ROCK
AROT
SIXTIETH YEAR. XO. 184.
FRIDAY. MAY 19, 1911. FOURTEEN PAGES.
PRICE TWO CENTS.
r
HE
GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES ITS
SUIT AGAINST THE LUMBER
TRUST AT NEW YORK' CITY
Gigantic Conspiracy
Maintain Prices is
Alleged.
to
ARE MANY DEFENDANTS
Elaborate System of Blacklist
ing to Enforce Rules of
Organization.
New York. May 19. Sweeping
charges of a gigantic conspiracy to
maintain high prices, blacklist concerns
not regarded as "proper," and to vio
late generally the Sherman anti-trust
law, are made in a government suit
filed by Attorney General Wickersham
in the United States court here today
against the so-called lumber trusts.
Trade organizations and more than
ttaO individuals are named as defend
ants in this suit, -which may be the
first of several planned by the depart
ment of justice against combinations,
of retailers in staple commodities and
necessaries of life to prevent the ulti
mate consumer from buying anywhere
except from local retailers.
FILL OP SESATIOSS.
The government's suit is replete with,
sensational allegations, and it is as
serted builders and consumers of lum
ber the country over are at the mercy
of the retailers' organisations in differ-
ent sections of the United States. The !
tult filed today is against the Eastern j
Btate Retail Lumber Dealers' associa- j
tion. I
COXFORH9 TO UECisiox. '
New York, May 19. This is the gov- j
crnment's first anti-trust suit conform- i
lng to the supreme court's Standard I
Oil decision, in that it alleges "undue")
and "unreasonable" restraint of trade
of consumer and manufacturer. It is
evidently the purpose of the plea to
conflnethe.fhargiargeiy to that "g
tire, small "fU&STfiMxLS placediiri5n" re-j
rtralnt of tnulp ainorty the conspira-
tors themselves.
LONG G4THERI5G EVIDENCE.
Wickersham and his special assist
ants were more than a year gathering
the evidence on which today's suit is
based. This evidence includes copies
of alleged agreements, blacklists and
reports of various organizations brand
ing wholesalers and retailers who have
dared to violaie the rules of the asso
ciations as "poachers," "mavericks,"
"Bcalpers" and "illegitimate dealers,"
to whom '6hort shifts" must be ap
plied. SYSTEM OF BLACKLIST.
The government charges, in brief,
that by an elaborate system of blast
listing, not only individual consumers,
but some of the largest industrial cor
porations have been prevented from
dealing directly with the wholesalers.
By alleged unlawful agreements and
acts it is charged all competition for
the trade of the contractor, builder,
manufacturer of finished lumber pro
ducts and the individual consumer has
been thrown into the hands of the re
tailers in the Eastern States Retail
Lumber Dealers' association and its
constituent organizations. The govern-
incut's bill alleges that in some locali-
tics the wholesaler selling io a con
rumer has either beeu heavily fined or
. -T1 i,l J W . ........ I .4
MOST 1IKTAT VKT. j
Officials of the department of justice '
regard the suit as the most important
in principle of any yet undertaken by
the government against the alleged
conspiracies .said to affect the cost of
living.
It is believed that, should the courts
upl'old the government's contention
that it is a violation of the Sherman
srti-tru&i law to prevent the ultimate
consumer irom ouyin5 airccx iroin me
rrociucer. omer suns wm ne started ;
egainsi me cognations ct reianersjas it was introduced. He will make a
alleged to be in roiurol of the market- jfi;nt alonpr that 15nf no ma,ter what
ir.g of many commodities of life.
The government asks for a perma
nent injunction restraining the defend
ants from continuing the conspiracy
charged.
INITIATIVE FOR WISCONSIN
Rill I'rged liy Administration Ia.ves ;
State Asx'mbly.
Malison. Wis., May 19. The admin.-!
I.-.,..: .... .-.is I
r:tutional amendment forthe initia
tive and referendum pastel the assem-r-'y
today 53 to 11. li bow goes to the
equate.
DOROTHY CAMPBELL
BESTS fslISS HEZLET
FoHrtifc. Ireland, M2y 19. MU
Foro:fcy CampJtlL champion, of the
Vr.ited States and Canada, won the
vc man's gc!f championship of Gret
n.-!iain today by defeating Miss Vio
lei Keziet. irirh champion in the final
Z up, 2 to clay.
