Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-16
THE ANTITRUST BILL
Conference With Attorney
General Knox.
NO FRICTION AT ALL
MEASURE TO BE ONE THAT CAN
NOT BE ovERTHRowN.
Working Now on Three Features, Pub
icity, No Rebates and Advance
ment Of Cases.
go FRICTION AT ALL


the work Of preparing a bill to regulate
corporations are unfounded. No such con-
ditions exist. but on the contrary substan-
tial progress is being made In the prepara-
ton of bill, and although the date Of re-
porting the bill will be postponed beyond
the time set few days ago 1t will not be
lost time. When the bill IS completed It will
be a stronger and a more harmonious
measure for the delay.
Conference With Attorney General.
The members of the subcommittee,
Messrs Littlef1eld, Overstreet and Powers,
were in conference yesterday afternoon
with the Attorney General prior to his de-
parture for Pittsburg, where he will remain
several days, and went over the tentative
provisions Of the bill very carefully with
the head of the Department of Justice. Mr..
Knox suggested some changes in the bill,
and offered some additional provisions.
Moreover, he expressed a desire to further
consider some of the paragraphs recon-
mended by the subcommittee. :.
The Attorney General, it is said, Is con-
sidering the bill from the point Of view OF
an official who may have to bring suits un-
der the measure and institute prosecutions
against corporations offending against its
provisions He knows that the proposed
new law. as soon as 1t shall be invoked,
will be attacked by the most ekilful and
adroit legal talent that money can hire In
this country.
Lets chink up every possible loophole
in the bill through which the defendants
might possibly wriggle out, says Mr..
Knox, in effect. He advocates going slowly
and making the bill absolutely impervious
the courts, 80 far as human foresight and
knowledge OF the law can made the attain
ment Of that object possible
Two Important Facts. ~
Two important facts appear today in the
situation concerning possible antitrust
legislation; first that the Legislation pro-
posed by the House will not be drastic. Sec
ond, that there Is disposftionBon the part Of
the trust interests to accept the legislation
and permit it to go through the Senate, II
1t Is not of q drastic character.
Private information somes to the Capitol
today from trust sources that It may be
possible to reach an agreement which will
permit the enactment of mild legislation
regulating the trusts, and that II assur-
ances can be given that the perfected bill
merely satisfy the Presidents demand for
some kind of action no obstacles will be
placed in the way of the bill in the Senate.
1t Is said that two considerations led to
the announcement Of that decision on the
part of the trust interests. The controlling
motive was realization that failure Of &C
tion by this Congress would assuredly re-
suit in the calling Of an extra session of
Congress, which, backed by aroused public
sentiment and stimulated to action by a
ringing message sure to come from the
White House and the Endorsement of the
public press, might cause the next Congress
to go to extreme lengths in legislation
The other consideration, 1t Is said, was
assurance that the President does not now
demand radical action, but that he will be
satisfied If a step can be taken in advance.
Tl,e to- t. I4t~, t..
the pending conservative legislation, II ac-
cepted gracefully by them, less menace
than the risk of a long and bitter fight in
an extra session.
The Senate View.
The Senate is inclined to take that view
Of the case also. Of course, people who
discuss the trust situation in earnest have
long ago quit mincing words about it, and
admit that in the United States Senate are
to be found the only obstacles in the way
of securing adequate antitrust legislation.
No one denies that proposition or even dis
cusses it seriously. 1t is taken for granted,
and all speculation and action are based
upon it's acceptance as q fact.
But the Senate feels that il a bill passed
by the House and indorsed by the President
and the Attorney General was pigeon-holed
in the Senate. the President could. with
justice. claim that the direct representa-
voiced the demand Of the people for legis-
lation. the executive should call another
Congress to do what this Congress. through
the Senate. had refused to do. The Sem
ate probably will be Inclined to accept
what appears the less of two evils and con-
cur in the view of the trust interests that
a mild bill should be passed.
While the President and the Attorney
General are not disposed 20 object to q
conservative measure, they Insist that the
bill which is passed shall not be- q gold
brick" 1t must be law susceptible Of en-
forcement and distinct addition to exist
ing law or strengthening of existing law.
Working on Thrss Features.
The three features upon which the anti
trust subcommittee and the Attorney Cen
eral now are working are these: To OBJ
tain publicity as to trusts and corpora
tions. through reports to be filed with the
bureau Of corporations In the tending De-
partment of Commerce hill:t to, forbid the
acceptance Of rebates as we'll as the grant
ing Of them; to provide for the advance
ment of cases to trial arising under the
Sherman law. -
The subdivision to which the sclosest at
tention Is being given now y the publicity
provision. It is the aim Of the trainers
OF the bill to relieve ordinary business cor
porat1ons from the reQuirenentAOf the law
and to apply them to the Objectionable
trusts proper, and corporations which op-
crate as monopolies. Thesffeld ~ somewhat
broad, the goal little BIT obscure and
the road at present rather foggy, but they
think they can find a way out within a
week fyUo