The Washington times., 1912-07-22
TWO REPORTS TO
Be MADE ON STEEL
BY THE DEMOCRATS
"Burden of Proof" Causes
Sharp Difference in the
/ Committee.
CONTINUED from First Page.)


Of fact, and on those sections Of the
committee bill amendment the Sherman
law and interstate commerce acts to
prevent the interlocking system Of d.
rectorates, and the ownership by an
industrial corporation, directly or other
wise, of a railroad corporation.
Littleton Standing Firm.
Mr.. Littleton, who spent all yesterday
debating his views for presentation to
the committee this afternoon, Is abso-
lutely at variance, however. with the re-
manning Democratic members of the
committee on the turning point as to
burden of proof.
In other words, Mr.. Littleton would
apply to equity proceedings under the
Sherman law much the same rule which
operates IL criminal cases-holding chal-
lenged corporations to be, innocent until
the Government proves otherwise.
The amended interstate commerce act
places upon railroads the burden OF
showing that their rates are reasonable.
The Stanley mandate is that this prin-
ciple shall also be written into the
Sherman law, putting industrial cor
porations in the same category with
railroads when they come into court
unreasonable restraint.
An important provision of the Stanley
bill is that any combination controlling
10 per cent of the country's production
Of any commodity is guilty, on primd
facie evidence, of illegal restraint.
In advocating a commission to license
interstate corporations, Mr. Littleton
will be practically In accord with the
Republican members of the committee,
xxyh. Ia IN fny ord he pnnGa-
velt-Taft-Gary plan of Federal incorpor-
alton and regulation of prices.
The line of demarcation between ma
jority and minority reports will be on
this question of regulation through the
courts and the Sherman law and regula-
tion by the commission plan.
Majority Report Next.
The majority report, It was learned to-
day. will be silent on the query:
Is the United states Steel Corpora
ton a combination in restraint of
trade?
In view of the Governmentcs suit, the
steel committee will not prejudice the
corporation, and will not characterize
It as either a legal or an illegal corpo-
ration The committee will merely re-
port findings and recommendations
leaving open the question of the trusts
alleged restraint.
Chairman Stanley and congressman
pleasant, frequently disagreed during
the committee hearings and have gone
to the mat frequently since the commit
tee began its executive sessions TO re-
draft the steel report.
Called Too Rhetorical.
Mr.. Little first objected to the rhetoric
of the Stanley draft Of that section o.
the report dealing with the TENNESSEE
Coal and Iron Company deal and th'
part played therein by Colonel Rooss
Welt. The New York member said tn,
chairman was entirel ytoo rhetorical
and extravagarit In his conclusions, ant
in consequence this chapter has beel
materially modified.
Mr.. Littleton also successfully de
clared that the majority report shall
make no reference to the Govern
ment's suit for dissolution of tn
United States Steel Corporation an
this will not appear in the report. Oh
the question of an amendment to tn
defendant corporations. Mr.. Littletol
has taken a stand at absolute vari
ance with that of Chairman Stanley
and the decision of the majority mem
bers OF the committee Will determin
between them. There will be no quar-
ter asked or given by the two mer
but who held radically different view
the executive meetings of the commit
tee between Mr.. Stanley and Mr.. Lit
tleton have been of the warmes
character.
The majority will present a unani
NOUS report on findings. On legisla
tion q split has aome and there nov
seems no hope of a get together.