The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-27
IT MUST NOT BE
SIDETRACKED
The President Has Assurances From
the Party Leaders of Trust
Legislation. Z.
Recent Interviews With Aldrich,
Hanna and Others Make
the Point Clear. - 49,.
What the President Insists On and
What He Is Willing to
Compromise.
From The Journal Bureau, Room 45, Post Build
ing, Washington. - w. >S.s'E@-a

Washington, Jan. 27.-Pres- ,7ih.. .Roose-
welt has received assurances rom the
party leaders in the senate that the trust
legislation shall not be smothered or
sidetracked. Senators Aldrich llanna
and others who are VIGOROUSLY not eagec
for trust busting" legislation, have
agreed to compromise the matter. They
have given their word that a vote shall
be taken on some bill which is something.
more than q blank cartridge
The president has insisted upon this.
He has plainly stated to these leaders that
the party pledges necessitate action He
has marked out the features of trust leg
islation which he regards as essential, and
has given them the alternative Of a direct
vote on such bill or an extra session.
Following are the points President
Roosevelt regards as essential:
The Essential Points.
poraticns, to be under direct control of the
president by means Of an official Of the pro-
posed department of commerce. ,
Second-The beginning of more effective regu-
1ation Of common carriers namely the railroads,
by such prohibitions Of rebates, ETC.,
recommended by Attorney General Knox.
These are the concrete results to which
the party leaders must be able to point
after March 4. Otherwise, look out for
a special session message. No excuse will
dllS"Sl. 4No ~ ClCAI WILL oulLlSC. A>o
deadlock or rush Of business will avert
the consequences. The president has no
power to make the senate vote right, but
he has the power to force vote. Then
there are plenty Of party pledges and the
prospects of an appeal to the people to
make them vote in the peoples interest.
"Predatory Competition. =.
! There is a feature of trust legislation
| which is embodied in the so-called Lit
! tlefield bill, which has already drawn the
fire of criticism and which may have to
| be eliminated. This is the part outlined
in section 6. It is directed against the
notorious practices Of such trusts as the
| tobacco, oil and beef trusts, who go into
a locality and compete destructively with
some local industry. predatory compe-
| tition'' Is the phrase which Attorney
General Knox coined to define it. That
section Of the Littlefield bill seeks to for
| bid the use of common carriers to cor
porations INDUCING in such practices.
I This. is the most radical feat ure Of the
administration program and some of the
presidents most trusted advisers have
advised him to abandon it. They argue
| that the law could not be framed so as to
strike only the large and wicked offend
ers, but would operate to the serious in
jury of innum cradle small concerns do
ing a legitimate interstate commerce
business. They think it would be unwise
to attempt to curb competition. They ad-
wise the president to stick to his plan
for publicity and effective regulation oil
railroads.
On good authority it may be stated that
President Roosevelt will not make such 3
feature part Of his ultimatum to con.
gress.
Another feature of the trust regulation
on which the president will not insis,
to the last, and to which strenuous op
position has been made, is that section
which would lodge in the supreme court
power to prohibit by writ of injunction
the use Of common carriers, by a corpora
tion which violates anti trust law.
Where the Opposition Comes.
The president will insist upon a law
to hasten the final adjudication Of the in
terstate commerce cases pending in the
courts. 1t is believed that no serious
opposition will be urged to this legisla-
ton. Opposition to the administration
trust policy may be classified under three
heads:
sympathies are constitutionally enlisted The
side Of trusts, such as Aldrich, Hanna, Depew
! ct al
second-Republican leaders with excellent in
tentions. but disposed to favor remedies too rad
ical to be expedient practicable in the ligh
OF what may be secured from existing conditions
SuCn rs hour, CullOm, ct al.
| Third--Somc republican and more democratic
leaders who profess to be in favor of vastly NOR
stringent measures than any suggested by tn,
administration. Their plan is demagogic ant
their purposes are VIGOROUSLY insincere.
With all Of these the president ha
, had, is having and will have a strenuou:
contest. He is determined that congress
shall not mark. time, that is shall d.
something, that it shall make a real star
toward restraining the trusts, that tn
end shall not be defeated by aiming to,
high. nor that more ineffective shot s11al
, be fired into the ground. He mediate
| a real shot at the trust
1.-THE Best Friend of the Trusts"
The republican leaders are not entirel
deaf to the political argument. !Thes
! of whom Aldrich and Hanna. are typica
admit the force of Roosevelt's argument
The president disclaims any unfriendl
. intent. He says he is, if they knew ii
the best. friend the trusts now have. Tn
less the republicans effect Legislation
which will moderately and properly re
strain them. they may live to see tn
day when they will be regulated" wit
a red hot pillow! share in the hands Q
some Tom Johnson. Reluctantly the re
publican leaders have given their prom
n Uses. 1t remains to be seen how we
: they will perform"
Y - w. w. Jermane.
d MURDERED AT HIS D00I