Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-18

man OF Illinois; Isaac l. Sherwood of
Ohio; David ]. Lewis of Maryland. a
member Of the miners union; Charles
B. Smith Of Buffalo, n. Y, a member
Of the Typographical union; Robert
E. Lee of Pennsylvania, a member Of
the miners union; Edward Heating of
Colorado, member of the Typograph-
ical union; John j. Casey of Pennsyl-
yania. a member of the miners union,
and Guy T. Helvering of Kansas.
The Republicans are: William ].
Cary Of Wisconsin, who was a tele-
graph operator; John R. Farr of Penn
sylvania, Typographical union; E. E.
Roberts Of Nevada and Albert John
son of Washin gton. a member of the
International Typographical union
The Progressive union card man in
the house is John l. Nolan of Califor-
MIA, who is member of the Interna-
tional Molders' union.
These men have worked in the open
and aggressive1y for the cause OF Ia
Dor. They have been helped by such
members of congress as they could
influence and they have managed to
secure strategic position IN the
house
Five of these men are members Of
the committee on labor and it may be
said that virtually they control it.
David J. Lewis of Maryland is chair
man Of the committee. Other union
members in the committee are Maher
of New York, Casey of Pennsylvania.
Heating of Colorado and Nolan of Cal
ifornia. Representative Baltz Of Hi
nois, member of the committee, is a
farmer and it should be remembered
that farmers also are seeking exemp-
ton for their organizations from the
action of the antitrust laws. Not one
of these men is member of either
the committee on judiciary or that of
interstate commerce, in which the
antitrust bills originated.
Wilson on Business Depression.
Every official in public life in Wash
fngton and every other man, too,
NATURALLY desires to have business
safeguarded, big business, as we'll as
little business. The antitrust bills,
which are now before the senate,
after having gone through the house,
are supposed to supply the means Of
getting after Illegal business and to
make unpopular the forming of trusts
or combinations in restraint of trade.
Will the legislation which is now in
the course of passage do what it is ex-
pected to do?
The other day when the representa-
tives of manufacturing industries of
two middle western states called on
President Wilson and spoke about
business depression, Mr.. Wilson told
them that they were in psychological
state. He said in effect thai if there
was business depression in places it
was simply because his visitors had
feared trouble and therefore had
caused it by doing things suggested by
fear rather than by reason.
There are a good many progress
sively inclined members of all parties
in congress, some people call them
radicals, who say the Democratic ma
jority in the two houses likewise is
suffering psychologically. Is this true?
There are some things which are GER
tain because they are apparent to the
most casual observer. The antitrust
when they were first formu-
lated were exceedingly drastic and
they seemed to carry out every prom
Use which had been made during the
debates of recent years, that laws
finally would be passed which would
kill every trust that existed or was
supposed to exist in the United States
Are the Bills Drastic Enough?
The bills as finally drawn and ac
cepted are not so drastic as originally
they were. The question now remains
whether they are drastic enough to
put Illegal trusts out of business and |
to prevent the formation Of such
trusts in the future. The Democrats
will accomplish this end. The Pro-
gressfves and the progressive Republi-
cans say that the bills will do nothing
of the kind, and there are some Demo-
Gratis who seem to agree with their
opponents. On the other hand there
are conservative Republicans who say
that the bills go too far and that they
will hurt business generally while be-
ing aimed only at illegal business.
From this can be learned how vary
ing is the viewpoint concerning the
antitrust bills which the senate is
now discussing. 1t will take consider
able time for the ensuing laws to
prove either their power or their i'm
potence. So it is that the final results
of the antitrust legislation probably
will not show themselves in the com
ing congressional campaign. Some of
the Republicans say the mere fact that
the bills have been passed and the IN
certainty concerning legislation has
ceased will quiet business for while,
and that this will rebound to the pres
ent benefit of the Democrats. These
add that when the real
effect of the bills is known there will
be reaction.
The Democratic leaders seem to be !
content with the legislation as it is |
formulated. 1t has the presidents |
sanction and whether it be true or
not that it is only a psychological !
condition" which makes the Demo |
Gratis so hopeful, the bills will go
through and the country will have a |
chance to try out statutes framed by |
the present majority party after many
months of study.
Success.
In the opinion of some women a 4