The Cairo bulletin., 1906-07-03
THE WORK OF CONGRESS.

The first session of the Fifthnintf
, congress, while an Improvement upon
, tits predecessors in so far as the en-
actment of laws providing for protec
ton of the public against the well
night iutolerable outrages of gigantic
corporate interests is concerned, was
nevertheless a disappointment. II is
true that the session was character.
/ lied by more noticeable disposition
TO pass antitrust legislation, and cred
it should be given for that such as it
| S. The railroad rate bin does not 90
far as was hoped 1t remains to be
seen how much effect it will have in
the correction of abuses long prac.
ticed by the railroads. It will be an
Improvement on the old order of
things no doubt, but if it fails to meet
The needs and protect the shipper
and consumer from the old abuses
here is good reason to believe a more
sweeping law will be framed later.
The rate bin was the most import
ant measure before congress. 1t af-
fected more people, and upon it de-
pended the greatest interests of the
country. not even excepting the pure
food bill This, too. viii doubtless
prove Of distinct value In protecting
the people from adulterated and in
furious food products, though the bill
rould have been more drastic without
working injury to any man or com
1any engaged in an honest food traf-
&c.
The meat inspection measure ought
improve conditions in the big pack |
'ng plants Whether it will or not to |
my marked degree will depend large
on how the law is enforced The |
Measure is distinct disappointment |
n that il taxes the American people |
or the Inspection The public had |
'ong been victims Of viliainous abuses |
" the part Of the packers. and in or
Ter to protect themselves from these |
buses the people must pay $4,000 600 |
year. As Senator McCumber said in |
commenting on the passage of the |
Measure. I'VE have met the enemy and |
We are theirs; indemnity $4,000 900. |
The agreement on a lock canal was |
# great Importance, and there is rea-
on 10 believe now that congress has
'ecided this much discussed contr0- |
versy that work on the big enterprise |
will be pushed as rapidly as possible. |
"he passing of the naturalization bill |
he measure TO preserve Niagara |
Falls. and the free alcohol bill are
llso of importance
So far so good, though some of the /
measures referred to are much in the |
lature Of experiments. There can be
% doubt, however that while this SEES
ion of congress was too con.erva
i've in its attitude toward the trusts
here wa. more disposition to yield in
art al least 10 the great pressure
'rought by the people for relief The
measures adopted are a step in the
light direction, and the outlook for
uriher progress along rhi. line Is
noe encouraging than for year.
There Is reason, indeed several of |
hem, why this session of congress
ook steps 10 curtail the power of
tganiic corporate meres's Tho chief
Z these may be traced 10 the work
It what is Familiarity known a. the
1uck-raker During the SO. ion tnc
disclosures and publicity of the out
'ag Gus ahu-Cs practiccd by corlo-a.
ions violating The laws were more /
-laiing han over before. These dis /
losures gave the public some ida Of /
he extent Of -uh abuses. and the no. /
MT wa a much stronger demand on
congress for relief Indeed. the de-
lana was so tronr thar congress, |
ould not disregard or resist II. J
The present session Of congress II /
uilty Of a number OF IN of omission |
With the eXcep ion Of III, passage Of |
he free alcohol bin nothing wa done
. punish the monster oil trust for its 4
disregard Of the laws and little or 4
'othing was done 10 check it, abuses /
The Harvester trust. one of the worst
II all Of them. escaped a. did the 10.
'dcco lIu-i ana othcrs equally a. bad /
MI Of 'hi- goes back 10 tha original
cause Of the monopoly Of evils. and ~
POSES the Inconsistency of a Republl
"an oongres which profe-ses 10 De
lnxious 10 control the tru T. while the
trust tafih is in operation II f. impos
ible 10 abol sh the trusts SO long As a
robher tariff rs given them TO grow fat
n Nothing was done by this congress
% revise the tariff. and il was prar
ideally declared that nothing need De
expected in the near future. u !. as
contradictory in theo-y as Ct g.. i'm
possible in practice 10 feed the trusts
on tn Dingley 'aTif and keep them
from getting fat, arrogant. dehan, AM 4
lawiess.