The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1903-01-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Hkeozy and Interesting Letter. From
Our Regular Correspondent.
I Special to the Times. J

~ ~ 1Aso0AAOJ OOAoANA AAAACAt
md .uIfoduced in the House on JAN
InI1 SO By Representative Nenkins,
.h1Ilnnp of the Judiciary committee,
'nno n . surprise to both Democrats
Z nd |1pnblicans. These are admins
f.<|n bills and indicated another
|h4n@t Of program at the White
1nS1 Heretofore President Roose-
Is|t hos taken pains to have it an
,61nrad that there would be no ad-
min8itEhiton bills and that congress
would act ON its own initiative or
A0i ot All.
IL fhould be remarked here that
heas Nils indicate that the president
iaa abAndoned his propositio IN to
ini6nd the constitution and also his
fr6at pnbilcity remedy for trusts.
B8cAnse of Democratic agitation the
4 Had nRainst trusts is now running
ID Stf0ng and the necessity for som 9
otion, or show of action, has become
10 imperitive, that two antitrust bills
have been launched by the admins
ration with unusual publicity. These
hiIla. if they should become law,
would niether benefit the people mol
Charm the trusts. The most radical
.ubroposals in these bills are:
To amend the Interstate com
1n6roe law so as to punish alike rail-
roads that give and shippers who re-
soiVe differential freight rates.
TO amend the Sherman Anti
.rnst Law so that it will reach cor
bofatibns and combinations which
br6duce wholly in one state but whose
btodnAts enter Interstate commerce.
q Thtre are indications that the rail-
toads would be only too willing to
hax8 rate cutting stopped. Their
.profls would be greatly increased II
|Us6crot rebates were not generally given
'sko biF shippers. Unable to keep faith
iswitli bach other, many Of them will
sawel60ine the aid Of the governments.
Hence, if successful. the bill would
Dsimply increase freight rates, to some
Ind Mould enable the railroads to coll
IBot exorbitant rates, instead of COM
bSliing them to give reasonable rates
t0 AlI shippers.
= f1he proposed laws are rendered in
. 6Il6ckive and harmless to the trusts,
Nv the provision that the attorney
ksn6tal Hmay file' with the clerk OF
"A oiIciut court certicfiate that ''in
,ahia opinion the case is of no import
anoeR' This proviso is fatal when
i AZ a|ways happens under Repoubli-
can administration, the attorney gen.
sf4I il a friend and tool of the rail-
r68as and trusts.
There was filed with Attorney Cen
ork| Knox, one year ago, petition
4 'srs .,st the Continental Tobacco Co.,
6l&IIng facts amounting to a violation
II IIs Sherman Anti-trus Law. The
1sI1 we're plain and showed that the
/. o|I.c|kls Of this trust were conspirators
ana 6fiminals. The attorney general
sxstoised his prerogative and no Grim
ink. b other proceeding were begun
44kiI,st this trust. Similar facts in
rka8.d to the Anthracite Coal trust
@sts Dat in the hands of the attorney
1Sn.fal more than four months ago,
bv Mr. w. r. Hearst. In an open
lettsk to the president, the New York
kniakican Of January 6th, Mr.. Hearst
HNys
IA the Judgment uf lawyers whose
nfof fessional competency Is as undis-
putea as that of your attorney general
thoah proofs, if presented in court,
would suffice to dissolve the coal trust
Ina 6ubiect its members to the civil
nnd criminal penalties provided by
's~ Continuously since the srbmis-
.'th of those proofs, the coal trust
SIS. Robbed the people, extorting IA
M|0t prices for coal, q prime neces-
1|| Be industrial and domestic life,
rel 10 action against this trust has
11.n taken by your attorney general
|b the enforcement of the laws and
|1e relief Of the public.
appeal to you, therefore, Mr.
N..|ident, to command your attorney
sral to proceed againts the coal
|Ir.I. both civilly and criminally, on
lis evidence of its unlawful acts
|.|t before him by me, or explain to
|8o beople of the United Sites his
|s..ons for NOT doing so, if reasons
.n||Able for public avowal he has.
ma people of the United States, Presi-
Ianf Roosevelt, have a right to expect
..I|on from you against the trusts in
..neral and the coal trust in particu-
No conspicuous public man OF
..t party has so veherhently as your
.|f expressed desire to protect the
1.1iic from spoliation at the hands OF
I1nbintaions of predatory capital. And
.s. have we'll said that 'wCrds are
sts when backed mp by deeds and
.1|f 80. -
fhe bills are fakes and bluffs. They
I'D not reduce railroad rates;
would not prevent the monopo-
Of raw materials which is the
40 card Of the trusts; they leave
power of initiative in the hands
he attorney general.
what wall Street thought Of these
Is evident from the fact that
Il. both railroad and industrial,
,csasilusi os last psge)