The Press., 1903-01-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, January 12, 1908.

| vent1on and diplomatic reception at the
white house have served to make the
past week In Washington replete with In
terest. History has been made rapidly.
Senator Hoar having introduced his now
famous antitrust measure. has made a
remarkable speech in its support. Attor-
ney General Knox has forwarded to the
judiciary committees of congress his
views as to the character of legislation
and has supplemented them with two
bills which were introduced on Friday by
Representative Jenkins. Congressional
sentiment In regard to trust legislation
has, at the instig stion of the president,
undergone remarkable change, and
even some of the more conservative sena-
tors now admit the possibility of some
revision of the statutes bearing on this
subject.
There remains little doubt but that the
house will enact two or three measures
in accordance with Mr.. Knox's views on
the trust question. One will be favora-
bly, reported by the judiciary committee
to-day. 1t provides for the facilitation of
court procedure In cases brought against
trusts by the attorney general. Two
| others now In the hands of the committee
on judiciary, and drafted by Mr.. Knox,
provide respectively for an amendment to
the Sherman law which shall make the
grantor of rebates on transportion charges
culpable, and imposes for such violation
of the law a fine of $5, 900. 1t further
provides that the recipient of such rebate
shall forfeit the privilege OF having its
products carried in Interstate commerce,
ing the products of any corporation which
sells Its goods at cut prices with view
destroying competition. The second pro-
vides for the establishment of a commits
sion which shall be bipartisan, and
which shall have full power to enforce
the Sherman law as it Is now proposed to
amend 1t. The fact that neither of the
Knox laws contain any provision for that
publicity so strongly advocated by the
president, is the occasion of much sur
prise.
The senate has practically defined its
position as follows: II the house can
frame and pass one or more simple meas
ures, merely amending the present stat
bate, and which can command the prac-
tically unanimous support of the repub-
lican members of the senate, the latter
will attempt to enact them. Otherwise,
the senate will not have sufficient time to
accomplish legislation for trust control.
The statehood bill Is still dragging along.
Almosts ever since congress reconvened
Senator Nelson has been making speech
which he announced on Thursday would
take several days more, and then the
chamber, worn out with its labors, ad-
journed until to day.
The coal situation has come in for con-
siderable attention from the senate dur
ing what is called 1.-The morning hour"
the interval between noon and 2 p. m.
Several bills have been introduced, re-
moving the duty on anthracite coal and
Senator Lodge offered measure sus-
pending the duty for the next 80 days.
All have been referred to the finance COM
mittee, however, and it is unlikely they
will again see the light Of day. A sharp
and eloquent debate between Senators
Vest and Aldrich was precipitated by
resolution offered by the former instruct
ing the finance committee to prepare a
bill removing the duty on anthracite.
Senator Aldrich reminded Mr.. Vest that
the democrats imposed 40 per cent duty
on anthracite coal In the Welson- n-Gorman
bill, to which Mr.. Vest replied that they
were forced to by traitors In their own
ranks. Later Senator Vest referred to
an interview in which the late Nelson
Dingley Is quoted as having said that the
Dingley rates had been made purposely
too high so as to permit the negotiation
of reciprocity treaties without injury TO
American industries. This called fourth
a glowing tribute to Mr.. Dingley from
Senator Hale.
1t Is impossible to foresee the end of
the statehood controversy or to foretell
buO IOSu1ls Dull olOO6 C1dluu W NO COA-
tident, but Senator Beveridge and his
committee appear to be afraid to precipt-
tate vote. Senator Quay assures your
correspondent that he is ready for vote
at any time, and he has enough af1rma-
tive votes pledged to insure the admis-
sion of three proposed states. To some
members of the senate the prolonged dis
cussion is a relief, as it serves to forestall
unwelcome legislation.
One day last week the handsome public
library which Andrew Carnegie presented
to the city of Washington was formally
opened. Mr.. Carnegie was here and
made an address, after few remarks by
the president, In the course of which he
paid very delicate compliment to Secre-
tary of State Hay. Referring to Mr.. Car
negie's generosity, the president said,
''These gifts are most happy in two ways
they indicate that the giver has neither
hard heart nor a soft head" A few
moments later Mr.. Carnegie said, refer
ring to the president, that 1.-The head of the
greatest republic on earth had risen to
most enviable eminence In the republic Of
letters" before he had received the higher
distinction. Then, leaning towards Nh.
Hay, Mr.. Carnegie said, but here is one
who was a prince In the republic of let
ters before the nation claimed him."
The long leave of absence granted to
DIR. Won Holleben, the German embassa-
dor to the United States, which 1t Is an
nounced is due to the latter's Ill health,
is known In Washington to be due to tho
rough dissatisfaction by his government
with the manner In which the ambassa-
dor has administered his official duties.
His reports to his country on every SUBJ
ject have been replete with inaccuracies,
and In all questions Of judgment, DIR. Won
Holleben has Invariably chosen the wrong
course or made the wrong conclusion.