The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-11-01


of legislation put upon the Congress
which has the semhlance of power to
control and prevent combinations in
restraint Of production {. commerce.
The Republican party has done much
to regulate industrial combinations, and
has attempted regulations in which it has
been thwarted by the Democratic party.
A conspicuous example of this was q
measure proposed by the Republicans
of the Fifty-sixth Congress. An
amendment to the Constitution was in
troduced by the Republicans. as fol-
lows:
Article XVI, Section l, All powers
conferred by this article shall extend to
the several States, the Territories, the
District of Columbia, and all territories
under the sovereignty and subject to
the jurisdiction of the United States.
Sec. 2. Congress shall have power
to define, regulate, control, prohibit or
dissolve trusts, monopolies, or combina-
tons, whether existing in the form of
corporation or otherwise.
The several States may continue to
exercise such power in any manner not
in conflict with the laws of the United
States.
Sec. 3. Congress shall have power
to enforce the provisions of this article
by appropriate legislation.
This was reported to the House from
the Committee on Judiciary, May q,
1900, and Mr.. Richardson, the Demo-
cratic leader, objected to its considera-
ton. A rule was reported for the i'm
mediate consideration of the resolution,
and was adopted by Republican votes,
all the Democrats voted against it and
it was lost because Of lacking the neces-
sary two-thirds vote of the House TO
pass a constitutional amendment.
As Secretary Shaw said at Pitts
burg, October 18th:
Not on the statute books in there an
enactment, nor in the old files of either
House of Congress is there a bill of
Democratic origin, not in the platforms
Of the Democratic party is there a
formulated feasible plan, not in an in
augural address or message of a Demo
cratic President, nor in the letter of ac-
ceptance or in subsequent speech of
a Democratic candidate, actual or pros
pective, is there a sentence indicating
a settled party policy or a settled plan
of procedure for the control or for the
aHnihilation Of combinations commonly
called trusts"
The Sherman Antitrust Law, which
was enacted in 1890 by Republican
Congress and signed by q Republican
President, was sneered at by the Demo
cratic party, and yet under it many evils
have been corrected. 1t has been and
will be, however, the policy Of the Re
publican party not to break down our
whole. industrial structure for the sake
of casting out one or two rotten beams.
For the most part industrial combina-
tons, whether among manufacturers or
farmers, or unions among the working
men themselves. have resulted in good.
The evils that have accompanied them
will be eradicated in time and will be
checked or regulated without destruc-
ton Of either property or opportunity
When we consider the legislation en-
acted during the last session of Con-
gress, it will be seen that the record of
the Republican party has been most con-
sistent in its efforts to control the
Trusts of the country, while at the same
time it has been very slow and conserva-
tive in adopting any legislation or car
rying out the provisions of legislation in
a manner that would bring disaster to
our industrial life. Much has been
done-very much-by the Republican
party to curb and control illegal COM
binations and unlawful corporations in
restraint of trade In has been DONE
however, dispassionately, and with a
view to justice for all concerned. The
record of the Democratic party can be
summed up in one phrase that it has
done nothing except to endeavor to
thwart the efforts of the Republican
party. 1t will be well for the voters of
the country to consider the records of
the two parties on the Trust question
before making up their minds how they
shall cast their vote for Congressman
on the 9Th of this November.