mel
from the ranks to obtain commissions.
Secretary Of the Navy Moody ha
written letter to Captain r. p. Hob
son asking him to reconsider his resigna
, ton. The Secretary compliments Cap
tain Hobson very highly upon his bril-
l liant record at Santiago and tells hin
! that the Department needs his services
{ Efforts at compromise in the Senat
. on the statehood question are likely t
meet with success and result will be il
the near future the admission of tw
C new States, one comprised Of the presen
e territories of Arizona and New Mexic
and the other of Oklahoma and lndia
Territory Before the end of the wee
4 the deadlock on this subject, which ha
continued from the beginning of the ses
sion will, it is expected, be broken. De
y tails are not yet fully worked out an
s have yet to be agreed upon. 1t is eS
n pected, however, that the names OF th
two new States viii be Arizona an
Oklahoma. There is a strong objectio
. to having another State with name be
r ginning with New" So, in order
: compensate New Mexico for the extinC
ton of that title, an effort will be mad
to give her the capital of the new Stat
/ and locate it at either Santa re or A