The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-09
.KNOX'S BILLS
 ARE |NTR0DUCED Attorney General Turns Trust Question Over to House APPROVED BY THE PRESIDENT One of Them Amends the Sherman Antitrust Law to Strengthen 1t
 and the Other Provides
 the Machinery.
APPROVED BY THE PRESIDENT


 bills prepared by Attorney General Knox were introduced in the house today by Representative Jenkins, chairman of the judiciary committed. These bills are said to represent the views of the administra- tion on the question. being along the lines of the suggestions contained in Mr. Knox's letter to Senator Hoar and MT Littlefeld.
 One of the bills amends the Sherman antitrust law to strengthen and perfect 1t to meet the views of the attorney gem eral, the chief features being a provision that it shall be unlawful for any person to offer grant, give, solicit, accept or re- ceive any rebate, concession or service in respect to the transportation of any prop erty in interstate or foreign commerce whereby such property is transported at a less rate than that named in the pub lished tariff of the carrier, a fine of S500O being provided; and that the Circuit courts of the United States are invested with jurisdiction to prevent and restrain such rebates.
 The second bill provides for the ap- pointment of the commission to carry out
 
 is proposed to have 1t amended. It is provided that the commission shall be a bipartisan affair. but the bill as intro- duced leaves blank tae number of com missioners to be appointed, the length or their service and their compensation they are to receive. The commission is to have a secretary, and neither the secretary nor the commissioners are to engage In any corporate business while holding of- flee. The bill confers on the commission powers somewhat similar. though much stronger. than those possessed by the interstate commerce commission.
 Approved by President.
 Representative Jenkins said tonight re- garding the measure:. vshey were drawn bv the attorney gere .hl and represent the views of the President and attorney general on the subject of trusts. The bills will have my support in the house When I say that, I do not want to De understood as having surrendered by con- yictions that the only way to efficiently curb the trusts Is through an amendment to the constitution. But 1 feel that It IS my duty to subordinate my personal views to the policy of President Roosevelt In securing any remedial legislation he de- sires.
 Section i of the bill to amend the Sher- man law provides: That it,shall be un- lawful for any person or persons to offer, grant or give or to solicit, accept or re- ceiye any rebate, concession or service in respect of the transportation Of aIf5 property in interstate or foreign com merce by any common carrier subject to the act to regulate commerce. whereby any such property shall, by any device whatever, be transported at less rate than that named in the tariffs published and filed by such carrier as Is required by said act to regulate commerce. Every person who shall offer grant, or give, or solicit. accept or receive any such rebate, concession or service shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and on convic- ton thereof shall be punished by fine of not less than $50OO
 As to Transportation.
 "Sec g. If any joint stock company, corporation or combination, or any agent thereof, shall solicit, accept or receive any such rebate concession or service as is hereinabove declaredDso be unlawful, It shall be unlawful thereafter to transport any article owned or controlled by such company corporation or combination, or produced or manufactured by It, by whomsoever the same may be owned or controlled, from the state within which such article Is produced or manufac- tured. If any such joint stock company. corporation or combination shall grant or give any special prizes, inducements or advantages for the sale of articles pro- duced manufactured or controlled by It to purchasers in any particular locality in order to restrict or destroy compet1- ton in that locality in the sale of such articles, it shall be unlawful thereafter to transport any article owned or con- tro,led by it, or produced or manufac- tured bv if. by whomsoever the same may be owned or controlled, from the state within which such article Is pro- duced, manufactured or controlled; pro- vided. however, that the prohibition im- posed under this section shall not apply to any article purchased bona hde be- fore decree made in pursuance hereof against the joint stock company, corpo- ration or combination producing, manu- featuring or heretofore owning or con trolling the same; and provided further that even after the decree, any such arti- cle may be relieved from the prohibition imposed under this section If the owner thereof shall show to the satisfaction of the court having jurisdiction of the mat ter. as hereinafter provided that such article was purchased bona ffde. without notice and within thirty days after the entry of such decree. Any transport;t tion company and any officer agent or representative. thereof knowingly con cerned in the transportation of articles in interstate or foreign commerce con trary to the provisions of this section shall be punished by fine of not less than $5000.
 Machinery Provided For.
 The remaining sections provide the ma chinery for carrying the law into ef- feet, investing the circuit courts of the United States with jurisdiction in the premises and giving opportunity to per sons injured in their business of property by reason of anything forbidden by the act the right to recover three-fold the damages sustained.
 The commission provided by the second bill is to inquire into the organization and conduct of the business of corpora tions, joint stock companies and combi- nations engaged in interstate commerce and to gather information that will en- able the President to make recommenda- tions to congress for additional legisla- tion to remedy such commerce Of any person refusing to attend and testify be- fore the commission or to answer any lawful inquiry. or to produce books, pa