NEWS WORTH REMEMBERING
News Worth Remembering CONGRESS begins to show signs of life. Although in session now for two months, it has accomplished nothing in the way of legislation demanded by the people and pledged in the...
...After relating details of time and place, Senator Conger concluded his paper as follows: "I do hereby state and charge: "1st...
...6. The creation of more agencies to investigate the cost of living...
...News Notes On February 2 it was reported that the American Express Company had by purchase of the holdings of the Pacific Railroad Comapny, secured control of Wells, Fargo & Company and that the two companies would be merged...
...The new measure »ho provides that an appeal may be made directly to the Supier*: Court of the United States, taking precedence over all oihw cases except those of a similar character and criminal cmb* It is not regarded as likely that legislative action will be tiifcb on this question at the present session, although the reform of judicial procedure is urged by the President, and the regulstit* of injunction proceedings was pledged in the Republican pM* form...
...That the said sum was demanded by him and was paid to and accepted by him as the consideration for his having refrained from pressing to passage a certain bill pending before that House...
...It j is a fact that aril the progressive measures which the country desires to see passed are meeting with opposition from "repu- : lars...
...The measure provides that no injunction shall be issued until five days' notice j of the hearing has been given to the governor and attomf general of the state and other defendants, and that the question shall be decided by three jurists, two of whom shall be judges of the circuit court...
...The affair is regarded throughout New York State as the gravest political scandal involving the Republican organization of the State in many years...
...Griscom was appointed to office by Ex-President Roosevelt and was supposed to be a strong Roosevelt man...
...The committee was packed by the Speaker, but nevertheless, the interests who wanted it passed determined to take no chance of unpleasant truths being aired in committee, and ordered that it be reported favorably to the House at once...
...As previously stated, the President's suggestions and bills relating to conservation have been bitterly opposed by many members of Congress and unless public opinion is aroused in such a way that each individual member of Congress will know of the sentiment of his constituents, little is likely to be done for the further protection of resources vital to the life of the nation...
...The action taken in committee is thought to be a guide to the action that may be attempted in the House, but it is generally regarded as hardy possible that the Cannon machine will be able to secure the passage of a ship subsidy at this session of Congress...
...It is held that by the aid of cold storage and preservatives, the "law" of supply and demand is declared unconstitutional by those in the habit of securing large quantities of food at low prices and holding them for two or three years until they can be sold at exorbitant profit...
...The flood which caused such great loss of life in Paris subsided without causing further damage and the work of rebuilding the ruined portions is under way...
...and "2d...
...The figure of Governor Hughes has been lifted higher by the quarrel among the machine leaders, who have bitterly opposed him...
...And the men who have opposed the measures to conserve the lands and minerals and water : powers of the nation are the "regulars," the machine men...
...the attempt to increase postal rates on magazines resisted...
...Scandal in New York Politics On January 31, at Albany, N Y., State Senator Benn Conger filed with the clerk of the State Senate formal charges against Senator Jotham P. Allds, president pro tern of the State Senate and official Republican leader of the Senate...
...Ship Subsidy railroaded in committee The activity of the committees, however, has not been all in the interests of the people...
...But it seems hard to make this charge stick—in the place where the reactionaries have tried to place it...
...It has been asserted by Senators and Representatives who voted for the Payne-Aldrich tariff law that the duties levied by it have little bearing on the cost of living, and that in any event, it did not tend to raise prices...
...That ive do not sanction the attempt to place the responsibility for the deficit in the postoffice department on second class mail matter and we resent the proposition to raise the deficit by an extra tax on this class of mail as in effect a blow at the poor man's school—as a» action that will tend to cut off the cheap reading that the rank and file of the American people have been enjoying—and we request our legislative representatives at the national capital to use all honorable means in their power to prevent the passage of any law in accordance with such proposition...
...and Aldrichism and Can-nonism condemned in resolutions adopted by the American Society of Equity of Jackson County, Wisconsin, at its convention at Black River Falls on February 1. The resolutions prepared by the committee reflect a disposition on the part of the farmers to condemn System-made legislation...
...The powers of the commission would include supervision over stock and bond issues, mergers and consolidations, surplus, profits, and rates, and the power to prevent discriminations and compel adequate service under penalties of imprisonment from one to ten years...
...injunction bill Ready The Senate judiciary committee has practically agreed on a bill regulating the issuance of injunctions...
...Testimony taken by the Interstate Commerce Commission io show why railroads might find it worth while to discriminate in the transportation of freight, brought out the fact that the heads of many of the great railroads were largely interested in coal mines along the lines of their roads...
...He said that he was willing to have an investigation made of the tariff law for wfcich he voted and asked why other members were anxious to dodge that issue...
...The conservation program of the President has been meeting with strenuous opposition in committee, and the President's bills have not been given a chance to see the light of day...
...Senator Allds was recently selected by the Republican caucus to succeed the late Senator John Raines as Republican leader of the Senate...
...Farmers Rebel at Postal Increase The Aldrich tariff law was denounced...
...1 German Reichstag ratified the action of the government * * the 5th...
...For many years the ship building trust has attempted to secure the passage of a "ship subsidy" bill, which would fill its pockets from the public treasury...
...3. A reduction in the price of eggs...
...That we decline to endorse the Aldrich tariff law as meeting the demands or the promises to the people of a revision downward—that we brand it as the giving of a stone in the place of the promised loaf of bread-—and we endorse the action of those of our representatives who opposed it to the end, and shall rejoice in any movement they may make looking to a possible correction of the mistake...
...His selection was brought about directly by Timothy L. Woodruff, chairman of the Republican State Committee...
