New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-14
REVOLT In HOUSE
CONFRONTS WILSON
Threats Made of FilibuSter
Against Antitrust
Programme.
SENATOR'S ANGRY, TOO,
OVER CAUCUS ACTION
Ragsdale to Try to Have Rural
Credits Debated Under
Special Rule.
From The Tribune Bureau

fFrom The Tribune Bureau
Washington. May i3.-Dissatisfactor
ov.r the administration programme oi
limiting legislation for the remainder OF
the session TO the antitrust bills made
,tc appearance in both houses OF Congress
tO-day.
on the House side band OF insurgen'
Democrats threatened TO rebel, because
the programme does not include rnra
credit legislation. by filibustering against
the trus, bills.
on the Senate side, where the disap'
po.n;ment Is probably less keen. many
Democrats are protesting against trust
legislation at this session OF Congress ano
hone that the President will consent &c
an adjournment OF Congress without ac'
ton on the bills.
Representative Ragsdale. who last night
assailed the President I'm caucus. charging
he had broken faith with the farmers oil
the country by abandoning rural credits
legislation, said to-day that at least I'VE
members OF the Banking and currency
Committee would wage campaign &c
bring about this legislation. Chairman
Glass saws that the enactment OF rura
credits bill at this session is Impossible
because OF the caucus action, and also
because the President and the sub-com-
mittee in charge OF the measures are raj
apart on fundamentals.
The President has written to Mr. Glass
saving that he wants q private rather
than a government system OF rural cred
II banks. but the letter has not been made
public.
House leaders went ahead with plans for
bringing in a special rule TO expedite the
passage of the three antitrust measures.
This rule. which will be reported early
next week, will be OF the gag" variety
according 10 present prospects, and the
House expects to jam through the three
measures in a comparatively brief time.
Minority reports on the antitrust bill
reported by the judiciary Committee were
fled by three Republican members OF the
committee to-day. The Clayton bill Is de-
nounced as makcshft legislation. winch
will not prevent monopoly, but viii inquire
legitimate small business.
Representatives Nelson and Volstead
lOlncu III one lUh4OiiAg iNIVi u CIV 'NNF'N
sentative Morgan presented his individual
views
The Nelson Volstead report says the
bills give the suppression Of trusts only
incidental consideration" There is no
restraint of private monopoly II says
and its vague phraseology" and 'assur-
ance to big business are criticised. Nor
has the introduction of this final draft
created uneasiness or furry in Wall
Street" the report continues.
Representative Morgan, an oklahoma
Republican, expressed the opinion that
some Of the provisions OF the Democratic
bill ARE dangerous to the business and
commercial interests Of the country and
will do more harm than good
lie continues: Taking the antitrust
provisions Of the bill as a whole, if they
were all enacted into law they would
hot destroy a single trust, abolish n single
monopoly or add materially to the COM
petition now existing. The provisions Of
the bill. If placed upon the statute books.
will not reduce the size of our great cor
porations or materially lessen the power
they now possess TO arbitrarily control
prices"
Mr.. Morgan says II would be mistake
TO enact law which would place so
many burdens on small concerns doing
an interstate business, while bearing
lightly on big business. He declares that
the government is entering upon dan
gerous ground when it enters upon the
policy OF enforcing uniformity of prices
TO all persons and sections"
Much doubt prevails that the Senate will
pass antitrust legislation at this session.
despite the determination of the Presi-
dent on that point. There is even a pos
sibility that Congress may take the bit
IN its teeth and adjourn. whether or not
the President approves.
Representative Mondell OF Wyoming
introduced resolution to-day asking a
special rule to bring up the woman suf-
frage resolution, which the Democratic
caucus did not take up last night. Chair
man Henry and his party associates on
the Rules Committee, however, regard
the failure Of caucus action as loophole
through which they may escape con-
sideration Of rules TO make privileged
either suffrage or prohibition issues.
Representative Glass of Virginia. talked
with the President to-day. and later said
he believed that this Congress would
enact some supplemental rural credits
legislation. but would wait until the fed.
eral reserve act had been tried out
1T is my Judgment" he said, that the
federal reserve act responds in very large
measure to the suggestion made by the
President for rural credits legislation In
its farm mortgage provision alone II
affords credit facilities amounting &c
moro than sS59, o0o, 00O."