The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-02-07
CLOSING WORDS ON
THE ANTITRUST
BILL
Messrs. De Almond and Lit
tlefield Make Final Argyll
ments, Respectively, for
Democratic and Repub-
lican Sides---Trusts as Far
Back as 23OO B. C.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. e.
General debate on the antitrust bill
closed in the house shortly before s
o'clock this evening. The debate had
proceeded since 10 o'clock this morn
ing More interest was aroused as it
proceeded, and the closing speeches by
Mr.. De Almond (Dem. MOI and Mr..
Littlefield (Rep. Me- were delivered
to crowded galleries and to a very
large attendance on the floor.
The closing, however, was devoid of
sensational clashes. The other speak
ers today were: Messrs. Lawrence
(Rep. Mass), Parker (Rep. n. j., Ter
rell (Rep. Mass.), Jenkins (Rep. Wis.,,
Douglas (Rep. N. W, Henry Dem.
Tex.), Fleming Oen. Ga.), Mcclellan
(Dem. n. ", Williams Dem. Miss.),
and Kleberg Dem. TeX). Tomorrow
for three hours the bill will be con-
sidered under the 5-minute rule, after
which the final vote will be taken.
AS Jenkins Views 1t.
Mr. Jenkins, chairman of the judi
ciary committee, said that the power
of congress was as limited upon this
question as that of any common coun-
Gil at any city in the United States.
AS a matter of fact, he declared, there
were no trusts in the United States
The business of the country was car
ried on, he said, today by trusts. He
cited many authorities in support of
his contention that congress had no
control over commerce, that its power
was strictly limited to regulation. In
reply to d question, he agreed that the
taxing power of the government might
be invoked to suppress undesirable
corporations
Mr.. Nevin (Ohio) Endorsed the meas
ure as the best that could be prepared
at this time. He replied to some of
the criticisms passed upon it, saying
that not over per cent Of the cor
pOrations of the country would be
amenable to the bill.
Mr.. De Almonds Summary.
Mr.. De Almond (Mo.), closing the
general debate for his side said that
he was one of those who believed that
a revision Of the tariff could accomplish
much. He did not believe that the
tariff sheltered all trusts. Still, if it
would break the bones Of any of the
gigantic trusts, why should the remedy
not be applied? Some on the other
side, he said, openly admitted that the
tariff should be revised in certain par
ticulars. Why should not the bars be
let down when the tariff had been
made a Sheltering place and a breeding
an amendment to clothe the president
with power to suspend duties on trust
made articles whenever necessary to
protect the public. Why would not
the other side join in the enactment of
that amendment? DO you prefer
he asked, addressing the Republican
side, to trust the trusts rather than
your own president? We are not seek
ing to destroy, but to preserve; to act
as bulWark to prevent the concen-
tration and constantly multiplying mo-
nopoly which will finally crush out the
American individual and make a husk
and shadow of what was once his
proud American citizenship"
The Tonahawk Drops.
Mr.. De Almond said the bill report
ed from the judiciary committee was
quite different measure from that
originally introduced by Mr. Littlefield.
When the gentleman from Maine
started said he, he had blood i'll
his eyes and tomahaWk In his hand.
But by the time he and his colleagues
caught up with the trusts they We're
smoking the pipe of peace. The sky
was clear and the pickings were to
continue for the trusts Democratic
laughter and applause.) If it was
desired to do something effective, Mr..
De Almond said, the minority amend
ment should be adopted. Corporations
should be made amenable to local
courts as individuals were. The tax
ing power of the government should
be employed as it was to suppress
state banks. The bankruptcy act could
be used to throw trusts into court il
they violated the law.
He believed that members should
seriously, without seeking party ad-
vantage, strive to place an effective
law on the statute books 1.-THE ad-
ministration and Republican majority
in congress-" he said, will go far
enough to satisfy the people that it
seeks to do something for the peoples
good, but not far enough to hurt the
peoples enemy" democratic an
plauSe.)
LittIefieId's Closing Words.
Mr. Littlefield said that no one seri
ously believed, with the existing con-
stitutional limitations, that a bill could
be prepared that would fully and ade-
quately meet the situation But he
believed the committee had presented
fair, reasonable and exceptional
measure" and as such he hoped tina,
1t would address itself to the member:
of the house
Mr.. Littlefield created amusement b,
reading a most eXtravagant denuncia
ton of combination and then announc
ing that the extract was not from thu
speech of any gentleman on the othe
SIDE, but from a speech of Sir JOhr
Culpepper, delivered in the EnglisI
parliament 262 years ago. They hat
EN- them" said he, lust as we havt
'em now. 1 call your attention +,
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