The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-01-17
First Bill Thus Far Report
ed Back Aims Blow at
Corporations.
SELECTED FROM MANY
Bingham's Measure Chosen-Devotes
Three Typewriter Pages to
Prohibiting" Combines.
Especial to Lake County Time.).


Indianapolis, Ind, Jan. 17.-An anti
trust bill was reported favorably to the
senate today This favorable report
will develop one of the hardest fights
of the present legislative season.
Many antitrust bills have been in
troduced in both the house and the
senate. but the ons reported today
Senate Bill No 80 introsuced by sena-
tor Hawkins, is supposed to be the
strongest one of the lot. Hence 1t
was reported.
This is the bill drawn up by Attor-
ney General James Bingham. 1t is
thought to embody every possible safe
guard. 1t prohibits monopolization Of
trade. business, commerce, etc, or the
attempt to monopolize trade, business,
commerce, etc; prohibits any restraint
OF trade of any sort for any purpose
at any time; prohibits any collision
as to price. quality of goods sold, re-
striction on quantity manufactured. In
fact. this bill takes three typewritten
pages in prohibiting trusts.
Then 1t goes on to say that this is
bill for the common good, and should
statutes. and is supplemental to stat
utes already existing; and then it goes
f-rther and says that it is supple
mental to the common law, too. and
should be construed literally with re-
spect to common law. 1t is a bill that
is as drastic as Indiana human inge-
nutty can frame up-and that's pretty
drastic.
Penalties are provided for any per-
son, corporations, etc, etc, violating
the provisions Of the act Persons are
to be fined and sent to jail; corpora
tions are to be fined and their charter
forfeited. Foreign separations doing
business In this state are taken care
of in good shape, too. as the penalty
provision is that such corporations
shall be prohibited from doing business
In the state; and also that such
corporation cannot enforce its con-
tracts with residents of this state
which means that they could not col
iect money due them from citizens of
this state.
Not only the prosecuting attorneys.
but the attorney general is given pow
er to proceed against corporations that
are alleged to have violated the law.
He is given power to proceed against
them in any of the circuit or superior
courts Of the state OF tne state supreme
court.
And to be sure that he had all the
power that was necessary, the commit
tee reported favorably on the bill, the
Cavin's bill. introduced yesterday, giv-
Ing the attorney general the power to
originate quo warranto proceedings
against any corporation that was al
legged to be in violation of the law
The open sessions of both the house |
and senate are far ahead OF the COM
mittee work of the two branches now, |
and the activity Of the members will |
be directed more toward committee /
work for time than to work in the
open session. BY noon today over 800
bills had been introduced, and there
had been committee action on COMPARE
lively few of them. Most of the i'm
portant measures are now before the
committees. and they Will have to be
considered there first.
This antitrust bin Is the first one
of Importance to be reported back.
The committees having in charge the
public depository biiIs will probably
have some open meetings before any
bill is reported; OF If not. will report
some bill favorably In order that IL
may be printed. This, then. to form
the basis Of discussion in any public
meeting.
samuel Pickens. attorney for the I
Fennsyivania railroad. said yesterday I
tnat the railroads would not oppose 4
reasonable" two cent fare bin. He I
seemed TO think that the railroad cor 4
porations mad about realized that the 4
two cent fare sentiment was about tba 4
biggest thing in the state. and this .
legislation was bound to come. J
There will be no opposition 10 Z
BILL" said Mr.. Pickens py J
: reasonable bill 1t is thought that he J
means a bill giving the railroads the }
light to charge a rate higher than two J
'ents mile for all cash fares. though }
'niy two cents when tickets are J
bought. Senator Crumpacker, chair ;
nan Of the railroad committee. intro }
iuced another two cent fare bill in the }
senate yesterday. J