Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1903-01-15
THE LABOR BUREAU.
A Fight Against Including It in
Department Of Commerce.
WORKING ON THE ANTITRUST BILLS
The House Sub Committee May Make .
Report on Friday House BILL to Amend
bankruptcy Law Favorabiy Report
ed by senate Committee.

ed BY senate COmmittoo
Washington, Jan. 12,-Representa-
tives Of labor organizations are to
make q determined fight to prevent
the passage Of the bill creating the
department of commerce as 1t has
been reported to the house with the
labor bureau as one of the branches
Of the new department. President
Gompers, of the American Federation
Of Labor, and other representatives
of labor interests appeared before
the house committee and urged the
labor bureau be left as q separate or
ganization and not included in the
Jurisdiction of any department. The
bill as reported to the house pro-
vides that the labor bureau shall be
included in the new department, but
the commissioner OF labor shall be
appointed by the president as at
present. Labor interests will carry
the fight to the floor Of the house
with the hope Of securing an amend
ment that win leave their department.
undisturbed. Congressman Mann, Of
Chicago, who has charge Of the bill,
has secured q rule providing for the
consideration OF the measure to-
morrow. There is but little oppo-
sition to the bill and IL will prob
ably be adopted practically as re-
ported by the committee. It 10 un-
derstood that the senate win con-
cur in the house amendments, ss the
terms Of the measure have been
drawn to meet the wishes Of the ad-
ministration as to the bureaus that
shall be included in the new depart
ment., 1t is generally accepted that
IL the bill becomes q law the presi-
dent will appoint George B. Cortel-
you, his private secretary, to be the
head Of the new department.
working on the Anti Trust Bills.
Washington, Jan. lathe sub
committee Of the house Judiciary
committee engaged since early in the
session in the consideration Of all
pending antitrust bills and the
preparation Of bill to be reported
to the full committee, held o. session
Saturday, but took no final action.
The subcommittee had before IL the
draft of a bill which 1t had practi-
cally agreed upon, but as the two
bills drawn by the attorney general
had come before the subcommittee,
and as IL was stated that they were
intended as suggestions to the COM
mittee, action upon the question Of
the adoption of bill was deferred
until they can be considered and
comparisons made with the concln-
sions reached by the subcommittee.
II was announced after the sub-com-
mittee adjourned Saturday that a
report would not be made to the full
on Judiciary until next
Friday. II is said that there is not
a wide difference between the bill
drafted by the subcommittee and
those drawn by the attorney general,
the former being somewhat broader
and going further in the direction
Of publicity. It also Is understood
that instead Of creating q new COM
mission provided in the attorney gen.
erals draft the subcommittee bill
will propose that the collection and
shall be done through
he interstate commerce commission.
To Amend the Bankruptcy Law.
Washington, Jan. 12.--The senate !
committee on Judiciary has author :,
zed favorable report upon the bill
passed by the house last session for
he amendment of the bankruptcy
aw Several amendments were
Idopted, but these relate principally
o details Of administration. As the
iii was reported 1t will require resti-
ution to be made only whore cred
tors have received preferences fraud
Ilently and not in cases where they
ave been received in the ordinary
curse Of business. The provision
clative TO taxes on homesteads was
hanged so as to protect the owner.
here also were several changes in
he provisions relating to fees. In
eneral, the house increased the fees
nder existing laws about 100 per
ent., but the senate committee re-
uced the increase about one-half.