Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-07-07
SENATE TO VOTE ON MEASURES
WITHOUT KNOWING CON.
TENTS OF LAWS.
SENTIMENT DIVIDED.
WILSON WILL BE oBEYED
Little Interest in Debate on Pending
Measures and White House Dietation
to Be Accepted Without Question
Senator cummins Making Effort to
Strengthen Trade Commission Bill.
Especial Correspondence

Washington. July THE widest
: divergence of opinion marks the senate
debate on the Newlands trade COM
mission bill. In this variety of views,
there is little partisanship. OPPOSE
ton is found 10 the bill among demo-
it 10 proba bly, more pronounced among
the democrats, though for the reason
they will do what the president tells
them to, most Of the democratic Sena-
io-s viii support the measure. when 1t
comes TO voting
The progressive Senators among the
republicans, are divided. though ordi-
nariiy united in respect to legislation
on trust. corporation and railroad
questions. Senator Cummins Is ad-
vocating the trade commission bill.
t though he wants it strengthened ne
believes strong. centralized federal
regulation necessary. He sees in this
F! bill a step in the right direction. On
the other hand, Senator Borah. OF
! Idaho, who is known as one of the
come out strongly against the bill He
deems i; dangerous
Small Head to Debate.
Much speaking has been done In tta
senate on the trade commission bill but
little Of the debate has been published
Also, few senators have heard it for
the remarkable spectacle is presented
Of the senate considering legislation OF
tro
business. with only about a dozen
senators taking any close or intelligent
interest in it, The senate for the most
part is listless and Indifferent and will
dispose of the Newlands bill. as 4, will
the other trust bills. withou, knowing.
Senator Rorahs objection to. the
Newlands bill is that while the Sher-
man law is intended 70 compel COM
petition he interstate trade commits
sion Will mean the beginning of q
policy under which the countrys busl
ness VIII be controlled by bureaus or
commissions and competition will be
eliminated entirely.
Argument on Other Side.
The argument on the other side Is
! that unless some federal power pre-
vents unfair methods of competition.
4 then monopoly Will be built up. just as
j, has been in the past and that the
Z Sherman law reeds experimenting
with some measure or measures which
viii prevent tendencies to monopoly
! getting firm foothold.
+, Senator Eorah is freely mentioned as
| 2. prospective candidate for the repub-
! lfcan nomination for president and
therefore more attention than under
ordinary circumstances is given to his
( argument against the trade commits
sion bill One OF the questions he has
presented in the debate Is this:
How shall business become salts
fed and certain and confident OF It
| self when 1t is approached upon one
vide by law which means a penalty
! # 1t does not keep alive and obey the
1 laws of competition. and upon the other
I side II II goes too far or practices I'M
I fair competition when it e not ad-
/ vised in advance what is the limit OF
competition which shall enable bust
ness to avoid violating this law. and
how little competition business can
have without violating the Sherman
law?
! Il say TO you that II seems to me no
less than the approaching OF crime,
in the business condition now prevail
Va
! this country. We have established
a rule that you should compete. but
that you shall not compete unfairly
without advising them in any
way shape or form OF what that com
/ petition consists. We start business to
1 cropping its way thru experiments and
orders and judgments. all of which the
people as whole must pay for in the
end
Fears Abuse Of Law.
Senator Borah expressed fear the
interstate trade commission bill would
be used as buffer against prosecution
under the Sherman act. He challenged
senate lawyers to name any form OF
industrial monopoly not subject to the
Sherman statute.
The dangers Of bureaucracy, and
government b. commissions. with the
special interests seeking to control the
commissions were strongly emphasized
hy Senator Borah. He believes these
/ dangers are serious and that they Will
make attempts at government regu-
lation Of business unsuccessful.
| Sfar4ino a Aennery.