Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-15
SEQUEL To DECISION
congressman Discussing the
Next Step.
NO IMMEDIATE MOVE
LEGISLATION NOT EXPECTED An
THIS SESSION.
Republicans Rejoice, but Democrats
Will Prod the Administration to
Further Prosecutions.

|
great merger case comes the politics OF It
| congressman and politicians already are at
work. and versatile minds are busy with
propositions to circumvent the court de-
cision and to make politics for the coming
| campaign out of its judgment
Among senator's and representatives who
conceive 1t no crime to advocate legislation
| In behalf of the great railway systems the
| subject uppermost today what legis-
| lation can be obtained in the future by
| which the railroads can enter upon a modi-
| fed system OF pooling to prevent disastrous
| competition and rate wars. Star re-
| porter who talked with number of promi-
| nent senators and representatives found the
| same view entertained by ALL namely that
no remedial legislation is possible at this
| session of Congress.
The impending general elections with the
| consequent heat and rancor of partisan con-
| tentfon, absolutely forbid the hope that
| anything can be done which has the SEM
| blance of favoring the railroads. One of
the leaders of the House said today that
not one hundred men in the Intelligent and
| conservative membership of that body could
be induced to vote for any kind of rail-
| way pooling bill, however just IT might be
| and however beneficial to general commerce
| ana the broader interests of the country.
| A Republican Leaders Prediction.
This republican leader said that ultimate
! ly Congress will have to act upon the ques-
| ton or one of three things would ensue:
| The railroads would be driven to subterfuge
and device to which they ought not to be
| subjected there would be government
| ownership of railroads or there would be
| chaos in the railway industry. He thought
| that eventually the public could be edu-
Gated to the point of rendering justice to
| the railways. He was led to this view by
realization that there had been a wonder
| full change in the public attitude toward
| railways in the past decade. For the pres
| ent, however. he saw no recourse for the
railroads except such as they might find in
| the combination of managements or in the
equal distribution of stock among compet-
| ing lines so that the stockholders could
vote for the same president and general
| manager for each road
| Among senators the Supreme Court de-
cisiOn attracted a great deal of atten-
| ton, as some of the greatest lawyers OF
the land are found in the membership of
| the Senate. Also 1t is notable fact that
| some senators are outspoken in their ad-
vocacy of remedial legislation for the
railways.
Views of Senator Elkins.
Senator Elkins of West Virginia chair
man of the committee on interstate COM
| merce and author of the Elkns bill of
last session. is deeply interested in the
situation which is created by the Supreme
Court decision.
For years." said Senator Elkins to a
Star reporter, Il have been outspoken in
my opinion that the railways should be
relieved from some of the solecisms of
the law to which they now are subjected
| have put my Views in the shape of bills
offered in the Senate in the past
with respect to the situation growing
out OF the Supreme Court dec sion, l can
not say anything at this time for the rea-
son that l have not dig 2s,ed the decision.
L IN hot -fat,f IL
now comprehensive IL may prove. | think
however, that all members of the Commit
Tee on interstate commerce will read the
decision with interest and undoubtedly dis
cussion of its effect will ensue | do nor
look for any legislation. however, upon the
subject of relief for the railways at this
session of Congress.
Ultimately Congress will have to taka
cogniZance of the fact that the railroads
are commanded TO MAINTAIN rates on the
one hand and enjoined from combining to
MAINTAIN them on the other hand That ts
the soiecism which ought TO be corrected"
Senator Foraker's Bill.
Senator Foraker of Ohio, it will be remen,-
pefed' introduced bill in the early part of
the present session which was designed IN
give the railroads partial relief from the IN
junction which the Supreme Court in its de-
cis.on or yesterday fastened still tighter
upon them. That bill provided that the
Sherman act and other antitrust laws
should not apply to reasonable combina-
tons, leaving the reasonableness or unrea-
soma ablenesS of the combination to the court
1t will be recalled that when the bill was
introduced it aroused a storm of opposition
and the administration disclaimed RESPONSE
bility for the bill, even approval of it
The Attorney General was outspoken in his
opposition to 1t, although in the Senate there
were many senators who thought that the
OBJECT which Senator Foraker sought TO ac-
coTpiish ought to be accomplished.
ph hat bar
he deemed it advisable to push his bill for
consideration at this time. He said that he
had not thought of it, and rather indicated
that he would not be very strenuous in its
advocacy.
Political Effect Discussed.
The political effect of yesterdays decision
is being freely discussed by both democrats
and republicans. AS sstated in The Star yes
terday, the republicans are jubilant over
the decision, and claim 1t to be an instru-
mentality OF republicanism throughout.
They are delighted that the three demo-
cratic members of the court dissented from
the majority. furnishing thereby, as they
say, good political campaign material
Democrats not so sure that the re-
publicans have the best of the game They
think they some ways in which the de-
cision can be used to the embarrassment Of
the administration and of the republican
party in consequence.
Accordg to the popular Interpretation of
yesterdays decision the Northern Pacific
and Great Northern merger is not the only
combination of railroads amenable to the
: Sherman act 1t Is claimed that there are
a number of great combinations, the New
York Central, the New York. New Haven
and Hartford. the Pennsylvania and the
Baltimore and Ohio and number of west
ern combinations which democrats say may
fall under the condemned ton of the court
IL suits should be brought against them.