Middletown transcript., 1903-02-14
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WasHINeroN, February. 9th, 1908.

/ A thorough and adequate program ha
2 been practically completed by thu
I Senate and is certain to be adopted Dy
the House. SO that this session Of Con
gress, notwithstanding the brief time al
its disposal, and the Statehood blockade
in the Senate, will be able to adjourn
with the knowledge that it has done all
that is possible or judicious to uphold
and strengthen the hands ofthe Attorney
General In his efforts to correct the trust
evils. The only important feature of this
program not yet accomplished is the
passage of the Elkins bill by the House
and your correspondent has received as.
surances from Speaker Henderson and
the other leaders of the lower chamber
that it viii be enacted at an early date.
The antitrust program when enacted
will provide an appropriation of $500, 600
for the employment of expert assistance
in the prosecution of antitrust suits; the
enactment OF measure expediting the
trial Of antitrust suits in the courts; the
prohibition Of rebates with equal penal
ties on receivers and grantors, provided
by the Elkins bill; publicity feature
for industrial corporations included in
the bill establishing a Department Of
Commerce and Labor. The publicity
feature is provided for in what is known
as the Nelson amendment. Thepropesed
Bureau Of Corporations has been replaced
with a Commissioner Of Corporations
who is empowered to collect and compile
for the use Of the President the necessary
statistics. :; =
~
The Interstate Commerce Comn,issit n
wilfremain intact instead Of being includ-
ed in the new Department as was in-
tended and as was provided in the House
bill Strengthened by the provisions of
the Elkins bill. the Commission will be-
come far more effective In its supervision
of transportation companies. The esassur-
ance of the new Department of Com
merce and Labor is accompanied by an
authoritative statement to the effect that
Mr.. George B. Cortelyou, now Secretary
to the President, viii become its secre-
tary and, as such, member of the Cabi-
net. Mr.. Certelyoui has long been
valued advisor of the President and
has earned by most exceptional merit
the position for which he has been
selected.
The Statehood situationin the Senate
is still in s.statue Quay" to use the wit
ticism of Senator Platt, but there are in
dications of a compromise which will be
reached in the near future. The present
plan is to admit Oklahoma as one state
and Arizonia and New Mexico as another.
This doesnot meet with the approval Of
the Democrats and for that reason Sena-
tor Quay has not yet given 1t his approval.
but as it becomes evident that no more
favorable arrangement can be made it be-
comes more likely that he will do SO.
The House of Representatives passed
the Littlefeld antitrust bill on Saturday
and it will now 60 to the Senate but will
not be taken under consideration there,
both time and inclination preventing its
being taken up. It will, Of course, be re-
ferred to the Judiciary committee of Sem
ator Hoar is chairman and he assures
your correspondent that he is very doubts
ful # it will be even reported te the Sem
ate.
~
The Venezuela controversy has not yet
been settled although those persons in
position to know feel confident that it
will be at an early date. The SO called
"shirt-sleeye diplomacy" Of Minister
Bowen came very near precipitating a
misunderstanding this week and an at
tempt was made by the representatives of
the Allies to go over, Mr.. Bowen's head
and secure the Intervention and arbitra-
tion of the Presidents. This proposition
Mr.. Roosevelt promptly declined and
conferences with Mr.. Bowen are again in
progress. He has offered to each OF the
Allies a.payment of $2z, 500 as alIs evil
dence of good faith. His offer has not
yet been accepted as it is conditional on
the immediate raising of the Venezuelan
Blockade.
Practically 70 time has been given by
the Senate to the consideration of any of
the treaties now before it and the neces. |
sity of an extra session of the upper
chamber for their consideration is freely
predicted, Senator Lodge told your cor
today that be believed such |
session would be necessary and that the
President would not hesitate to call it. |
A report sent out by the Associated Press
to the effect that there was no hope for
the ratification of the Alaskan treaty |
proves to be wholly without foundation.
Seven Of the most prominent members Of |
The Senate have assured your correspon-
lent that, if sufficient time for the con-
alteration of this treaty can be secured,
here will be no trouble in effecting it's
.atification. Senators Foster and Turner
. I
i Washington say that their constituents
Ire opposed to the convention, but they
sill not flibuster on it and they are open
Q conviction and will be pleased to have
he advocates Of the arrangement prove
o them that it is in the best interests Of
he United States and will not in any |
way injure the existing status Of the
Aaskan boundary dispute. II this can
'e done they will withdraw their opposi-
ion. II
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