NEWS WORTH REMEMBERING
News Worth Remembering POPULAR discussion of the increased cost of living continues unabated. High prices is the main topic of conversation wherever people gather, from the family breakfast table...
...The administration's bill for a legislative commission to govern Alaska has been dropped because of charges that it would allow the Guggen-heims and other great interests to get ft firmer hold on that territory...
...This was done...
...A. W. Armour...
...Congress must decide whether the corporation returns are to be treated as public records or as executive records...
...Yet nothing hes been accomplished in the way of legislation, beyond a few minor bills and ap-propriations...
...The House of Representatives of the legislature of South Carolina has passed a resolution providing for an amendment to the federal constitution for the purpose of permitting Congress to levy an income tax without apportionment among the states according to population...
...The men returned to work, however, after being out for several months, and the disputed points were submitted to arbitration between union officials and officials of the car company...
...Within a few weeks former President Roosevelt will leave Africa for Europe, where he will be received with unusual honors in many countries...
...Conger Sticks to Bribe Story The investigation of bribery in the Legislature of New York continued last week as the overwhelming political and social sensation of the Empire State...
...Dramatic efforts were made to get Senator Conger to name others besides Allds, now living, who accepted bribe money, but he would only name the dead man...
...Purdy stated that an average amount of $4,500,000 was collected in the metropolis each year for three years past and to raise this sum by a tax on real estate would increase the tax rate by 6 or 7 cents on each $100 of assessed valuation...
...This time it was in the form of $20,000,000 of stock drawing dividends of 8 per cent...
...Mayor William J. Gaynor of New York addressed a letter to President Lawson Purdy of the Tax Board of New York asking these two questions: "If the general property tax on per-sonal property were done away with alto- gether, what decimal thereby would be added to the tax rate on real estate...
...The railroads claim there never was any competition between them...
...Many people agreed that it would be a fine thing to have the records and the method of doing business of some of the great combinations made public...
...L. B. Nagler, Hudson, secretary...
...So President Taft wrote to the Secretary of the Treasury, pointing this out, and suggesting that he put it up to the house of Representatives and ask for an appropriation of $50,000 to remove this "difficulty...
...The attitude of Senator Thomas Grady of Tammany Hall, the Democratic leader of the Seriate, who has used all his power to suppress details of the scandal in the Republican organization, has aroused sinister comment everywhere in the State...
...The company has a New Jersey charter...
...An executive committee consisting of W. S. Goodland, L. B. Nagler, A. M. Brayton, Edward Pollock and J. N. Axtell was appointed...
...New* Note* In New York testimony is being taken in the government's suit to dissolve the merger of the Union Pacific, the Southern Pacific and other railroads, affected by E. H. Harriman...
...T. J. Connors...
...A resolution was adopted endorsing "the great and patriotic services to the state and nation of Senator Robert M. La Follette, his devotion to the cause of the people, his purity of motives and his importance to the work of extending and completing the regeneration of government," and pledging "united and most earnest support to Senator La Follette," for his re-election...
...The following officers were elected: W. S. Goodland, Racine, president...
...Hadley charges fraud was responsible for the election of Stone...
...L. A. Carton...
...Do those who pay taxes on real estate pay the substantial part of the per- sonal taxes collected?'' In answer to the first question, Mr...
...Democratic leaders seem to have taken no advantage of the Republicans who are in distress...
...3,000 additional policemen have been sworn in...
...L. F. Swift...
...This is the way of it: some one discovered that there was no specific appropriation which would permit the employment of clerks and the maintenance of equipment in the district of Columbia for making the returns "public...
...On February 18, Governor Deneen of Illinois signed a bill passed by the Illinois legislature, which authorizes the expenditure of $15,000 by the commission on occupational diseases provided for by the last legislature...
...Already plans are being made for his reception in America, uppn his return...
...R. Heike, secretary of the sugar trust must stand trial on the charge of conspiring to defraud the government...
...A. Meeker...
...D. B. Worthington, Beloit, Treasurer...
...Another resolution declared the purpose of the Wisconsin league to notify progressive Republican newspaper associations in other states of the advisability of forming a national association, and suggested that a meeting be called at Washington, D. C, soon for this purpose...
...E. F. Swift...
...A Dead Letter When the corporation tax was brought forward during the special session of Congress as a means of killing the income tax amendment to the tariff bill, it was pointed out by its sponsors that the "publicity" feature of the corporation tax amendment was a strong reason why it should be enacted into law...
...Its enforcement drives from us prosperity and business, the presence of which would enhance the value of real estate by much more than the sum from which personal taxes arc collected...
...Martin, further tightening the hold of the trust on the insular possessions of the United States...
...For years it has been openly charged by newspapers that a bi-partisan ring at Albany controlled all legislation in the interest of the ring...
...The meeting was attended by 17 editors of papers and communications by letter were received from 60 others endorsing the movement and signifying their desire to become part of the organization...
...On February 20 it was reported that Senator Tillman, who has been critically ill, was much improved and likely to recover...
...Edward Morris...
...Purdy did not dir ctly answer the ques-tion, but merely showed that the attempts to collect the personal taxes wen absurd, farcical and futile...
...It is reported that such storing of food for the purpose of artificially increasing the cost to the consumer is being done also in New York...
...Conservative interests opposed to the Single Tax were alarmed by Mayor Gay-nor's second question and strongly objected to having Mr...
...The lands were sold to a representative of the Havemeyer sugar trust, according to Mr...
