New-York tribune., 1903-01-08
PRESIDENT AND TRUSTS.
HE URGES LEGISL4IION.
Congress Likely to Folto7C attorney
General Knor's Recommendations.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUNE.l

IBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUSE-l
Washington Jan. president Roosevelts
statement issued last night. directly following
the publication of Attorney General Knoxs rec
concentrations, more established the prl-
macy of antitrust legislation in the minds of
Congressman. Moreover, it carried with 1t the
positive assurance that the Presidents position
on the question of trust legislation was quite as
determined that he assumed in regard 10 the
passage of the Cuban treaty last year coming
as it did, so quickly after Mr. Hoars great
speech in the Senate yesterday, it filled the air
with the electrical current of antitrust discus
sion As soon as the first sense of surprise sub
sided the practical questions of how and now
much instantly came to the fore. AS if to meet
these questions, President Roosevelt to-day had
a long conference with Speaker Henderson and
General Grosvenor. 1t was suggested that Cen
eraI Grosvenor's presence indicated that the ad-
visibility of adopting a special order Tor eX-
pedfting the passage of the measure introduced
by Representative Littefield to-day was under
considera tion as General Grosvenor is a mem
ber of the House Committee Rules Later in
the day Mr.. Dalzell, who is also a member of the
Committee on Rules, went with Serene E. Payne
to the Senate and conferred with Senator Al
drich.
THE trust question is a most difficult one to
handle in a legislative way" said General Ciros-
venor after his conference with the President
But think some measure viii be enacted into
law at this session 1t will be necessary to steer
a middle course between the desires of the radi-
cal antitrust people and those who profess to see
little evil in trusts or combinations OF capital
That such a course will be adopted by Congress
! have no doubt"
The keynote of the sentiment expressed on
the subject of possible legislation to-day was
simplicity. Measures as sweeping and drastic
as the more conservative Senators regard the
bills of Senator Hoar and Senator Cullom TO
be receive little appreciation. The opinion fire.
auently expressed is that the general matter OF
trusts is still too complicated and too little
comprehended to permit the passing of anything
but the most conservative measures The tenn
ner of the Senate up to the present time has
been such as to discourage the hope of any
legislation whatever Now that the President
has deliberately put his shoulder TO the wheel
and declared his purpose of redeeming the party
pledge Senator's views showing signs of
modification
SENATE IDEAS ON TRUSTS.
Certain salient features in the communication
of Attorney General Knox to the Judiciary Com
mittee are receiving careful and favorable con-
sideration by the leaders of the Senate, who
think these may lead to some early trust legls-
lation which will prove satisfactory to the Peo-
pie and to the administration While there was
a disposition in some quarters to-day to resent
the earnestness with which the President is
seeking to promote legislation along this line. an
earnestness held closely to approach dictatton.
the eminent1y practical suggestions of Mr. Knox
especially those relating to uniform rates of
transportation commanded respect Out of an
informal discussion of their merits by prom
inent Senators arose the suggestion that, not
withstanding the crowded condition of the Sen
ate calendar and the short time remaining, it
arnh . important
features in one or more simple bills which would
be in the nature of mere statutory amendments.
and not at all what is popularity known as an
antitrust bill" Such bill or bills, 1t IS ar
gued would not call for protracted debate and
would not therefore, require much time in
massage By careful work in committee they
could he so framed as to command practically
unanimous support the Republican side OF
the chamber-a condition obviously essential |
,,rd.r existing cfrcunstances-and in such form |
+be,, could not be consistently opposed by the |
Democrats With the Statehood bill blocking |
MANY important measures, and with little nope |
of Immediate relief therefrom, the opinion is |
rapidlv gaining ground that proper considera-
t;on of any one of the five antitrust bills now
before the Judiciary Committee will be !mprac- |
ticabIe No one of them could, in the opinion
of the more able lawyers in the Senate, be en-
ac+ad in its present form. Any one of them |
,o,1d reouire extensive revision, amounting al !
most 10 a redrafting of the measure, and such |
action would be impossible before March a. On |
tho other hand. the proposed brief amendments |
+o tbe statutes. while they may not embody ali
of the recommendations of the Attorney Cen |
sraI even if all are deemed judicious. will be
..en in the right direction, the only now |
nracticabIe and one that will materially further
the efforts of the Attorney General toward
proper trust control
HOUSE VIEW OF TRUSTS.
Since the receipt OF the Attorney Generals
-.,or,rcana,tion bv the Littlefeld Antitrust
committee i'm the House yesterday. there has |
hoe, somewhat of a revolution in the minds of
Continued page three.