The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-02-12
AN EXTRA SESSION
ROCKEFELLER FORCES THE TRUST
ISSUE.
Message TO Several Sem
ators.--President Roosevelt Now
Gives 1t Ont That Unless This
Congress Acts the New One Will
be Called Upon Immediately.

De CalleU upon lmmeu1ateiy.
Washington, Feb. cit can be stat
ed on authority that unless antitrust
legislation that is at least reasonably
satisfactory to the adimnitration is en-
acted by the present conrgess, President
Roosevelt, on the 9Th of March, will
call an extraordinary session OF the
Fifty-seventh congress. The president
himself has told members of congress
OF his desires and of his determination
in this regard. 1t is understood that
the announcement was direct and I'M
qualified.
1t is further stated that the deter
mination of the president was reached
only after careful consideration of the
strenuous efforts being made to defeat
any antitrust legislation by this con-
gress. These efforts have covered a
wide range. They are characterized by
one prominent leader. to quote him di-
rectly, as "the most remarkable which
have ever known during my public
life."
These efforts culnintaed during the
past thirty-six hours, it is now declared,
in direct appeals from the Standard Oil
company, through it's president, John
d Rockefeller, to members of the SEN
ate not to enact any antitrust legisla-
ton at this time.
Appeals to Six Senator's.
No less than six senator's have re-
ceived kilograms, signed John d.
Rockefeller" urging that no antitrust
legislation be enacted. 1t has not
been possible to obtain copy of these
dispatches, which it can be said are
practically identical. Substantially
they read as follows:
"We are opposed to any antitrust
legislation. Our counsel, Mr.. -,
will see you. 1t must be stopped"
AS stated. these kilograms (and it
must be clear that only the substance
and not the exact wording is here Civ
en- were signed "John d. Rockefeller
Shortly afterward one of the counsel
for the Standard, Oil company arrived
in Washington and called Immediately
on the members of the senate as indi-
Gated in the telegram. He did not re-
main long. Scarcely had he made known
his business when he was informed
CURLY that his presence was undesira-
BILE and he left with the intimation that
he would return to New York.
During the afternoon information
concerning the receipt of the message
leaked out and became the subject of
some quiet cloakroom discussion at the
senate.
Not the First Time.
The news also reached the house,
some of he prominent representatives
learning the gist of the dispatches.
Then it became known that this was
not the first time that the Standard Oil
company had, through it's attorneys,
endeavored to influence legislation in
congress at this session.
The attorneys for the company, it is
said, had vigorously opposed the enact
ment of the measures submitted by At
torney General Knox to the sub-com-
mittee of the house judiciary commit
tee. subsequently, when what is known
as the Littlefeld bill was reported to
the house, it can be stated on the best
of authority that the Standard Oil COM
pany's counsel began to devote atten-
tion to the proposition, particularly to
the Nelson amendment to section of
the department of commerce bill. The
amendment, which contains practically
the publicity features of the Knox anti
trust bill, they did not want incorpora-
ted in the measure, and it is stated used
utmost efforts to prevent its favorable
consideration. They were unsuccessful,
as the bill with that amendment was
agreed upon unanimously Saturday by
the conferees of the two branches of
congress.