The Minneapolis journal., 1903-03-02
Mr.. NELSON'S
INFLUENCE.
His Prominent Place in the Work
of the Present Session Of
Congress.
Why He Is Working for the
Amended Littlefeld Anti
Trust Bill.
How the Minnesota congressman
Feel Regarding the Primary
Election Law. .s.
From The Journal Bureau, Room IS, Post Ru;,d.


ing, Washington. -
washington, March 2.-The fifty-seyenth
congress closes with Senator Nelson Of
minnesota a very prominent figure In ma
tlonal life. Along practical lines he is
one or the most efficient men the sta to
ever has had in Washington in either
mouse OF congress. Measured by his in
huence. his ability and his success in ac-
compl1shtng results, he ranks fully up to
any OF his predecessors, and is ahead of
The great majority Of them. His growth
and development in the senate have been
SLOW but sure Session after session he
has come up to higher levels Of fnfl,1-
ence and endeavor, and has been better
able to undertake and carry through i'm
portant legislative enterprises. His most
prominent piece OF work at this session
OF congress Is the new department Of com
merce and labor lie evolved the idea.
looked up the history Of the American
cabinet. compared 1t with the history Of
cabinets abroad. drafted the bill in the
light OF his study, prepared the argu-
nents IN favor of 1t. got it through the
senate committee on commerce, and then
through. the senate, and kept careful watch
of 1t In the house. While he did not draft
the Nelson amendment to the bill provid-
ing for the bureau Of corporations, that
work having been done by Attorney Gen
eral Knox. he is entitled. with the presi-
dent. to the credit Of originating the bu-
nected his name in an enduring way with
the governments first serious attempt to
bring the trusts under better control, and
his performance in this connection has
assured him the continued respect and
confidence Of his senatorial colleagues.
In the present session of congress he
has been prominently identified with the
statehood CONTEST. His six-day speech
against the omnibus bill thoroughly ex-
hausted the subject, from the legal. his
torical and economic points of view, and
subsequent speeches against the bill were
merely Celebrations Of points which he
brought out. That effort probably did
more than anything else to give the SEN
ate q proper understanding of Senator
Nelson's ability as a lawyer and his skill
In getting at the bottom Of complex legal
propositions and thoroughly mastering
them.
Another good fight made by. Mr.. Nelson
in the fifty congress was for the
passage CT the London dock bill. The bill
failed to get through the house, but in the
senate it got around all of the many OBJ
structions placed in its way and was
passed by a large VOTE. mainly because Of
Mr.. Nelson's management and able pre-
sentation Of the arguments in it's favor.
The LittIefield Bill:
After the passage of the three acts aimed
at the trusts. and embodying the admins-
tration program, Senator Nelson joined
with the minority members of the senate
judiciary committee, and with two repub-.
Afcap- colleagues. Senators Hoar and Nc
Comas, in reporting the amended Little
field antitrust bill. At the time this was
done there was quite a stir among his
friends, some Of whom thought his action
was the result of his failure to secure from
the president the appointment, of Cover
nor merriam as secretary of commerce
and labor. Others thought the senior
senator was trying to make a little anti
merger capital for home consumption. In
discussing the matter in this correspond
ence at the time said that Mr.. Nelson's
action was probably due to his belief that
the administration program did not go as
far as it ought, and this seems to be the
true explanation.
The amended Littlefield bill was intend
ed to carry a provision for getting at
manufacturing monopolies wholly within
state lines, having no travelling statesmen
or other canvassers and whose goods are
sold through the voluntary orders of pros
pective purchaser In the east there are
many monopoies of this sort: and since
they Go not come within the meaning of
the new antitrust Legislation Senator
Nelson was anxious that something be
done to reach them. Hence, his support of
the amended Lttlefield bill.
Senator Nelson. Of course, knows that
the administration plan. as carried out in
. 'ilf' SeH5lol uoeS NOT cover all inc ground
as to the trusts. The president has pro-
nounced views on the trust question, and
hopes before he goes cut of office to ac-,
complish something in the way of their
control that will be to his credit and de-,
cid>dly in the interest of the people, He
accepted this winter, not what he wanted.
but merely what he could get at the
hands OF a congress that really was ,in-
willing. until he brought pressure to bear,
to do anything. He insisted that there
should be no marking of time. but a.
genuine step forward. This step he fin,