New-York tribune., 1908-05-12
MR.. TOWNSEND GIVES UP
No Anti-Injunction Lac or Amend
ment of Sherman 4ct.
From The Tribune Bureau.

Washington May 1t.-After a conference with the
President to-day REPRESENTATIVE TOWNSEND VI
Michigan announced that he had pracucaiy aoah-
ioned the hope OF any anti-inJuncton lesisaroh
at the present session Of Congress, and as ne mas
heen the leader In a movement to enact rodlned
injunction Law his announcement Is taken 10 "ieaii
that no further attempt will be made TO pass d
measure OF that character. Mr. Townsend also said
that no amendments 10 the Sherman antitrust Ia"
would be proposed at the present session because
II was impossible arrive at definite OASIS on
which begin legislation. The Michigan repre-
sentative has spent several days recently at lhe
Department of Justice In conference with the Al
torney General and the Solicitor General IN an en-
dAavor 70 determine some starting point for amend
1nents to the law, but has met with little success
and rather than place any hasty legislation on 'ne
statute books he has determined TO wait until next
session and until he can make more coHpreHeh-
.ive study Of the workings OF the law.
tn. President agreed with Mr.. Townsend to-day
that the greatest demand for anti-in1unctlon
law came from the labor leaders and not from tie
rank and file of the workingmen and that as the
necessity of legislation not urgent at present
II might be dispensed with until an absolutely I'M
partial and bill could be drafted II anu
Injunction legislation sIch as has oeeh aoFoc
al by the President fails OF enactment as there Il
every indication that it WILL the entire responsloIy
FOR the failure must rest. Mr. Townsend says on
those most Interested it-Samuei Gonlpers MS
labor leaders and the manufacturing ana business
interests of the country. This also Is ene opinion
of many members of Congress VINO began tHc Ses-
.on with the intention aiding in the forfnatlon
Of 2 inst statute Mr Townsend realizes that the
business men and employers opposed TO any
half baked laws it is his intention TO de'o'e
the summer to drawing UP bill that VIII Iaks a
middle course regardless of the opinions or capi-
tai or labor. He believes that a more specinc Id
is advisable. says that even at present inc
hardships iniicts caused by the indscreuo's
of Judges in granting injunctions. which are e1
ceediHgly rare.
Speaking OF the results accomplished by the pres
ent Congress and the fulflTnent OF the fTesloent
programme. Mr. Townsend said:
After all the dust OF political speeches and cam
naIgn material has been lifted and when the people
af fhe country begin a review Of the session they
will coma to conclusion that the 60th Con-
gress has been anything but a do-nothlIls one
some Of the important measures IN recent
wears We have framed a child LABOR law 10 oe
the model of all similar legislation throughout the
country: We have secured labor the liability OF
EMPLOYERS: we have insured the continuance Of the
Hepburn rate law we have stopped racetrack gam
bling in national capital, and there gre other
to come which will be equally Ineritorious
These measures referred 70 by Mr.. Townsend are
the government liability bill. which has been pre-
rared bv Representative Alexander, OF New York
and will be reported from the judiciary Committee
within the week: the currency bill and the cam
n.i1n nuhljcitv hill which has been favoraby re
norted and which will be voted at the present
session All these measures have been advocated
h. the President and almost unanimously IA
y-ored by the House. that with these added to
the list the general legislation OF the present Con
rress will not suffer by comparison with that OF
any session OF recent years.