The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-02-07
RICHMOND CITIZENS
VISIT LEGISLATURE
Continued From Page One)

the neeQ OF placing the oversight OF
insurance matters in a distinct depart
ment. In both house and senate there
are members who openly declare
their purpose to fight this provision
and who believe that the state auditor
should continue to have oversight of
insurance matters. The strong insur-
ance lobby has not finished it's work
yet, and evidently it has some hope
of bringing about changes that will
eliminate what are termed object
ionable features
): !" x
AS indicated in the Palladium
few days ago, antitrust legislation
was on the program this week, and
the senate has now under consider
alton newly drafted bill, which is to
be substituted for the Hawkins bill
and which like its predecessor will
bear the name of the senator from
Jay county. The conference of the
republican senators a few days ago
at which the ANTITRUST bills were
discussed, decided that the best plan
for procedure would be to place in
the hands of a special committee all
with instructions to draw up a com
posite' bill. All of the important
features of the several bills pending
were to be included in some form or
other. This morning the special COM
mittee announced the completion of
its work and it is anticipated that
the bill drawn will meet with little
or no opposition from the republican
side of the chamber. The salient
features of the Hawkins bill are re.
tanned, but instead of attempting to
be specific in enumerating the various
lines of commerce, trade and manu-
facture that might be affected, the
new draft is more general in nature,
not attempting to pick out and name.
The bill is in part the Sherman anti
trust act, under which the federal
government has taken steps to prose
cute the Standard Oil company and
the beef trust and which has been
found adequate in the way of conferr-
ing power on the proper officials to
take such action. The Valentine an
THRUST law of Ohio also has been en-
bodied in part in the new Hawkins
bill and under this statute it was pos
sible for the attorney general of Ohio
to proceed against the bridge trust.
This same trust, it has been alleged.
has been carrying on its nefarious
operations in Indiana, and if the Haw-
kins bill is enacted into law. it will
likewise be possible for the Indiana
attorney general or any prosecuting
attorney to prosecute an investigation
= y Il
Of this combine. Under existing laws
it has been found impossible TO pro-
coed against the alleged bridge trust
mere understanding as to which
shall or shall not receive
a contract for a bridge is sufficient
under the Hawkins bill, to constitute
a violation of the provisions of the
act, and the penalty may be heavy T
fine and Imprisonment. One of the /
important clauses in the bill is that f
which provides immunity to any per-
son who shall give testimony in
against an unlawfully con-
Quoted business of whatsoever kind
The person giving such tektimony
cannot be prosecuted for any pare he i
may have taken in Sucn alleged vio- /
alton. but the exemption from prose /
eution does not extend TO the COM
pany in which the person so exempt
I'd, may be identified