The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-03-12
TO INVESTIGATE
THE STEEL TRUST
DEMOCRATIC LEADERS DETER
MINED UPON INQUIRY INTO
LARGEST CORPORATION

Washington, March 11.-That one OF
the first measures to be pushed
through by the democratic majority
in the house of representatives at the
next session of congress will be the
resolution for the investigation or the
United States Steel Corporation, TO
determine whether it is a combination
in violation of the antitrust law, was
the statement made today by Repre-
sentative Stanley of Kentucky, au'
thor of the resolution, who has been
canvassing sentiment among the men,
bers-elect on this subject. The pro-
posed investigation was strongly urg-
ed at the session just closed but the
resolution authorizing it was finally
pigeon-holed in the rules committee
of which Representative Dalzell OF
Pittsburg was chairman. The minor
ity members of the committee, includ-
ing Speaker elect Champ Clark, were
all committed to the measure and
other democratic leaders are in favor
of pushing the resolution through as
early as possible. Not only is the res
olution favored on its merits but it is
believed that it will provide valuable
material for use in the next presiden-
tial campaign.
The attitude of the members of
the democratic majority, and also of
many so-called insurgents who favor
this measure" said Representative
Stanley today, "is that the Steel Trust
is one of the most dangerous combina-
tions of capital in existence, because
it controls not only the manufacturing
side of the steel industry, but also by
far the greater part of the raw ma
terial required by the industry.
Through its domination of leading
transportation lines it even controls
mers and prevents opposition from
that source.
'Tf the tobacco trust opposes the
farmers they can hold back their crop
as they have done-until reasonable
prices can be obtained. If the meat
packers treat the cattle growers un-
Justly it is within the bounds of possi-
bility for the latter to slaughter their
own animals, and, if necessary, to get
into direct relations with consumers.
Those great packing plants in which
millions of dollars have been invest
ed would be valueless heaps of junk
in the face of the combined opposi-
ton of the producer and the consum-
err But when the steel trust advances
the price of wire nails, or any other
of it's products, three hundred per
cent, the public is helpless because
the trust controls the sources of sup
ply and dictates to the few independ-
ent manufacturers the prices they
shall charge. 1t can enforce its will
upon these manufacturers by the
threat to cut off their supply of raw
material.
There is another point on which i'll
will be interesting to obtain light. IT.
is significant that while there have
been federal proceedings against the
oil trust, the tobacco trust, the meat
packers and the lumber interests, the
hands of the department of justice
seem to be paralyzed whenever they
approach any of the interests domi-
mated by the supreme leader of Wall
street. The steel trust, which seems
to the ordinary man a combination in
restraint of trade as surely as the
Northern Securities company ever
was, bluffed the Roosevelt administra
ton out of any action by virtual
threat to precipitate destructive
panic. So far it has escaped attention
from the present administration. 1T
will be worth while to undertake the
proposed inquiry if only to show that
our government is not Morganized, as
our industries to a great extent have
been Morganized."
Talks with the most influential dem
ocratic and insurgent leaders have
verified the statement that the reso-
luton authorizing the steel trust in
vestigation will be passed as soon as
possible after the convening of the
next session.