The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-04-11
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
The Elkins Bill Written by Three Rail-
road Observation-Disclosures Session.

l have redeatedly stated 10 this cor
Fespondence that the so-called ''anti-
trust" bills which the republicans per-
mittad 10 become laws last winter will
in no way benefit the people or curb
the trusts. There is nothing in the
party record and nothing in the bills,
except the titles, that forebode evil to
the trusts. 1t will, therefore, surprise
few men TO know that the real authors
of the bills are the trusts themselves
the very ones that tried to hoodwink
the people by sending kilograms to the
Senators ordering them not to pass
these "auti-trust" bills. The New
York Journal of Commerce and Com.
unercial Bulletin of March %, contains
Che story Of the authorship of the Fix
ans anti-rebate bill. A dispatch to that
paper of that date from Chicago says
that at a meeting Of western railway
executive officials to discuss the Elkins
law, it was stated that A. ] Cassatt,
president Of the Pennsylvania; Paul
Morton, Second Vice President of the
Santa Fe; E. d. Kenna, First Vice.
President and general council of the
same road, are the authors of the bill.
1t is stated that the first draft OF the
Dill was made by Mr.. Kenna and en-
dodied the ideas of the three men
named. This draft was submitted to
Che President. the Attorney-G General
and the chairman of the Interstate
Commerce Commission, and was SUBJ
sequently amended. AS finally intro
duced, however, the bill was essen.
italy the bill prepared from the sug-
gestions made by Messrs. Cassatt, Nor
ton and Kenna, after repeated confer.
ences at the White House. Mr.. Nor
ton says Of the law: II believe the act
wi. secur the maintenance OF freight
and passenger rates, and this will be
of lnestima BILE benefit to the entire
country the railroads, the shippers
and to consumers"
There is no doubt in the mind of any
sane mar that the bill will benefit the
railroads, but his statement that it will
benefit shippers and consumer is a
gratuitous insult to the Intelligence of
the people of the country. The rail
roads a be benefited only by in
creased freight rates, and these must
be paid by shippers and consumers. The
RAILROADS will get the benef. and the
people will pay the freight. 1t is a
case of "heads l win and tails you losen
Even in the face Of these facts the
republicans will still continue to call
the Elklns law an antitrust measure.
The people can't beat such a game So
long as they allow the trusts and the
republican party to shuttle aud deal
the cards and hold the stakes as we'll.
x .
The President of the United States
has started on another huge swing a.
round the circle which he modestly
calls can unpretentious little outing
for the purpose Of avoiding publicity :"
Let us Gee about that. Thu schedule
calls for about 200 speeches and the
party accompanying the President con.
sists of two secretaries, one doctor,
three stenographers, two secret service
men, one poet-naturalist, representa-
tlves of three illustrated papers, repre-.
sentatives of three press associations,
one official photographer, and two
telegraph operators. What a delight.
fully original way of avoiding public.
atty. 1t is surprising that he did not
take along a brass band with which to
hunt those bears. The truth of the mat
fer ia that fha 0ant1an,an mh