The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-09
THE HAND OF ROCKEFELLER
1t Is Seen at the capltot-Littiefieid BIZ
Unconstitutional.

It Is Seen at the Capitoi-Littiefeid BIZ
Unconstitutional.
From The Journal Bureau, Room 45, Post Build
ing Washington.
washington, Feb 9.-Last Saturdays
special dispatch from Washington gave
Journal readers an inkling Of what was
sgoins on in the house of representatives
to- bring about the defeat OF the presl-
dents antitrust plans, and OF the con-
nection Of Speaker Henderson with the
scheme. Developments Of Saturday night
and Yesterday amply confirm all that was
written in that dispatch and add num-
Der of interesting additional details.
The hand Of the Standard Oil company,
has appeared in a very conspicuous man
ner, and while the foolhardiness> of the
performance may defeat the purpose. the
fact remains that the need for legisla-
ton embodied in the Nelson amendment
to the department OF commerce Dill pro
viding for a bureau of corporations, mas
been strongly and unexpectedly empha-
sized by Mr.. Rockefellers interference
While it has been decided that he sent
certain kilograms, under his own sigma
ture. to six prominent republican men,
bers Of the senate against the Nelson
amendment, it is known and not denied
that amendment was offensive to him
and his following, and that he greatly de-
sired to defeat 1t. Fifteen years ago his
corporation would have objected to the
anti-rebate features Of the o-called
Elkins bill, but 1t has grown past that
point. To-day it is opposed to the pub
| Lefty features Of the Nelson amendment,
and more especially to the power which 1t
| proposes to lodge in the commissioner of
corporations of the new department Of
| commerce. ...-a.s. --..- ,-,..
LittIefieId Bill Full Of Holes.
| Mr.. Rockefeller has been advised by his
attorneys in New York that the Little
| field bill. which passed the house on Sat-
urday. is unconstitutional. Acting on
this advice, he has not opposed that bill.
nor has there been opposition to it on
| the part Of any, of the great trusts. The
| fear that the bill is unconstitutional, it
may be said here, is shared by the pres
| ident and by Attorney General Knox. both
| of whom have expressed their views re-
garding it to members of the senate. 1t
is, therefore. out of the question to ex-
| pect the senate to pass that bill The
attorney general, who is one of the four
or five greatest lawyers in the United
States, spent the better part Of six weeks
working out the phraseology Of the two
! bills covering publicity which were in
troduced in the house by Representative
Jenkins of Wisconsin,, chairman of the
house Judiciary COMMITTEES This phrase
ology did not quite suit, Mr., Eittlefeld,
who aspires to be known as a. trust
| BUSTER and he was successful in his e.
| forts to have those bills. in spite of their
| careful wording, intended to steer them
| clear of constitutional distractions, laid
aside, and g. bill of his own, based upon
I them, taken up by the committee on judi
ciary and reported to the house in ,theiG
stead That is the bill which passed the
house witha hurrah on Saturday.. 1t is
believed to be as full Of holes as a sieve
not because Mr.. Littlefield does not want
to do the right thing, but because he Is
not enough of q. lawyer to cope successful-
ly with a question Of the magnitude OF
the trusts. He has much pride Of opin.
ion, and is very stubborn. Something
will have to be done to bring him into
sympathetic touch with the administra
ton or there will be trouble in the house
when the time comes, il 1t should come a;
all. for the consideration of the Elkin.
bill. It will be the policy OF the trust.
to keep Mr.. Littlefield in his present stub
born attitude. thus using him as an un
conscious tool for the bringing about O.
a condition in the house that will rem
der legislation out Of the question
~. w. w. Jermane