...This action on the part of the editors is along the lines laid down by the Progressive Republican Editors of Montana some months ago when they met and organized a state league...
...Chief among the events of the week in connection with this problem were the appointment of a committee of the United States Senate to investigate the increase in the cost of living, and the indictment of prominent beef packers by New Jersey officials on the charge of conspiring to raise the prices of food...
...The beef trust has been before the federal grand jury in Chicago for several weeks, and many witnesses have been summoned...
...The Pullman car company has cut another melon...
...Governor Hughes has ordered an investigation of the State Forest Land department, following charges that great corruption has existed in the purchase and sale of such lands...
...In New Jersey the prosecution of the trust is based on testimony, which showed the following: that prices have been increased arbitrarily by the trust...
...High prices is the main topic of conversation wherever people gather, from the family breakfast table to the halls of Congress...
...Of much greater significance than the proposed investigation, however, is the action of the grand jury of Hudson County in Jersey City when, on February 18, they found true bills against the following men: J. Ogden Armour...
...Reports from Washington are agreed that this request will be ignored by the House machine...
...Now it turns out that Speaker Cannon and his "trusties" have not the slightest intention of letting such an appropriation pass...
...But so far there is but little substantial evidence to show that Congress has been in session...
...The senatorial investigation is discussed in another part of this magazine...
...Negotiations between France and the United States are now under way for the purpose of settling the tariff difficulties that have arisen...
...It is reported that he was excepted partly because he is regarded merely as a figure-head, and also because he is to testify for the state...
...He concluded with this statement, which is accepted as tremendously significant in New York: "While the actual collections in this city are trifling, the law is a menace to our prosperity...
...But now it develops that this feature of the corporation tax is to become a dead letter...
...On February 19, another strike was declared by the men...
...297 cars were burned and otherwise destroyed and a number of people were injured in the clashes between the police and the strikers and their sympathizers...
...The Pullman company has been attacked by the rate boards of many states and some have succeeded in securing a reduction of its charges, which are said to be exorbitant...
...T. G. Wilson...
...Samuel L. McRoberts...
...The Republican organization, following the advice of President Taft and Governor Hughes, has decided to probe the entire subject of bribery and blackmail in the legislature...
...Said Commissioner Cabell of the internal revenue depart-ment, "We want Congress to determine in what sense the records are to be kept open to inspection...
...The Wisconsin congressmen who have steadfastly adhered to progressive principles were also commended...
...Senator Benn Conger, during a cross examination before the State Senate lasting twenty hours, held unbroken to his original story in which he charged that he saw $1,000 delivered to Senator Allds( the Republican leader of the Senate, as a bribe to prevent legislation against a bridge combine in 1901...
...Progressive Editors Organize Editors of progressive newspapers in Wisconsin met in Madison on the 9th and organized the League of Progressive Republican Newspapers of Wisconsin...
...F. M. Higgins, Lake Geneva, vice president...
...These men are all directors of the National Packing Company of Chicago popularly known as the beef trust...
...Purdy pass author-itatively on the second question...
...And this development of the past week has been referred to by some newspapers as an "interesting comedy...
...In the last ten years the company has paid dividends aggregating 422 per cent...
...L. H. Heyman...
...Steps were taken also toward the organization of a national movement corresponding to the progressive movement in Wisconsin...
...On Sunday, February 20, rioting was widespread over the entire city...
...Friar Land* and Sugar Trust The recent sale of 55,000 acres of "friar lands" in the Philippines, was made the subject of a speech by Representative Martin of Colorado on February 14, who declared it to be a violation of the law...
...Thus has the "publicity" feature of the corporation tax been put to sleep...
...Assemblyman Jean Burnett who died in 1907 was named by Conger as one of those who received an envelope containing bribe money...
...The questions of postal savings banks, conservation laws that will put a stop to the monopolizing of the nation's resources and the perpets-tion of fraud on the government lands, amendments for the strengthening of the interstate commerce law, anti-junction legislation,—all have been debated in committee and, in the case of the postal savings bank bill, on the floor of the Senate...
...The only director of this giant corporation who was not indicted is Kenneth K. McLaren...
...Edward C. Tilden...
...An interesting situation has developed in Missouri, where Governor Hadley has challenged U. S. Senator Stone to submit to a recount of the ballots for the aena-torship...
...The conservation bills are in committee, and it seems improbable that they will be reported out in a form acceptable to conservationists...
...that this increase has been made possible largely through a chain of warehouses in which thousands of tons of food are stored away, awaiting higher prices...
...The Central Labor union decided to call a sympathetic strike of every union man in the city in case the authorities put in effect their threat to operate the cars with policemen and firemen...
...The government claims the merger was a restraint of trade, in that it prevents competition between the lines...
...Congress Moves Slowly 1 Congress has been in session now for more than two months...
...The stock of the company is worth $200 a share, the par value of which is $100...
...F. A, Fowler...
...Following this came the news that Chas...
...Single Tax for New York...
...C. H. Swift...
...In other words it is up to Congress to say whether there shall be publicity or secrecy...
...And on the 20th it was reported that Congress was also asked to "construe" the law...
...The court ruled that he had been given no immunity bath by testifying before the grand jury in other cases of a like character...
...Car Strike in Philadelphia During the summer of 1909, the car system of Philadelphia was crippled by a strike of the employees of the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company...
Vol. 2 • February 1910 • No. 8
