The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1911-12-07
CONE eRtSS LONyENES
With The 0pe nins of Congress
Monday Great Battle of
1912 Was BEGUN
uTTLETON STARTS 1HE Ball

cnsed Him OF Being Friendly to
the Steel Trust and Criticised
Members of His Own Committee.
Democrats Unable to Quiet Their
Colleague-A Mixed and interest
ing situafion-The Presidents
Message to Congress Deals With
the Trust Questionable Inter-
lew by Republican State Chair
man OF Ohio.
Washington, D. c., Dec. 5, 1911.
Especial to The Caucasian
With the opening OF Congress on
Monday the great battle of 1912 has
begun. Nearly every Congressman
and Senataor were in their seats, and
besides, an unusually large number
gathered early in the lobbies and on
the floor of both Houses, not only to
exchange greetings but to make earn
est inquiries of each other. The
Congressman or Senator from the
far west was seeking out thase from
the east and north and inquiring
about the political outlook In this
State and that, and vice versa.
The question which the eastern
Republicans mostly put to the wes-
tern Republicans was, Did the Presi-
dent strengthen himself in the west
on his recent trip? The general
concensus of the replies was that
he did. Some declared that he
strengthened himself very much.
Even some who are not enthusias-
tically supporting the President ad-
mitted that he commanded the at
tention of the people, that they lis
tened intently to what he said, and
that they were ready to approve his
administration IL he and his Tariff
Board should make good during this
session of Congress on the question
of revision along the line of his
| speeches.
A Mixed and Interesting Situation.
One sitting in the galleries could
realize that there were not only two
| great parties facing each other for
the control of this great Govern
ment, but that both of these parties
are so badly divided as to almost
amount to four parties. Every one
realized that the situation was un-
usually mixed and uncertain, and
besides that the verdict of the people
at the polls next year will be really
determined by what Congress does
or does not do in the next few
months.
Among the members there was
the greatest diersity of sentiment as
to how long the session would run
and as to what would be done. Mr..
Underwood, the Democratic leader,
said Congress would stay in session
until next fall, long after both the
national conventions had been held.
There were others who thought that
Congress would get down to business
early and pass some measure
strengthening the Sherman antitrust
law as requested by the President,
and also pass or refuse to pass the
legislation revising the tariff accord
ing to the facts which the Tariff
Board will furnish the President.
There was great interest shown by
the general public also as to the
meeting of Congress. More than an
hour before the assembling Of Con-
gres every seat in the galleries was
taken, and those anxious to get seats
were packed ten to fifteen feet deep
in the galleries outside.
President Taft's Message.
President Taft's message to Con-
gress Tuesday was devoted entirely
to the Sherman antitrust act and
to the trust question in general, but
it was thorough and comprehensive.
The President opposes the repeal,
or any amendment to, the Sherman
antitrust act, but recommends that
| Congress pass a Federal incorpora-
ton law and supplemental acts that
would describe and denounce meth
| DDS OF competition tnat are UNFAIR.
Mr.. Taft recommends the creation OF
an executive bureau with powers SIM
liar to those of the Interstate Com
merce Commission, to have super
vision over corporations chartered
under the Federal law.
Referring to the dissolution of the
American Tobacco Trust, the Presi-
dent says not in the history OF
American law has a decree more ef-
fective for such a purpose been en-
tered by court Again referring to
the effectiveness and importance OF
the antitrust law the President
says:
For twenty years or more this
statute has been uper the statute
j books. All knew its general pur-
pose and approved. Many OF its vio-