Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-22
AGAINST THE TRUSTS
Legislation to Be Well Under
Way Next Week.
BILL
THAT WILL BE UP IN THE
HOUSE.
The Elkins Bill in the Senate-House
Democrats to Propose Substitute
Final Action Expected.
BILL

The first of next week will see antitrust
legislation well under way in both houses
of Congress. The House committee on
judiciary will have the Littlefield bill under
consideration, and probably will be ready
to report it by the middle Of the week.
The Senate committee on commerce will
have up the Elkins bill affecting discrim-
mating railway rates and rebates, and will
have that bill into the Senate by the time
the House bill comes over.
When the Littlefield bill gets into the
House next week it will be under escort Of
a special order from the committee on rules
providing for it's consideration and limiting
debate and the power of amendment.
The House republicans do not propose to
launch their measure until they are thor
oughly agreed upon its terms and are in
accord with the President and the Depart
ment of Justice. When they do put in their
bill they will be prepared to stand by it and
to see it safely through the House by pre-
senting solid party front.
A Democratic Substitute.
The democrats in the House will have a.
substitute to propose for the Littlefield
bill although they may not be able to get
a direct vote upon it. Judge De Almond of
Missouri, with the collaboration Of some
of the legal heavyweights on the democratic
SIDE is preparing a substitute bill.
The object Of the democrats will be to
propose more stringent measure than
the republicans will offer, and, if possible.
get the republicans on record as opposing
what they will term adequate regulation
Of the trusts.
In the Senate there will be some skillful
maneuvering on trust legislation. There
is prospect of clash between the commit
tee on judiciary, of which Senator Hoar is
chairman. and the committee on commerce.
Some republican senators of prominence
are inclined to the view that in the forth
coming antitrust legislation the interstate
commerce features and regulation of rail-
way rebates should be prominent. Senator
Hoar Is understood to be strongly of the
opinion that the committee on Judiciary
should have exclusive jurisdiction of a bill
which affects the Sherman law in any re-
spect.
While the House will act PROMPTLY upon
antitrust legislation, and the republica n
managers in the Senate will agree among
themselves on the probable scope of the
bill at an early date 1t is not likely that
the Senate will be in a hurry to put the
finishing touches to the legislation The
impression prevails that the Senate will
postpone final action until near the end Of
the session. Having the House bill in it's
possession and its own mind pretty thor
oughly made up. the Senate, it is said can
afford to wait until later in the session
to pass it's own bill and put the measure
into a conference committee for final whip-
ping into shape.
Prevent Long Debate.
The advantage Of this policy is pointed
out to be that 1t will deter long debate in
the Senate and cut off factious democratic
opposition in that body. The republicans in
the Senate do not expect to be able to sat
1sfy the democrats upon antitrust legisla-
ton and will not attempt that task They
do not desire to give the democrats much
leeWay, however. to exploit democratic ideas
to what should be done, and it is proba-
bic that other business will be so pressing
for the next few weeks that really it will
be impracticable to get the trust bill in.
Anyhow there is the statehood bill in
the way, with the wicked Senator Quay and
his wicked republican colleagues, who in
sist upon the statehood measure having
precedence.
The republican managers are not afraid
that the antitrust legislation will fail in
the last hours of Congress. When 1t comes
to the point that the republican House and
Senate are agreed upon a measure it is not
expected that the democrats will dare to
prevent enactment because of their ina ability
to get their own ideas incorporated in the
proposed law.
If there is any contention between the re-
publicans of the House and Senate it will
be on the subject of publicity. The Senate
is not opposed to adopting the Attorney
Generals suggestions for the abolishment
Of rebate and discriminating rates. AS
pointed out in The Star some time ago, the
railroads would be glad of remedial legisla-
ton of that character. Some senator's are
very much opposed, however to a sweeping
inquisition into the affairs of corporations
and it is probable that the bill will be yery
moderate In that respect.