Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-09
THE TRUST TELECRAMS
Those Sent by Jno. D. Rookie
feller.
EFFECT OF PUBLICITY
WILL AROUSE SYMPATHY FOR,
ANTITRUST LEGISLATION.
One Man Says Signature Was That Of
Jno. D. Rockefeller, IRA Third
Version Of the Dispatch.
EFFECT OF PUBLICITY

The publication of the substance of an
Identical telegram said to have been sent
to six United States senators by John ID.
, Rockefeller of the Standard OIL Company
has aroused renewed interest in the pend
ency of antitrust legislation in Congress
The purport Of the kilograms was that the
publicity feature Of the proposed antitrust
legislation was Objectionable to the Stand
ard OIL Company, and should be defeated;
furthermore, that an attorney of the COM
pany would visit Washington to explain the
objections.
The Standard Oil Company's attorney did
come to Washington, and. 1t Is SAID, called
upon senators who are following antitrust
legislation closely, but was advised to take
himself eff In a hurry, and he did So Later
proposed substitute for the publicity fea-
ture of the pending bill was produced in
the meeting of the conferees on the bill,
but was denounced as a pro-tTuSt PROPOSE
tion and was not presented the conferee
who held it explaining. so the story goes,
that it had been handed to him by prom
inent member of the House, with a request
to present it in conference.
Interest naturally directed to the
identity of the six United States senator's
who were alleged to have received tele-
grams from Mr.. Rockefeller. Thus far no one
has been found who would admit having
received the kilograms. Senators who are
prominent leaders and whose influence
would be effective in legislation, such men
as Hanna. Aldrich, Spooner, Kean, Cullom,
Burrows and Foraker, deny having received
the telegram, and most of them express
skepticism of its having been sent by Mr.
Rockefeller or with his authority.
Effect of Publication.
There is no doubt, however, that the pub
lication of the incident will have effect.
The belief is widespread that publicity was
given to a matter that otherwise would
have been very closely guarded for the pur-
pose Of arousing sympathy for antitrust
Legislation and to discourage and discredit
opposition to it which is feared in Congress.
That such will be the effect is admitted.
1t is said that exposure of the opposition
Of the trusts to the legislation will increase
the efforts in behalf of that legislation.
The proposition which was declared In the
alleged Rockefeller telegram to be offensive
was the Nelson amendment to the depart
ment of commerce bill. providing for pub
ucity of the organization and ca ptalization
of trusts. The provision has been regarded
as Of very mild character, else it could
not have been incorporated in the bill so
easily. 1t seems to have been offensive,
however, to pro-trust interests, as a very
prominent member Of the House. according
to common report, endeavored to push a
substitute upon the conferees.
The other antitrust measure pending,
which is expected to be affected by the ex-
pose, is the Elkins anti-rebate bill, which
has passed the Senate and now is pending
in the House. There has been some talk
of opposition to that bill, but the latest
port is that it will be taken up Tuesday by
the committee on commerce and reported to
the House.
Whether the expose will react in favor Of
antitrust legislation to the extent of get
ting favorable action on the Littlefeld bill
in the Senate is doubtful. The program OF
Senate leaders for antitrust lie egisla tion has
~. II, ,,lxl
Littlefield bill, but has been limited to the
publicity provision, the Elkins bill and the
Hoar bill to expedite trial of cases before
the courts.
Had Seen a Telegram.
A person was found this afternoon who
stated that he had seen a copy of the tele-
grams alleged to have been sent to sena-
tors by Mr.. Rockefeller. This person AYERS
that as near as he can recollect the tele-
gram read in substance as follows:
Nelson amendment not acceptable to our
interests. Attorney has substitute that is
satisfactory"
he saw was signed not by Mr.. Rockefeller,
the head of the Standard Oil Company, but
by John d. Rockefeller, junior. 1t was
timated that this fact perhaps accounted
for the deniais Of senators that they mad
received telegram from John d. Rookie
feller.
1t was said today that the I'm mmedfate
effect of the receipt Of the Rockefeller tei--
gram and the appearance of the Standard
OIL attorney with the substitute was to
break the deadlock which had existed in
the conference committee the depart
ment of commerce bill for a day or two.
There was a disagreement over several
minor items in the conference report not
related to the question of trusts, but which
was holding up the Nelson amendment, a
part of the bill
1t was stated that when the Rockefeller
bombshell fell In the conference committee
there was immediate disposition on the part
of all the conferees to close up all the busi-
ness and report the perfected measure to
their respective houses before pressure
could be applied by the trusts. At any
rate, it is certain that there immediate
yielding of the contentious on the disputed
features of the bill, and every effort was
made to secure an early report of the con-
ference committee.
The alleged version of the Rockefeller tel
egram printed above is the third version
thus far made public. All the alleged re-
ports of the language of the kilograms state
that they represent the substance and not
the exact text. Thus far no one has pro-
duced verbatim copy, although several
senators have been asked to render theirs,
If they have one. They all deny the soft
impe achment of being Mr.. Rockefeler's cor
respondent, and cross their hearts and de-
clare that they haven't seen the telegram.
ADVANCEMENT OF CoLONELS.