The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-09
TRUST BUSTING
STORIES AFLOAI
The Marvellous Performance En-
\ titled Tanning of the U. S.
Senate.
The Upper Branch Is Now Said to
Be Eating Out of the Presi-
dents Hand.
The Hand Of Rockefeller Seen at the
Capital-More judy Parker
Stories.
From The Journal Bureau, Room As, Post Build
ing, Washington.

From The Journal Bureau, Room As, Post Build
ing, Washington. F..
Washington. Feb. 9-Without one word
OF debate, even the formality Of a roll
call, the United States senate rid itself
of all the trust legislation desired by
President Roosevelt a this session Of con-
gress. Senator Hoar made a speech many
days ago in behalf of his bill; but neither
his speech nor his bill had any connec-
ton with the legislation which has gone
through the senate. Ea
The bills which, have been passed are
those approved by the administration. and
cover the following, which President
Roosevelt has considered essential in the
antitrust program:
First--A publicity bureau under the direction
OF new department OF commerce.
Second-The beginning of effective reg
ulation Of the railroads. to be accomplished by
amendment Of the antirebate statutes, and in
crease of power to the interstate commerce conf
mission.
Third-Law to expedite the pending cases in
volving the enforcement of the interstate COM
Inerce statutes.
In spite OF Quay and statehood, in spite
OF the notorious opposition of trust and
railroad interests, in spite Of the attitude
of senators acting in those interests-in
the face of what seemed insurmountable
distractions, and contrary to an almost
unanimous prediction to the contrary, the
senate has passed this legislation-has
passed it by unanimous consent, and with
out debate the Offering Of amend
ment--the whole of it has slipped through
like putty In a bean-blower.
The Tanning Of the Senate.
The marvellous performance Of the sem
ate cries aloud for an explanation. Is
the legislation counterfeit? And if not,
who tanned the senators? Why are they
thus led like lambs to the slaughter, and
why, like sheep, are they dumb in the
hands Of the shearers? ..-...
The legislation Is not counterfeit. That
It is genuine is we'll attested by the sturdy
efforts which various lobbies making
to pile distractions on the track. Tele-
grams. letters. resolutions, visits from
railroad magnates and their agents. are
pouring In upon the congressman every
day. The attorney general is satisfied that
it is real. and the president Is convinced
that it will be effective so far as it goes
Then who did tame the senators ..a.
Roosevelt. ~.
Backed by public opinion and deter
rnination which would not be dallted with
he brought them to terms. This much
can be told now. Perhaps at some future
date the whole story can be told-the story
OF the conferences with Aldrich and Han
ma. and other men strong In the party, and
strong in their sympathy with the great
railroad and manufacturing interests of
the country-of the desire of these party
leaders to tempOrize and postpone-to
make a loud demonstration against trusts
but no real attack-to pull off a sham
battle and fire lot Of blank, cartridges
all OF which Roosevelt would not have;
and how Roosevelt laid it down fatty and
souarely that something real, something
safe and along conservative lines, must
he done, offering them the alternative OF
an extra session and a special message
which would be an appeal to the country
and to the voters, and which would leave
tn WI should
rest for the failure of legislation;-some
day this story may be told, and 1t viii
be disclosed how those strong party lead
crs experienced a change of heart, and
like small boys confronted with the chas
tening trunk strap. chose to swallow the
treacle and sulphur; but to tell this nov
might be offensive to some Of the par
Elephants. that chapter must wait FOL
the historian who writes of people toe
dead to mind what is said about them.
The Flight Was at the White House.
How the senate legislates when it want
to, is shown In this trust bill episode. TIL
fight was at the White House; the debat
was at the White House; the meeting o
the opposing interests was there. III
president said to the senate leaders, il
effect. H. ..
II voice the demand Of the people 70
the beginning of some real restraints upo
the railroads and trusts. You represen
the republican party. The party control
The party will, be held responsible, an
I will see that there Is no mistake as t
placing the blame on such OF the part
leaders are responsible. Now you re
fuse this legislation at your peril. l q
not propose to share In the consequences.
Whereupon the republican leaders sale
one to another:
Verify, we are up against the res
thing. Will 1t not be the part of wisdo1
to compromise with this buster of trusts
f>,,,, ~, >rr
as little as he will take, and give him
moderate regulation Of the railroads an
an innocent publicity bureau, rather tina
to have the democrats and populists upo
our backs-and him also-and to be WHIP
sawed by some manner of legislation an
agitation. in the press and on the stuml
which will squeeze the water all out Of OF
corporations, making it impossible to fes
our deals, and give chils and ague to OF
Wall street every other minute:'
And they resolved this doubt in the a.
flrmative; and they turned to, and d
. business with the president; and the
: agreed to pass numbers one. two and thre
on the trust programme promising not
call extra session for trust-bustl'
purposes, and agreeing not to ''razoo' {
whipsaw their markets. And 1t was s
And behold. in a couple Of days. the SCI
ate gets busy, and without labor or pain
brings forth the trust legislation Whit
was desired.
And presently these same senators {
the stump will be pointing with pride
The Cautious House.
Even in the house-that cave Of tt
winds-there has been until late last wee
a most notable silence on the subject
trusts On. second thought it is not
strange that this self-restraint has be-
exercised. Here is the situation: Bo
parties are officially against the trust
Both are rather insincere in their pr
testations; and both are quite doubtful
to remedies. The democrats are hopil
to make capital out of the failure Of Il
republicans to do anything. But they c.
not voice their criticism until the repu
leans have had an opportunity to
something. They cannot then find fal
SO long as there is any prospect that VIII
is proposed will be effective. So, up
this time they have been forced to mai
tain silence. The republican membe
meantime, have been compelled to be qu
by other considerations: In the first pla
they have not felt quite certain that an
thing was going to be done in the way
1o< rse,lr, -.