...The public just now seems anxious to know whether he is also a strong Hughes man...
...The latest blow struck at the conservation program is the brief prepared for the public lands committee of the Senate under the direction of Senator Nelson of Minnesota, which holds that the control of waterpower rests with the states and not with the government...
...The Cost of Living During the past week, the interest of the public in the increase in the cost of living has not abated...
...Many Republicans, even of the Standpat variety, are said to rebel at the idea of being forced into line on such a measure, with elections so close at hand...
...The commission, if the bill is passed, will be given power to make a physical valuation of the properties of all public utilities...
...Sixth...
...Griscom paid a marked tribute to Governor Hughes, but it is not yet known whether he will support the governor's direct nominations bill which will be before this session of the legislature...
...But now the committees in charge of important measures have been aroused to action...
...That Jotham P. Allds, on or about the 23d day of April, 1901, while a member of the Assembly of the State of New York, received and accepted the sum of one thousand dollars ($1,000) in my presence at the Capitol in the City of Albany, New York...
...Regulars opposed to progressive Laws The Insurgents of the House and Progressives of the Senate have been accused of a desire to discredit the President in the mind of the public by blocking his efforts to secure the passage of legislation in the interest of the whole country...
...Although in session now for two months, it has accomplished nothing in the way of legislation demanded by the people and pledged in the platform of the Republican party...
...Incidental to the introduction of the Senate resolution, Senator Elkim of West Virginia gave solemn warning that he was dissatisfied with the treatment he had received at the hands of the Senate machine, particularly in regard to his resolution for an investigation into the price of commodities, and that he would begin to "insurge" if his feelings were not appeased...
...But nevertheless it seems that they are not anxious to empower the Congressional committees to investigate the effect of the tariff law on the cost of living, and it is likely that the members of the committees will be "satisfactory" to the leaders of the two Houses...
...On January 29, Lloyd Carpenter Griscom, former ambassador to Italy, was elected president of the New York County Republican Committee to succeed Herbert Parsons, who resigned...
...2. The discovery that 36,000,000 eggs were stored in a warehouse in New Jersey...
...If this view is correct, hope for a far-reaching and comprehensive effort to conserve waterpower resources, is given a hard blow...
...Railroad Regulation A bill has been introduced in the Ohio legislature which provides for the abolition of the present state railroad commission and the substitution of a public utilities commission modeled along the lines of the public service commissions of New York, which have been very effective in securing good service and reasonable rates...
...Instead it was jammed through despite objections and without the votes of two of the Republican members of the committee...
...At the instance of the National Conservation Association, of which Gifford Pinchot is President, it is planned to hold a monster mass meeting in Chicago for the purpose of urging Congress to take immediate action for the conservation of resources...
...Among the developments of the week may be mentioned: 1. The introduction of resolutions in the Senate and the House, authorizing the appointment of committees to inquire into the prices of food, clothing, fuel, furniture, etc., and the relation of prices to the tariff law and industrial combinations...
...The postal savings bank bill has been in the Senate during the last week...
...4. The spread of the meat boycott...
...After stating that the farmers are unalterably opposed to the proposed removal of the tax from oleomargerine, pointing out that trading in futures and gambling in farm products is detrimental to all interests save those of the gamblers, and favoring the establishment of a parcels post, the resolution states: "Fourth...
...The intent of these bills has been made so clear to the public in the past, that they have failed of passage, in spite of the strongest support of the machine...
...We condemn Aldrichism and Cannonism as un-American—as a usurpation of the representative rights of the people—as a means of government by special privilege instead of by the people—and we heartily commend the progressives in the Senate and the insurgents in the House who did what they could to puncture this malignant carbuncle on the body-politic of the American republic, and we hope that our representative in the house and our junior senator may hereafter see it as their duty to join the ranks of this valiant little band of patriotic warriors in the interest of the people...
...It is also said that he is a strong Taft man...
...The judiciary committee of the House will have a heflft on the bill introduced by Representative Sabath of illinoistsfr vidingfp£ the compensation of workingmen by employer** injuries received in the course of their work...
...Conservation Having a Hard Fight As in the past, Congress is determinedly refusing to take notice of the grave importance to the whole nation, for...
...It was referred to the committee on merchant marine and fisheries...
...No opportunity was given to discuss the bill as a whole or to amend it...
...Griscom has not hitherto been identified with "practical" politics...
...As usual, a bill providing for ship subsidies was introduced in the House at the present session of Congress...
...It is accepted that his selection was brought about largely by U. S. Senator Root, presumably in the interest of harmony...
...In his speech of acceptance, Mr...
...Meanwhile, a hard fight is being waged on the appropriations asked by the Forest Service for the continuation of its work...
...Fifth...
...Tariff Agreaaent with Germany On February 3, the State Department announced that a tariff agreement with Germany had been reached...
...A committee will probably be appointed to journey to Washington to secure action...
...Senator Heyburn of Idaho has fiercely attacked the measure, and the debate has been lively at all times...
...generations to come, of the legislation which is necessary to preserve the people's rights in the resources of the country...
...Relief from America in the way of donations has been promptly given, and order is being restored...
...As the law now stands, an injunction is issued on the order of one judge...
...Accordingly, Representative Humphrey of Washington, sponsor for the measure, after the committee had given the bill but one hearing, succeeded in forcing it to be reported out favorably...
...by the new apt** ment, Germany will apply the minimum rates of her tariff on goods imported from the United States, and german will be admitted to this country under our minimum chart** ,¦ It was stated that the questions in regard to meat inspect* and the duties on flour had been satisfactorily settled...
Vol. 2 • February 1910 • No. 6