The Weather
Forecast Till 7 P. M. Tomorrow for
Rock Island, Davenport, Molina
and Vicinity.
Probably thunder 6torms tonight
or Saturday, cooler.
Temperature at 7 a. m. 75. Highest
yesterday 87, lowest last night 73.
Precipitation none.
Velocity of wind at 7 a. m. 15
miles per hoar.
Relative humidity at 7 p. m. 4 4,
at 7 a. m. 69.
Stage of water 2.6, no change in
last 24 hours.
J. M. SHERIER, Local Forecaster.
ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS.
(Prom noon today to noon tomorrow.)
Sun sets 7:10, rises 4:34; moon rises
12:46 a- m.
RELIEF IS GIVEN
German Reichstag Grants a
Constitution to Alsace
Lorraine. PLURAL VOTING REJECTED
I'se of French Language in French
Speaking Districts Another
Concession.
Berlin, May 19. After making con
cessions to various factions the com
mittee of the reichstag today adopted
the government's bill providing a con
stitution for Alsace Lorraine. The sup
port of the socialists was secured by
abolishing the proposed plural voting,
The original measure provided that
the lower chamber should be made up
of members elected by universal suf-
f-age of those 25 years old or over, and
that voters over 25 years of age should
have two votes, and those more than
43 years old three votes.
permit FiiEni i.a.uiage.
The clericals were won over, by con
cessions in the matter of religious free
dom and an arrangement by which the
- Tlt. "f'n yhjii-Jf -"wjy
ciaily and in the schools -of those dis-
tricts of Alsace Lorralae where there
is a French steaklng population.
CONSERVATION AID
TO LUMBER TRUST
leard
Senate
Itniwnin so Declares to
Committer but Kef uses
to Explain.
Washington. May 19. Following
a heated colloquy between Senator
LaFollette and Leonard Brownson of
the National Lumber Manufacturers'
association, at today's reciprocity
bearing the declaration by Brown
son that the conservation policy of
Roosevelt and Pinchot worked for
the benefit of the lumber trust and
forced up the price of lumber, was
stricken from the record. Brown
son had als0 declared the withdrawal
by the government of large tracts of
timber-lands was the chief cause of
the high prices of lumber.
LaFollette demanded to know
what authority Brownson had for
these assertions. Brownson refused
t . cvnlfiin o r after a ttorlo fit niiPft
. ... . aMrtiim aTll, 1ha ,.n.
suing colloquy were expunged.
I Al I Ul I UotlLf I U
CHANGES IN BILL
Wants Reciprocity to Go Through as
It Is, Regardless of G. O. I
Leaders Wishes.
Washington, May 19. President
Taft is opposed to amendments to the
ri-ciprocity agreement, no matter who
js their sponsor. Taft believes the
a?reenient should go through congress
the republican leaders attempt to do.
Sugar Probe Considered.
Washington, May 19. The house
special committee to investigate the
American Sugar Refining company
met this morning, organized and dis-
J cussed plans of procedure.
CHEAP ROUTE
FOR SHIPPER
GUARANTEED
Washington. May 19. The inter
state commerce commission held to
day that "in the absence of routing in
structions, the shipper is entitled o
have the shipment moved via tr-e
cheapest available route." The prin
ciple had txen in dispute for years
and cow is determined finally by the
ccniaissioa.
BURNS SCORED
IN CONFESSION
Detective Who Arrested Struc
tural Iron Workers Of
ficers Accused.
BY AN ALLEGED EMPLOYE
Latter Claims He ' Helped Arrange
Dynami tings (or Erectors
Association.
Pittsburg, May 19. James Elliott of
2349 Bedford avenue, a structural iron
worker, who eays that he has been em
ployed by Detective W. J. Burns of
the National Detective agency, made
an affidavit last night at the Labor
temple before the officers of the Struc
tural Iron Workers onion, in which he
implicated Detective Burns, Walter
Drew, a New York attorney and secre
tary of the National Erectors' associa
tion; John Bushey, local representa
tive of the National Erectors' associa
tion, and William Tanney, owner of a
Xow that Denver
local detective agency, in dynamiting
plots.
The sum of Elliott's confession is
that Elective Burns was employed by
the National Erectors' association to
destroy property belonging to them
which had been erected by non-union
labor and do it in Such a way that it
would appear to have been done by
union men. -
The object of all the dynamiting
cases was to arouse the people of the
country in such a way that the struc
tural iron workers' union would be in
jured. His statement is that the Na
tional Erectors' association, through
Detective Burns, is responsible for al
most all the dynamiting outrages that
have been committed throughout the
country for the last three years.
