Middletown transcript., 1903-01-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON Jan. l2t

| c"SCPhiS dIsi-iiust Uiii IidcJ uohCNCI
been practically abandoned and the pro
gram now contemplated consists of enact
ing several brief bills amending the pre-
sent statutes and making some slight ad
ditions to the present laws. Attorney
General Knox has sent to the House,
where they were introduced by Repre-.
sentative Jenkins, chairman Of the Judi
ciary Committee, two measures along
this line and the Judiciary committee
has already voted to favorably report one
bill which carries into effect one of Mr..
Knox's recommendations It provides
method for facilitating court procedure
in antitrust suits brought by the Federal
Government.
~
One of the Knox bills amends the
Sherman law by forbidding the giving or
receiving of rebates in transportation, a
fine of 5000 being provided. 1t also
provides that any corporation receiving
such rebate shall be debarred from hav-
ing its products transported and forbids
the transportation of such products if the
corporation discrimilates in prices to
destroy competition.
The other bill provides for the appoint
ment of a bipartisan commission to carry
out the provisions of the Sherman act
when amended as proposed. The Com
mission is to have powers similar but
much stronger than those now possessed
by the Interstate Commission.
~
That the Knox bills will be enacted
precisely as offered is not likely. But
that their provisions will be carried out
in such measure or measures as may be
eventually reported by the Judiciary
committee is practically assured. There
lie some soreness on the part of the SUBJ
committee appointed by the Judiciary
committee to draft an antitrust measure
because the Attorney General ignored
its chairman, Mr. Littlefeld, and sent
his bills direct to Mr.. Jenkins, chairman
of the whole committee, after refusing to
furnish the subcommittee an admins
tration antitrust measure. 1t is not be-
lieved, however, that the present mis-
understanding will prove inimical to the
cause of antitrust legislation.
~
The complete capitulation of the beet
sugar men in their fight on the Cuban
treaty isregarded as triumph for the
which has thus succeeded
in negotiating treaty which fulflls
every obligation to Cuba, ,insures mo-
nopoly of the Cuban trade to the United
States and evidently will work no serious
injury to any industry in this country.
A representative of the beet sugar pro-
1ucers appeared before the Senate COM
nittee on Foreign Relations and urged
hat the treaty be so amended as to in |
ure no reduction of the duty on Cuban |
ugar greater than 20 per cent below the |
)ingley rates; the treaty providing for a
% per cent diffierential in favor of Cuba.
While there is little likelihood of the
'enate's amending the treaty, proceed
ire attended with considerable danger
o the convention, it is not believed that
ny reciprocity treaty which lowers the
nty on sugar from nations other than
,uba will be ratified within five years,
he period of immunity from such reduc-
ion for which the beet sugar men ask.
At the convention of the American
'eet Sugar Association there arose a
Inference of opinion in regard to the
'uban treaty but majority of the dele
ates voted favorably only the Michigan
elegation dissenting. It withdrew from
he convention. Senator Burrows later
4 the evening told your correspondent
hat the action of the convention might
g interpreted as withdrawal of all op-
osition to the Cuban treaty by the
of the United States.
'ut while opposition to the Cuban treaty
as abandoned, resolution constituting
strong protest against the. bill lower
,g the duty on Philippine products
'om 75 to 25 per cent. of the Dingley
ties was adopted. This measure has
ready passed the House and Senator
odge tells your correspondent that he
pes not believe it possible the resolution
ferred to can result in an insurmount.
Die opposition.
M
Officials OF the War Department re-
lrd the apprehension Of the beet sugar
oducers. that there is anything to fear
pm Philippine competition, as prepos-
rous and as evincing an entire ignor- I
ICE OF the. situation. They say that pre- +
mt conditions in the Philippines are de- I
orable, the carabao, the only practical +
asts of burden, have been dying with {
,derpest by the wholesale and there is .
possibility of recovering the injury /
ne for many years, under the most +
rorable circumstances. Thousands of =
res of cultivated lands are being per- >
tied to go back to their original state h
jungle and if neglected for five years v
II become as entangled fields of under. q
ush as before they were cleared. n
~ Il
to the sugar production of al
, islands, it is pointed out that the ii
ge.t crop ever produced amounted to ST
ly 93, OOO.tons. Last year it was 7s. al
tons and the most liberal estimate CT
the current year does not place it in
cess OF 10000 tons. To appreciate
nres it must be remembered that the
ausl sugar consumption of the United "
ties last year was 2,373, 900 tons. Of A