The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-07
one TH.INGAT A TINE
Trust Legislation Should Be Attend
ed To First How 70 Get
Reciprocity.
Seekers After Canadian Trade De.
clared to- Be on the Wrong
Track.

Afssn The journal Bureau, Room IS, Post Build
ing, Washington. ~
Washington. D. c.. Jan. IF some
thing In the way of antitrust legislation
can be accomplished at this session Of
congress. the republican party will feel
that 1t has made substantial progress
Follow ANTITRUST sleslslation with revls-
ion Of the tariff. in the next congress-. or
Immediately after the presidential, cleo
tlon, and In that connection weave in*the
reciprocity treaties. 49,. Il: ~ Is.!s
Meanwhile, concentrate every effort so
far as this session Is concerned, on an
antitrust bill, and encourage no waste Of
energy In the consideration OF the tariff
or reciprocity. Do one thing at time,
and do tho most Important, antitrust
legislation, first. 4 .'s x. ..:s,-rf..
The foregoing program is beginning to
attract a good deal OF support in con-
gress. 1t Is being urged by the more CON-
sentative elen,entsof republicans, and may
In the end be adopted as the only middle
ground upon which all elements can stand
The move to carry reciprocity over the
session includes the Cuban treaty, as we'll
rs all others. although it may be said that
the members who insist most strongly.
upon this at present are those from the
middle west. -: -
=, 1-..' One Thing at TIme.
Here is the way the situation was out
to-day by one of the strongest senators
from that section of the country:
we shall accomplish nothing if We UNI
dertake too much. Experience and good
sense dictate conserva tism. The present
session will expire by limitation at noon.
March 4, eight weeks from to-day. There
will not be time to take up more than one
take up&the one which is most important
to the people as a whole. They have an
indirect and impersonM interest In Cuban
reciprocity, especially those living in the
western states; they have a direct inter.
est interest in reciprocity as a. whole; they
have a direct and pressing interest in
tariff revision; but the question which
they think most about. and which is closer
to them in a practical way than all the
others, Is the question OF the trusts. To
my mind, 1T would be serious business for
tho republican party to permit congress to
adjourn without something being done to
strengthen existing antitrust laws. There
il a. possibility that tn eT1oar bill, II unin
numbered by other measures, can be put
through the senate at this session; let us
therefore. apply ourselves to it exclusively
and for the time being put other questions
aside as being out OF reach
Aoar's all shrewdIy Drawn.
Senator Hoar has drawn his bill very
sfrewdly. BY not going beyond the pro-
visions Of the presidents message, which
pleaded for publicity, he has insured the
prestige Of the presidential office and the
personal popularity Of the man now fill
ing It., in support Of his bill; and at the
same time he has made 1t impossible fol-
the! trusts. as represented in both houses
to mako an effective opposition. II his
bill were drastic it would certainly fai
tor pass. The trusts would oppose II
openly, and vote on, final passage could
not be reached r.
+ Tho opposition to-. the bill on the part
OF certain we'll known members Of the
house judiciary. committee need not ex-
cite undues alarm There are twenty-six
antitrust bills pending before that com
naittee, several Of them fathered by com
naittee memberg The green eyed monster
ii back Of a large part of their hostility
to the Hoar proposition. Their bills
which In the main are very radical and
almost revolutionary in principle, hardly
received comment when introduced, and
wore not heard Of outside the capitol. The