NEVER SAW EXECl'TIOX.
Eiliott says that he never saw any of
the plots executed, but that it was his
work to show where to place the dyna
mite for the worst effects.
Elliott was taken to the Central po
lice station by Detective Roach, where
he is detained until some further inves
tigation can be made of his story. Fol
lowing the statement at the Labor tem
ple, Elliott made another one at the
police station covering the tame
ground.
The first statement was made before
William J. Kelly, president of the Iron
City Trade Council; H. A. Ashton; A.
L. Collins, secretary of the Structural
Iron Workers' union) and H. W. Leg
leitner, vice president of the Interna
tional Association of National Bridge
and Structural Iron Workers.
DENIED BY YV. J. BCRNS.
Chicago, May 19. William J. Burns
said last night that he never heard of
Elliott and laughed at the idea of his
being implicated in a plot to ruia Mc
Namara. "It is a good joke," said
Burns, "bat I am not surprised to hear
that I am in a plot. Stories of that
sort may be expected for some time. I
don't know a thing about it."
Raymond J. Burns also said that tej
had nerer heard of Elliott . .
RELIEF DUE
AFTERJEAT
Snowing in Yellowstone
Park and Freezing
Near There.
COLD WAVE 0 N TH E WAY
Record-Breaking Temperatures
Recorded in East Pros
trations Numerous.
Washington, May 19. Snow was fall
ing this morning in Yellowstone Park,
and it was freezing in Wyoming and
Nevada, while the middle west and
eastern states were sweltering in the
hottest weather of the year. A general
DARN THE EXPENSE
can telephone New York, even at
check in the hot wave is predicted
within the next 36 or 48 hours.
(XOIDS A IIJ CHICAGO.
Chicago, May 19. Clouds sheltered
the city at intervals today and afford
ed some relief from the excessive tem
perature which yesterday caused sev
en deaths at noon. The mark was
88 degrees, four below yesterday's
maximum. Investigators report the
percentage of sickness among chil
dren in the poorer quarters of the city
has jumped alarmingly.
COVERS WIDE AREA.
Washington, May 19. All the way
from the Rocky mountains to the
Atlantic coast a hot wave stretches
with temperatures almost breaking
records in various cities and causing
numerous prostrations.
Washington and Richmond were
yesterday the hottest places on the
weather map, their official record
running up to 95, against Washing
ton's seasonal record breaking 94 a
week ago. Baltimore, Louisville and
other cities, however, were close
competitors. The street thermom
eters in the shade here recorded
103.
AT CLGTELAXD.
Cleveland, Ohio, May 19. With
a maximum temperature of 95 in
the street and 86 degrees recorded
by the weather bureau instruments
j high up in a skyscraper, Cleveland
' , , . .
ju me uiouiu ui jiitxy siuce is lit.
Twelve persons were brought before
the probate judge for examination
into their mental condition the
present spell having contributed
much to deranging their minds ac
cording to alienists. Ten of those
examined were committed to hospi
tals and two were held in jail. A
score of persona have gone insane in
the city since the hot spell began,
a week ago.
AT PITTS BIHG.
Pittsburg, 'May 19. Yesterday
was the hottest May 18 since 1880,
coupled with excessive humidity.
Eighty-seven degrees fs the an
nouncement of the weather man, but
down the streets thermomptr ropis-
Itered from 92 to 95 degrees.
K 8 (Aim 1 roe.- u. . 1Lir
BARS PRINTING
OF CRIME NEWS
Bill Curbing Press, Already
Through House, Passes
the Senate.
HOT SHOT AIMED AT ADKINS
Resolution in Upper House Scores
Speaker of Assembly for Usurp
ing Authority.
Springfield. HI.. May 19. The bill
prohibiting the publication of detailed
statements or descriptions of crimes
and execution of criminals passed the
senate today. The bill has already
passed the house.
ADKINS GRILLED.
Springfield, 111., May 19. Speaker
Ad kins is bitterly denounced for his
attitude toward the deep waterway
bill .under a resolution offered in the
senate today by Senator Clark. The
resolution protests against Adkins'
actions "in preventing committee ac
tion on bills in the house and refusing
to permit a vote on important meas
$3.75 a minute
tires In the house, thus not only pre
venting the passage of legislation but
depriving members of the general as
sembly of the constitutional right to
have their measures voted upon."
