The National tribune., 1903-02-19
LEGISLATION IN CONGRESS.
satisfying Progress HHeeen Made-ssate-
hood Bill Blocks On Undesirable Measures
Democrats Inactive On Trust Legislation.

are perfectly satisfied gyith the situation,
and declare that the legislative business is
promises being fulfilled as rapidly rs could
Particularly is thfs true of the Anti
Trust legislation, which has been so siren
uously urged by the HrSsident. The swift
passage through the House of the Elkins
rebate bill by vote of 241 to e on roll
call, last Friday, was one of the surprises
of the session. 1t was'done under dras-
tic. rule brought in by the Committee on
Rules, which gave the democrats no OPP
pOrtunity to amend tbs, bill by an attempt
to substitute. or amend by interpolating
the Littlefield bill, wlifch would precipitate
a world of useless discussion with acrimo-
NOUS trimmings, and send it back to the
Senate, on conference, with the positive
knowledge that the conferees would never
agree. The result would have been a
special session, or at least the President
has said that he would call an extra ses
sion if Congress failed to relieve the strin-
gent situation by some kind of Antitrust
legislation.
Reed methods never shone more con-
spicuously than in the management of this
particular measure. Only the managers
of the House knew that the rule would be
brought in. Mr.. Cannon, who can give a
Fox cards and spades and win from the
first jump, had everything primed for the
who would speak for the bill, and the
Speaker was not to recognize soul on the
Republican side who was not known to
favor the Elkins bill. Even Mr.. Little
field, the author of the famous House
Antitrust bill, had to borrow minute
from the Democratic side of the House in
which to ask question. Of course, the
Democrats objected. They said the Elkins
bill did not go far enough. They wanted
more" legislation, but they suggested
none themselves. True to their usual meth
DDS, they acted the part of obstructionists.
but they suggested not single measure of
their own. In the end they all voted for
the bill, except DeArmond and Cochran
Mo-, Glass (Na.), Hooker (liss), Klutz
On. c., and Neville (Neb.), all Demo
Gratis.
There was not a Republican vote against
the bill, though there were a good many
Republicans and Democrats who lodged
and did not vote at all. The Democrats
who. voted against the bill do not stand
particularly high with their party. and are
in no sense of the word leaders, unless
Mr.. De Almond, of Missouri, may be
styled leader His course in Congress,
however. has been that of an objector, and
never leader, though he is charged with
having ambitions to become the leader of
the minority as their nominee for the emp
ty honor of Speaker.
Ekns b FS eamp e hf ns A Of tine
istration program for Antitrust legisla-
ton. The Conferees on the bill will soon
smooth out its inequalities, and 1t will
speedily become a law. 1t is generally
conceded that to the Senate belongs the
credit for the execution of the Presidents
Antitrust plans.
The passage of the Department of Com
merce bill with the provision for the Bu-
reau of Corporations, and of the bill to
expedite trials, together with the provision
of the appropriation +. bill for additional
funds for the prosecution of eases, leaves
the Republican party tin good shape for
the coming campaign.
The attitude of the democrats is mega
tive, as usual. In the Senate they did
not discuss the Trust, bills at all, and per-
united them to go through without objec-
ton. giving the RepYbHcans full swing.
In the House there hayey been some Demo-
cratic protests, but the leaders, or sup
posed leaders, have shed. clear OF the ques-
ton, except in a few liRstances when they
have undertaken to shSY that the Repub-
ilcan measures We're Inadequate. 1t is
said that the DemPcrats intend to
let the whole business $50 to the Country
in the belief that gin the coming
campaign they will he able to show
that the Republicans ,ssipply played with
Antitrust legislation cfpr the, purpose of
Ioou"lllhHiS Lpc ypf9RN,ll aHut tiaLt tHe
Democratic, party, .affer Showing the Re
publicans that they were just trimming
down the edges of the bug-bear, left them
to their own destruction. On this by
pothesis they. will go before the country,
hoping. to win. the Presidential election,
which is. OF course, exceedingly chimerical,
an lngaiiSS1uc iridescent dream.
The President is now chiefly interested
in the Treaties which are before the. Sen
ate. His anxiety to have the Canal
Treaty and the Cuban Reciprocity Treaty
ratified before the adjournment OF Congress
is not ut all disguised. While it is impos-
sible to say whether or not these two
measures will be acted upon before the
4th of March, when this Congress dies,
it is thought probable that the President
will be able to force the Senate to act. Ac-
| cording to the best authority obtainable,
| it is thought that both Treaties will be
ratified before the adjournment. If not,
| then the President will call the Senate
in extraordinary session to act upon the
| Treaties. The Alaskan Treaty went
| through the Senate last Wednesday as
though it had been creased. 1t will prob
| ably meet the same smooth track in the
/ House.
/ Much noise is made about the State
pose in the Senate, in the skilful hands