The Detroit times., 1911-12-01
Progressives of Senate and
House Will Demand That
Sherman Law Be Amended.
CURRENCY PLAN UP, TOO.
Democrats and G. o. P. Insur-
gents Will Get Together and
Pass the Wool Bill.
BY gibson GARDNER.

towing subjects will be up for consid-
Grafton at the coming session OF con-
gress:
The trusts-What about amending
the Sherman antitrust law?
The tariff-What about passing
again the wool bill. the cotton, steel
and chemical and the farmers free
list bills?
The commerce court-its abolish
ment to save the Interstate commerce
commission
The Aldrich currency plan-wheth-
er congress will yield to the desire OF
Waists largest bankers to turn the
treasury over TO a private banking
combination.
The Alaska Drogram-suggestlon
made by Senator LaFollette that Alas
ka be developed under government
auspices rather than exploited under
private auspices.
Panama canal tols-shall American
ships pay toll through the Panama
canal? Shall the tolls be so adjusted
that the canal will not compete with
the transcontinental railroads? Shall
there be government line of ships?
Reports Of inquiry committees.
Politics-of course,
Trusts have furnished the topliner
of the congressional billboard The
decision OF the supreme court in the
Standard Oil and tobacco cases, fol-
lowed by the fake dissolution OF the
tobacco trust, has shown that the
present antitrust law is failure.
Congress must now decide whether to
wipe the statute from the books,
amend 1t, or admit that Big Business
Is stronger than the government and
do nothing.
The progressive members OF the
senate and house will present defln-
tie program In the way OF amend
ments TO the Sherman law. This pro-
gram, II is understood. will follow the
lette's bill introduced at the close of
the last session and his speech deliv-
cred in support OF that bill. The La
Toilette bill defines definitely the
word reasonable"
The tariff program will be an en-
core OF last session. Democrats and
progressives will get together again
and pass the wool bill. the -armer's
free list and the other bills passed
last session These may be modified
tariff board will report.
The Aldrlch currency plan comes
tefore congress Jan. 1. when the so
called Aldrich monetary commission
noes out of existence. There are
certain features OF Aldrich's plan
which would be beneficial II they
were separated from other features,
but progressive members In congress
hat ell ho
pices of Senator Aldrich will not be
safe.
Democrats in the house are in sym
pathy with progressive Republicans
In the senate In the effort TO keep the
great resources of Alaska from fall
ing into the hands OF rich private cor
porations They favor a program by
which the government shall open up
railroad from Controller Bay to the
richest Of the coal fields and start a
Line of steamers TO carry the coal
from Controller Bay to the United
states; also opening one mine under
government auspices in order TO
standardize wages and coal prices.
The Panama canals early compile
ton makes II necessary for congress
10 face the question whether the canal
is TO result in any real commercial
benefit for the citizens of the United
States--a question which will be de-
termined largely by the tolls charged
for the use OF the canal II is quite
evident that extortionate tolls would
make the canal quite useless On the
other hand tolls might be SO arranged
that the cost Of carrying through the
canal would be approximately the
same cost as carrying the same
freight by rail across the continent.
IN this case the same amount OF
freight would continue to go by trans
continental railroads and the people
would be just as much at the mercy
Of transcontinental rates as they are
today. What congress will do on
tolls will settle the matter.
Committees OF inquiry to tho num-
her OF nearly twenty have been work
ing and have brought to light some
scandalous affairs. There are the
Wiley-McC abe-D Dunlop matter. the
steel trust expose, the Day portrait
farce in the state department Con
troller Bay, the Indian scandals in
the interior department and others.
On the whole. these committees have
done good work. II is now found,
however. that they require more pow.
er Take the case of Stanley's steel
trust committee when Martin w. Lit
Teton showed his true colors and
came wildly to the defense OF the
steel trust, forcing an adjournment
of the Stanley committee on the verge
OF an expose OF great Importance.
Congress is expected to brace up
these committees and remove the
Martin Littletons where IL Is neces-