The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-10
CONTROL OF TRUSTS
IMPORTANT ISSUE,
DECLARES KENYON
Republican Senator De.
scribes Tariff Bill as Pro-
tective in Selected"
Spots

D Washington, August 9.-''It is more
Important to control or destroy the
trusts than revise the tariff" declared
Senator Kenyon in the Senate today
'If our democratic friends by adopt
ing an amendment in accordance with
their party platform would assist in
this they would accomplish greater
good than by merely reducing the tar
iff."
Mr. Kenyon was speaking on his
amendment to free list at once articles
manufactured by the aluminium trust
and to automatically free list all pro-
duets of concerns held by the courts
to be monopolies.
IF the government cannot control
the trusts" continued he, then we may
as we'll concede the trusts are power
full enough to destroy this govern
ment"
Mr.. Kenyon described the democratic
lected spots at that
Praise for Wilson
He praised President Wilson for urg-
ing traiff legislation on Congress and
declared he did not believe the Pres
ident had attempted 20 influence legis-
lation improperly"
Senator Kenyon led the Senate into
debate on the Sherman law as a GRIM
inal statute. He declared that IL one
man were sent to Jail it would do more
than anything else to make trusts
observe the law.
Senator Nelson suggested the unwil-
lingness of juries to eliminate their
system and conviction under the act.
Senator Kenyon replied it had been
his experience that great business or
ganizations were to blame and reached
out through walks of life and it was
exceedingly difficult 20 secure juries
not subject to their influence. He sug-
gested education was the prime requi-
site to insure enforcement of the stat
ute.
Senator Borah expressed the opinion
that juries were unwilling to convict
men of criminal offenses in the for
nation of an unlawful combination
~when in most instances these combina-
tions had been formed with collu-
sion and consent of the government"
He said the law should specify
lawful acts specifically.
When Senator Kenyon was assailing
here the aluminium company Senator
Oliver attempted to ask a question.
Before | YIELD" said Senator Ken
yon l would like to ask IL the SEN
ator is interested in the Aluminium
company of American
Smacked of 1mpertinence
Senator Oliver replied that the ques-
zion smaclSed some of impertinence and
seid he was not personally interested in
the company.
Didn't the senator represent the Alumi-
num- company before "a House commit
tee when 1t was seeking water power
site ON the st. Lawrence river?' de-
manded Senator Kenyon
Senator Oliver replied he had; that he
had endeavored to accommodate the conf
pany, but that he was lin way inter-
ested," in the aluminium business.
Senator Kenyon read contract between
the Canadian branch of the Aluminium
company of America, the trust and two
Swiss companies under which the Canad-
ian company was to get 70 per cent of
the business on this side of the Atlantic
and % per cent on the other side and
the Swiss companies the reverse. The
Swiss company was not to sell anything
te the United States government and the
American company to sell nothing to sew
cral European countries. He called this
an amazing contract and wondered that
the democrats who framed the present
bill should have thought it necessary to
put duty on aluminium under these cir
clmstances.
"IIave any criminal prosecutions been
brought?" asked Senator Pomerene,
Is Fertile Field
II don't know. | think it is fertile
field" said Senator Kenyon.
Senator Borah wanted to know what In
duced the democrats to put duty on
aluminium. Senator Shiyely explained that
the Dingley rates and the Payne-Aldrich
rates on crude and manufactured alumi-
mum were more than three times as high
as those in the present bill. He said
only low revenue duty remained in
the proposed tariff
THAT constitutes protection, doesn't ii ?"
asked Senator Borah.
Before Senator Shively could reply Sem
ator Reed produced an amendment to the
tariff bill proposed by Senator Cummins.
putting duty of six cents pound on
crude aluminium and nine cents pound
or the manufactured product. The rates
in the bill before the Senate are two and
three and one-half cents per pound
Il suggest that the Iowa senator's ought
10 get together and have a conference
on this natter, remarked Senator
Shively.
In discussing the tariff bill generally,
Senator Kenyon asserted there were "men
In this country SO blinded by partisan
ship that they will actually be disap-.
pointed IL panic does not follow this meas
ure, II men are not idle and children
starving He said the country was not
fearing the bill
An attempt of Senators Burton and
Bradegee to have scissors and shears
given the same duty as knives and razors
was defeated, II to 49,