The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-06
FIRST GUNS OF ANTI
TRUST BILL DEBATE
Powers and Clayton Begin
the Discussion.
THE STATEHOOD MEASURE
lis Discussion in the Upper House Turns en- the
Question of poIygamy and the Power
of the Mormon
Church.
THE STATEHOOD MEASURE
(By the Associated Press. J

Washington, d. c.. Feb. 5.-The Anti
Trust bill debate which opened in the
House today did not develop much ami
nation although there was fairly large
attendance in the galleries. The rule
under which the House was to operate
however, precipitated a lively discussion.
Messrs. Richardson. of Tennessee; FIem-
ing, of Georgia, and Clayton, of Alabama,
protested vigorously against the rule for
consideration of the bill but it did not
permit them to secure a record vote on
substitute, but the Republicans replied
that they were willing to accept the re-
sponsibility. The bill to expedite prose-
cutions occasiOned no debate. 1t passed
the House, as it did the Senate yesterday,
without a word of debate. Mr.. Powers,
OF Massachusetts, made the opening ar
gument for his side of the House on the
Judiciary Committee bill and Mr. Clay
ton, of Alabama. opened for his side.
Mr.. Powers, in his speech, declared
that the pending bill might be entitled
properly "a bill to defend the Ameri-
can people in their industrial liberty"
The consolidation of industry, he said,
was the result of an economic revolu-
tion and could not be stopped. All that
could be done was to insist that these
combinations should be kept we'll with
in certain limits; that no advantage over
his smaller competitors should be allow
ed the big corporation in the shipment of
goods. The proposition of the other side
to reach the trusts by removing the
tariff, he said. was shown to be futile
when it was understood that there were
trusts in 169 articles on the free list. In
this connection Mr.. Powers said he be-
lieved the time had come when there
should be general revision of the tariff
upOn other grounds, not as a remedy to
re gulate trusts.
In concluding, Mr.. Powers pointed out
that there was a growing socialistic SEN
timent in this country as evidenced by
the increased vote of the party in Massa-
chusetts last fall from 1000 to 40 900
There were, he said, many intelligent peo-
pie who believed the government should
proceed to take charge of the railroads
and other means of Inter State COM
merce It was important, he said, that
these people should be made to under
stand by the enactment of a bill like
the pending one that Congress proposed
10 hold these gigantic combinations in
check.
Mr.. Clayton, of Alabama, a member
Of the Judiciary committee, who fol-
lowed Mr.. Powers, agreed with him that
there had been no politics in the consd-
aticn of the subject of regulating
trusts, in the committee, but he insist
cd that the methods proposed by Repub-
nfc
He and his associates, he said, believed
that in addition to the Inter State COM
merce clause of the Constitution, the
taxing power, directly and in the levy
ing of customs duties could be and should
be invoked. His side was not opposed
to publicity but they did not regard it
as cure. Mr.! Clayton created much
amusement by recalling the attitude of
tho Republicans on the trust question in
the Fifty-sixth Congress. when they in
sisted that they were powerless to deal
with the question without constitu-
tional amendment. He predicted that
corporate greed" would never permit
certain sections of the pending bill to
become a law.
In conclusion Mr.. Clayton described the
pCnding bill as the Soothing stroke of
friendly hand" What the Democrats
wanted was action that would mean
something.
Continuing, Mr.. Thomas, of North Car
olna, the last speaker today contended
that the pending bill did not go far
enough The House adjourned to meet
at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning when
the Antitrust bill debate will be re-
sumed.