The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-03-14
PLEDGES CARRIED OUT.
The Republicans Are Making Good
Their Promises Regarding
the Trusts.

The country will observe that the re-
Pupilcan party is once more carrying
out its promises. The passage of the
Llttlefeld antitrust bill in the house of
representatives by a unanimous vote
is impressive evidence not only of the
republican party's honesty, but of it's
courage and intelligence. This is re-
publican BILL and the house is repub.
ilcan body. The democrats attempted
to weight down the measure by amend
ments which they knew had not the
slightest chance to pass, and which
they knew ought not to be passed.
Some of them, if enacted, would have
been declared unconstitutional by the
courts. Others would have been I'M
workable, and would have made the
whole statute dead letter. Many po-
litical speeches were made by the
democrats in the course of the consid-
GRAFTON of the bill. Their purpose
throughout all of this obstructiveness
was to make partisan capital for their
party and TO hamper the republicans,
says the st. Louis Globe-Democrat.
Undoubtedly the Littlefield bill, or
some other antitrust measure, will
pass congress. The, senate has a meas
ure of its own, and may modify the
house bill, but some bill calculated to
bring the great combines under the
surveillance of the government will
undoubtedly be enacted. The presi-
dent has let it be known that if the
term ends without the enactment of an
antitrust measure he will call the new
congress in extra session, which would
probably be in March or April As
there are only about three weeks more
of the present term, congress will have
to make some haste if it finishes bill
which the president will like That it
will do this is extremely proba bile.
The senate, like the house, is con-
trolled by the republicans. The body
will have the same incentive as the
popular branch for the observance OF
the party's pledges. The republicans
came out against the trust menace in
their platform of 1855, just when the
trust idea in its present phase first
came up. The congress elected that
year, which was republican in both
branches, passed an antitrust bill and
the president chosen at the same time,
also republican, signed that act,
which is popularity called the Sherman
law.
Littlefeld's bill provides that every
corporation hereafter organized, be-
fore engaging in interstate or foreign
commerce, shall file return with the
interstate commerce commission
whenever required by that body, stat
ing its name, date of organization,
amount of bonds issued and outstand-
ng, amount of authorized capital
stock, shares into which it is divided,
amount issued and outstanding.
amount paid in, and many other facts
which will be of use to the commission
in its work of surveillance and regula-
ton. 1t provides for publicity. and sets
up all the safeguards whifhf, sane per-
sons have advocated. WhsfsR., 2ocke-
Wrote OFT OF ala tde n6 Sfta WfIee 1S G s.
attributed to him. warning congress
not to pass any antitrust law, the en-
actment of such law by the present
congress is decidedly probable. The
republican national platform demands
the passage of such an act. The presi-
dent has urged it. An overwhelming
majority of the republican party want
It. The republican is the only party
which could, in any case, be trusted to
enact any such legislation as this. If
an adequate antitrust law should fail
to reach the president by March the
next congress will be summoned at
once to supply this demand. The
chances are, however, that the present
congress will meet this requirement.
The republican party is the one which
carries out its pledges.
COMMENT AND OpINTOM