Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-07
General Debate In the House
On Merits of the Anti
Trust Bill
slHLeY,s ASSERTION ANSWERED
MIR. Williams, Of Mississippi, Replies
to Pennsylvanian's Statement That
"the Day of Individualism and Com.
petition Had Passed'-Debate Closed
by DeArmond, and LittletieId.


house shortly before 6 O'clock last even
ing. The debate had proceeded since
10 o'clock in the morning. More In
terest was aroused as it proceeded and
the closing speeches by Mr.. Dear
mond, democrat of Missouri, and Mr..
Littlefield, republican, of Maine, were
delivered to crowded gallaries and a
very full floor.
The closing, however. was devoid of
brilliant pyrotecnnics and sensational
clashes. The other speakers We're
Messrs. Laurence, republican, of
Massachusetts. Parker republican, of
New Jersey. Tirreil, republican. of
Massachusetts, Jenkins, republican, of
Wisconsin, Douglass, republican. of
New York, Henry, democrat, of Texas,
Fleming, democrat, of Georgia, McClel-
Ian, democrat, of New York, Williams,
democrat, OF Mississippi and Kieborg.
democrat, of Texas. 1t was decided that
for three hours today the bill should be
considered under the fve-minute rule,
and the final vote taken.
Mr.. jenkins, of Wisconsin, chairman
OF the judiciary committee, held there
were no trusts and congress had no
control over commerce. Mr.. Fleming
suggested an amendment so as to make
section s applicable to water transpor-
4ation. He said that Mr.. Irwin. of
Ohio, and himself, both members of the
judiciary committee. had concurred in
the minority report favoring the strik-
xr-1a lp1N NAL hi <a1
the carrier, from transporting trust
made goods. He was opposed to it be-
cause it placed the responsibility of
determining what was trust-made
goods upon the carrier.
Mr. Gilbert, of Kentucky. said his
private opinion was that the bill was
not only homeopathic dose, but that
1t would do more harm than good. The
republican party, he said. was now en-
gagged in the same sort of desperate
effort to destroy the trusts which char
acterized 1t in its attempt for ten years
TO establish bimetallism by interna-
tional agreement.
After some further remarks by
Messrs. Mcclellan, of New York. Tir-
rell, of Massachusetts,. Douglass. of
New York. Kitchen, Of North Carolina
and Kleborg, Of Texas Mr.. Williams.
u Mississippi. replied at some length
to the assertions OF Mr.. Sibley, of
Pennsylvania. a few days ago chat
the day Of individualism and compeu-
zion had passed"
Mr.. DeArmond of Missouri then
closed the general debate for his side.
He said he realized how difficult it was
to deal adequately with the trust ques-
ton. Human greed, with the best hu-
man intellect at its command was not
so easily baffied, and therefore So
luton required sincerest endeavor. He
was not one Of those, he said, who be-
lieved that q revision of tariff could
achieve much. He did not believe that
the tariff sheltered all trusts. Still, II
It would break the bones of any of the
giant trusts, why, he asked, should not
the remedy be applied? Some one
ON the other side, he said, openly adj
mitted that the tariff should be revised
In certain particulars.
Why should not the bars be let down
when the tariff had been made shell
tering place and ground for trusts?
His side proposed an amendment to
clothe the president with power to sus-
AeASA~A'
whenever necessary to protect the pub
lie. Why, he asked, would not the
other side join in the enactment of
that amendment? DO you prefer" he
asked, addressing the republican side,
ito trust the trusts rather than your
own PRESIDENT"
I'VE are not seeking to destroy"
Mr.. DeArmond said, 'but to preserve;
to act as a bulwark to prevent the
concentration and constantly multiply
ing monopoly which will finally crush
out the American individual and make
a shadow of what was once his proud
American citizenship"
II 1t was desired to do something eff
fective, Mr.. DeArmond said the min
ority amendment should be adopted.
Corporations should be made amenable
to local courts as individuals were.
The taxing power Of the government
should be employed as it was to sup
press state banks. The bankruptcy
act could be used to throw trusts into
court Of they violated the law.
He believed, he said, that members
should, without seeking party adj
vantage, strive to place an effective law
on the statute books. 1.-THE adminis-
tration and the republican majority
in congress-" he said, will go far
enough to show the people that it
seeks to do something for the peoples
good, but not far enough to hurt the
peoples interests"
Mr.. Littlefield closed the debate foI
the majority. He said that no one ser-
ously believed that with the existing
constitutional limitations bill could be
prepared that would fully and ade-
auately meet the situation. But he be-
iieved the committee had presented g
STAIR reasonable and constitutional
measure" and as such he hoped il
would address itself tc the members OF
she house.
Mr.. Littlefleld created considerable
amusement by reading a most eXtrava-
giant denunciation of combinations and
then announcing that the extract was
not from the speech of any gentleman
on the other side. but from a speech OF
Sir John Culpepper, delivered in the
British parliament 226 years ago. They
had 'em then" said he, Just as we have
'em now" Gaughter) Il call your at
tention to the fact that there was nc
protective tariff in those days He
traced the history of combinations back
to 2300 b. c. to show, he said, thai
combinations always had existed ano
that there had been an outcry against
them. 1t showed further, he said, how
old and how difficult the problem before
congress was now.
Speaking Of the bill. Mr.. Littlefielo