The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-05-06

Washington. May 3.-The investl-
eating trend OF Congress took
wide range today. Startling testimony
was heard by the Senate finance COM
mittee today. tending to show that
the United shoe Machinery Company,
OF Boston. is violating the antitrust
laws in coercing shoe manufacturers,
and II Is probabls that more will
be heard OF the matter.
The House rules committee voted 10
report favorably resolution TO in
vestigate the United States Steel Cor
poration and Is expected tomorrow to
do the same with regard to an in
vestigation of the sugar trust. A
resolution OF the same sort with ref
erence to the American woollen Com
pany of Boston. involving large
number Of New England mills has
n good chance OF similar approval
by thu rules committee. A Senate
committee on expenses also opened
the way for decision as to a rein
vestigation of the charges against
Senator Lorimer. OF Illinois.
Resolutions directing that commit
tees prove the records to determine
whether any of the first three big
corporations involved are operating
In violation OF the antitrust, Inter-
States commerce or national banking
laws have been started on the legis-
lative ways. The steel trust resolu-
tion. the creation OF Representative
Stanley. OF Kentucky. was approved
today by the house committee on
rules. and will be reported to the
house tomorrow.
'3 Representative sHardwlck, of Geor-
gala. Is author OF the resolution pro-
viding for inquiry into the American
Sugar Refining Company, and this
will be considered by the rules COM
mittee tomorrow. IL the committee
has time. IL may also consider a SINH
lar resolution submitted by Repra-
sentative Francis. Of Ohio. directing
that special COMMITTEES of five be
named to inquire into the American
Woollen Company, OF Boston.
Whether there Is a trust in wool in
this country is information desired
by men interested In the wool sche-
dule. soon to be revised.
Opposition. attacking through the
same channels but with contradictory
statements. the proposed removal OF
the duty on shoes. as provided In the
free liss bill now before the House
OF Representatives. develops simultan-
eously at the Senate and House ends
OF the Capitol.
While large shoe manufacturers
testified TO the Senate finance commit
tee that they were forced to keep
prices high because they were in the
crop OF shoe machinery trusts
which controlled absolutely every
manufacturer OF shoes I'm this conn
try. Representative Weeks .on the
hoor OF the House. was praising the
concern which owns all the patents
on and controls the shoe. machinery
In the United States. He declared
that because the United Shoe Machin-
cry Company refuss to sell any ma
chimes outright. only leasing II 10 the
manufacturer, the latter is enabled
to- engage I'm business with less can
ital. and that the tendency of this
method was To increase the manufac-
turers.
The manufacturers declare that
this trust operates on different basis
with foreign manufacturers from
what II docs with those in this coun-
try. for one thing. allowing those
abroad to use some OF their own ma
chinery. Mr.. Weeks on the oth.r
hand. said: THE United Shoe Ma
chinery Company leases it's machin-
cry abroad exactly as it Is leased I'm
this country and at the same rate"
senator Bailey told the manufac-
tur"rs that, In his opinion. their con-
tracts with the trust could hc proved
Illegal: that. i'm spite Of the shoe Ma
chin" Company's patent rights. ne
thought the!r action could be con-
strucd as an effort % restrain trade.
and he declared that the Attorney
General might max" some trouble
for the trust. a5 ne had learned OF
the statements at todoys hearings
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