LIABILITY ACT PASSED.
Springfield, III., May 19. The great
est victory won by organized labor in
the history of the state, according to
some of the labor lobbyists on the
scene, came last night when the house
passed the employers' liability act,
which is the first measure of this char
acter ever written into 'the Illinois
statutes. One hundred ' votes were
cast for the measure and only two
against it.
Earlier in the day the senate, by a
vote of 35 to 1, had concurred in the
house amendments to the working
raen'B compensation act, which now
goes to the governor. The two nieas-
ures, taken with other labor bills,
makes the session one of the most sat
isfactory of years to the organized
workers of the state.
OPTION BILL. DIES.
The Chicago board of trade bill, le
galizing dealing in options, was killed
in the house yesterday afternoon '
through the operation of the rule re
quiring a two-thirds vote to get a bill
up out of its turn. The house refus
ed to suspend the rules, the vote
standing 75 for and 43 against.
Thus the bill was .only two votes
short of a constitutional majority. Had
it been enabled to progress to passage
ita supporters say it would have been
easy to get more than 77 on the call
of the absentees.
According to the construction which
Speaker Adkins placed upon the two
thirds rule, it would have taken 86
votea to carry the motion to suspend
the rales and advance the bill to third
reading.
WILL CALL SPECIAL SESSION.
Ob the heels of adjournment of the
general assembly tonight Governor
Deneen is expected to announce that
a special session will be called, either
in June or September, for the purpose
of considering waterway and otier
COMMERCE COMMISSI Oil
GIVES BLOW TO LOW FARE
M INTERSTATE BUSINESS
legislative matters which have failed
to pass this session.
Besides vater way, some of the
items in the call will be:
Corrupt practices act.
Anti-pass.
Amendments to the general election
law.
ADKNS STANDS GROVND.
Following Wednesday's spectacular
performance of Speaker Adkins iu an
nouncing arbitrarily that deep water
way would not go to a roll call, efforts
were made yesterday to bring about a
settlement of the difficulty through
the agency of a referendum clause.
ADKINS REFUSES VOTE.
The speaker, however, adhered to
his determination that there should
b "nothing doing on water way this
session," stating that he did not in
tend to take any chances of having a
referendum clause bowled off its feet
if the bill got before the house.
BILLS PASSED BY BOTH HOISES.
By Hurburgh Appropriates $15,000
to cover the committee expenses of
(Continued on Pare Twelve.)
MADERO FEARS
ASSASSINATION
AT MEXICO CITY
Juarez, May 19. Plans for the de
parture for Mexico City of Provisional
President Madero received a setback
this morning because of a telegram
from the capital atating persistent ru
mors are in circulation there of a plot
to attempt the life of Madero upon his
arrival.
DIAZ OCT NEXT WEEK!
Mexico City, May 19. It is semi
officially stated that the retirement of
Diaz from the presidency will take
place May 24 or 25. Vice President
Corrall's resignation will be sent by
cable and will be attested by the Mex
ican minister in Spain.
FIGHTING BLOODY BATTLE.
Cuernavaca, Mexico, May 19. A
sanguinary battle la being fought at
CuauUa-3-miles southeast of here
between the federal garrison under
Colonel Munguia and rebels under
Colonel Zapata.
Fugitives arriving here today state
the streets of Cuautla are strewn with
dead and wounded.
SECURES ARREST OP TWO.
San Diego, Cal., May 19. A teleg
raphic request from Foreign Minis
ter De La Barra to Mexican Consul
Prieto here, was responsible for the
arrest of General Pryce and Captain
Hopkins at Tia Juana last night. It
is also learned today that previous to
the arrest Prieto notified General
Bliss commanding the United States
troop's here, of Barra's request. Fur
ther information as to the contents
of Barra's message was not made
public. Pryce and Hopkins were
taken to Fort Rosecrans.
LITTIG ELECTED
HEAD OF DOCTORS
Iowa Medical Association Honors
Davenport Burlington for
Next Meeting.
Des Moines. Iowa, May 19. The
State Medical society today elected Dr.
L. XV. Littig of Davenport president.
As editor of the New Medical Journal
Dr. David S. Fairchild of Clinton was
chosen. Burlington was chosen for the
meeting place next year.
