Arizona republican., 1903-02-06

the senate yesterday without a word
oi debate.
Mr.. Powers, republican, Of Massa-
chusetts, made the opening argument
for his side OF the house on the ju-
dietary committee bilt and Mr.. Clay
ton. democrat, opened for his side.
The former contended that the pend
ing measure was a step in the direc-
tion Of regulating the trusts, while
Mr. Clayton insisted that it IVES all
sham and pretense and the bill feeble
as il was never was intended to go on
the statute books.
The postoffice appropriation bill was
passed before the trust bill was taken
up. The antitrust debate viii be re-
sumed tomorrow.
Mr. Powers. republican OF Massa-
chusetts. opened the debate on the
antitrust bill He declared that the
pending bill was not a party measure.
Both sides on the judiciary committee,
he said. had labored earnestly on the
subject Of trust legislation. For fifteen
years there had been growing and
increasing demand for some act Tor
the control Of great Industrial COM
binations. Free and untrammeled COM
petition did not exist. The public was
convinced that the great transpOrta-
tiOn companies gave privileges to the
large producer, he said, which the
small producer did not enjoy. The
pending bill might be entitled properly.
"a bill TO defend the American people
in their industrial liberty"
The combination Of industry, he said,
was the result of an economic evolu-
ton, and could not be stopped. All
that could be done was to insist that
these combinations should be kept well
within certain limits, that no adVan-
tage over its smaller competitors
should be allowed the big corporation
in the shipment of goods. He believed
that there was no trust that could not
be reached under the commerce clause
of the constitution. The proposition Of
the other side TO reach the trusts by
removing the tariff. he said. was futile,
since there are trusts in 169 articles on
the free list. In this connection Mr..
Powers said. he believed the time had
come when there should be general
revision OF tariff on other grounds. not
as. a remedy to regulate trusts.
III concluding Mr.. Powers pointed
out the fact that there was q growing
socialstic sentiment in this country
as was evidenced by the increased vote
Cf the party in massachusetts. last
autumn, from four to forty thousand.
There were. he said, many intelligent
Tscple who believed the government
should proceed 90 take charge Of the
railroads and other means Of inter-
state commerce. He was convinced oe
the Importance that the people should
be made to understand by the enact
Hent Of a bill like the pending one
that congress proposed to hold these
gigantic Combina lions in CHECK
SIR. Clayton OF Alabama a member
Of the judiciary committee. who fol-
lowed Mr.. Powers agreed with him that
there mad been no politics in the con-
sideIltion Cf The subject regarding
trusts. il The committee. bat he Insist
e1 that the methods proposed by re-
Uublicaus and democrats differed radi-
Caliy. He and his associates. he said,
believed that in addition to the inter
state commerce clause Of the coUstitu-
tioa, the taxing power directly and in
the lCvying Of customs duties coull be
and should be invoked. He said he was
not opposed to publicity but he did not
regard il as a cure.
Mr.. Clayton created much amIse-
Esnt by recalling the attitude Of the
republicans on the trust question in the
F'lfty-sixth congress when they in
sisted that they were pOwerless to deal
with the question without d coustitu-
tional amendment. He predicted that
corporate greed" would never permit
certain sections OF the pending bill 70
become o law. In conclusion Mr. Clay
ton described the pending bill as the
soothing stroke Of a friendly hand"