The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-03-03
ILLEGAL ACT
Of ROOSEVELT
IN THE RECORD
Majority of Senate Judiciary
Committee Condemns Steel
Merger License.
SOME INDIVIDUAL
VIEWS ALSO GIVEN
ONE SENATOR THOUGHT PRESI-
DENT MIGHT HAVE BEEN
pUPED.

Washington, March 2.-Seven menu
bers Of the senate committee on judi
ciary signed the report declaring that
President Roosevelt, without authority
of law, sanctioned the absorption of the
Tennessee Coal & Iron company by the
United States Steel corporation, and
that the merger was in violation OF the
Sherman antitrust law. Two Of the
majority committee, however, attached
certain individual views which to a de-
gree minimize the effect of the declara-
ton.
Under an agreement reached in the
committee on judiciary yesterday any
views submitted have the standing Of
individual opinions only. Chairman
Clark today reported the disagreement
in the committee and soon afterward
Senator CUlbersOn presented the views
Of seven members of the committee.
These were signed by Senators Nelson,
Kittredge and Foraker (Republicans),
and Culberson, Bacon. Rayner and
OveTman (DemOcrats).
Misied or Duped.
The additional views were given by
Senator's Nelson and Bacon. In the
opinion of Mr.. Nelson the president was
not authorized to permit the absorb
ton, which is declared to have been in
violation of law. Mt. Nelson thinks,
however, that the president may have
been misled or, duped by the officials Of
the United states Steel corporation,
Messrs. Prick and Gary who urged
upon him the necessity Of permitting
the steel corporation to buy the Ten
nessee concern in order to save a bust
ness institution Of New York City dur
ing the panicky days of October and
November. 1907.
Senator Baeon's Doubts.
Mr.. Bacon expressed doubt whether
the senate should pronounce finally
upon the question whether tire president
committed a wrongful act, for the rea-
son that the senate is judge in impeach-
ment proceedings
He takes the position that the mer-
ger was Illegal, but that the senate
should not take any action to prejudice
any proceedings that might hereafter
be brought before it.
Action imperative.
From the report signed an( submit
ted today it appears that had it not
been for the illness of Senator Bacon
and his absence from the committee Of
yesterday the report declaring the pres
[ ident acted without authority of law
would have been adopted as the opinion
/ of the committee. In any event, Sen
ators CuIbersOn and Kittredge take the
| position that a majority Of the commit
tee has reported that the merger was
/ illegal and that the department Of JUS
/ tiCe should proceed against the United
/ States Steel corporation to dissolve it.
I The disagreement on the resolution was
placed in the calendar and win expire
with the close Of the present session.
Views of Foraker.
! Later Senator Foraker filed his indi-
vidual views declaring that he did not
think it necessary for the committee
! to consider whether the transaction was
la violation of the antitrust law
/ He said that the reply of the commit
/ tee should be confined to the one ques-
ton as to whether the president was
authorized to permit the merger. and
that this should be answered in the neg
alive. In view of the fact that repre-
/ sentatives of the steel corporation called
upon the president and asked his ad-
/ vice concerning the transaction, and
that the question also was submitted
/ to Attorney General BOnaparte, Sen
/ ator Foraker took the position that the
steel corporation should not be con-
! demned for its action