TO DEDICATE MONUMENT
Wisconsin Veterans Going to Vlcks
burg by Special Train.
Madison, Wis., May 19. A special
train carrying Governor McGovern and
members of the Vicksburg monument
commission and representatives of the
various state offices, besides a large
number of veterans of the civil war,
leaves this afternoon for Vicksburg to
attend the dedication Monday of the
Wisconsin monument on the site of
the famous siege.
Six Hurt In Explosion.
Chicago, May 19. By the explosion
of the boiler of the hoisting engine
used in the construction of the Otis
building, LaSalle and Madison streets
today, six men were seriously injured.
One will die.
SENATORS, HOT,
PASS ON SNOW
LEGISLATION
Washington, May 19. With tbe mer
cury near the 100 mark today, the sen
ate committee on the District of Col
umbia voted to report favorably a bill
providing penalties against citizen
who fail to remove snow or sleet from
the sidewalks.
Two Cent Rate Knocked
Out in tho Central
District
ILLINOIS IS AFFECTED
Trouble Not Insufficiency of
Lower Charge, but It Is
Held Inconsistent.
Washington, May 19. The railways
of the Central ' Passenger association
territory, including Ohio, Indiana, Illi
nois and Michigan, are permitted by
order of the interstate commerce com
mission today to exact higher passen
ger fares for Interstate than for intra
state business whtre legislatures or
state business where legislatures or
2-cent a mile rate.
MAKES S CENTS MAXIMUM.
Carriers in such instances are forced
by state railroad commissions or legis
latures to apply on all Interstate pas
senger business a maximum fare of 2
cents a mile.. This would result,
through the application of the long and
short haul provision of the law. In a
maximum rate of 2 cents a mile
throughout the territory. In this same
territory the interstate rate Is 2V4
cents a mlle.
The commission expresses the opin
ion the "present condition of charging
one rate, a mile for Interstate traffic
one rate a mile for Intrastate traffic
the service performed is the same in
both cases, is indefensible."
KO PROOr GIVEN.
The commission says no proof was
offered of the insufficiency of the 2
cent rate to yield a fair return to the
carriers, but the carriers had asked
for time in which to prepare the neces
sary data, The commission permits the
carriers, therefore, to exact a h lgh,?r
rate until May 1, 1912.
BEGIN PROBE OF
INDIAN AFFAIRS
House Committee Will Take Up
Search for Extravagance in
Department Monday.
Washington, May 19. The Inter
ior department, over which Secretary
Walter L. Fisher presides, is to be
investigated by the house committee
on expenditures in the interior de
partment, of which Representative
Graham of Illinois is chairman. The
Inquiry is to start Monday next and
will delve Into the affairs of the In
dian office. Half a dozen or more
officials of that bureau have been
subpoenaed to appear to answer
questions which are expected by
members of the committee to de
velop great extravagance in admin
istering the affairs of the wards of
the nation. Charges that private
parties have been profiting unlaw
fully out of contracts with the In
dians will also be investigated and
attention given to alleged land
frauds.
WHO ADVOCATES
A SHIP SUBSIDY?
White Star Line's Keport for Year
Shows Net Dividend" of tf(
Per Cent.
London. May 19. The annual state
ment of the White Star line. Just Is
sued, shows gross piofits for the year
of 1,070,274 ($.1,351,370) and nt
profits' of JC540.C61 ($2,703,305). The
next dividends during the yenr
amount to 30 per cent.
A NEW NATIONAL FOREST
President I'rtxlalnw Trart in Black
Hill Clotted to Kntry.
Washington, May 19. President Taft
has signed a proclamation (.stablishlng
the Harney national forest in South
Dakota. It embraces 5S3.S20 acres for
merly contained In the Black Hills for
est end 58,727- acres taken from the
public domain.
Hurry Vote on Statehood. ,
Washington, May 19. Democratic
leaders are making a strong effort
to close debate on tbe resolution for
statehood for Arizona and New Mex
ico and bring it to a vote before ad
journment today.
Dietz Case to Be Appealed.
Waupun, Wis., May 19. The cat-t!
of John F. Dietz, who was found guil
ty of murdering Oscar Harp, will be
appealed to the supreme court. This
announcement was made yesterday
afternoon, when Mrs. Dietz, accom
panied by three attorneys, called al
the prison to visit her husband.