Springfield weekly Republican. [volume], June 13, 1912, Page 8, Image 8

About Springfield weekly Republican. [volume] (Springfield, Mass.) 1851-1946

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BPRINGFIELD. THURSDAY. JUNE 13, 1912
SIXTEEN PAGES
Edward VII and the Yardstick.
It was inevitable that the frank treat
ment of the late king of England by his
biographer. Sir Sidney Lee. in a supple
mentary volume of the dictionary of na
tional biography should cause hot indig
nation. There have been official biogra
phies. full of praises and discreet silences;
Sir Sidney undertakes to write the first
dispassionate appraisal, and shows not
much more reverence than a historian
might display for Henry VIII. The lex
majestatis has of course expired:—
A prince, the moment he Is crowned,
Inherits every virtue sound.
is generous, valiant. Just and wise.
And so continues till he dies
Thus Swift, with biting irony. Sir Sid
ney simply recognizes that the king is
dead, and his estimate cannot be called
very severe save as it makes havoc of flat
tery.
King Edward, he says, ‘'cannot be cred
‘ited with the greatness that comes of
‘statesmanship and makes for the mold
ing of history;” there are other good
kings of whom the same must be said, for
greatness is rare. He had "no originating
‘political faculty;” he ‘‘lacked the intel
’lectual equipment of a thinker;" he was
sometimes unwilling to exert his mental
power: he was no reader of books. Yet
are these things to be expected of a mon
arch? Charlemagne was illiterate; the
intellectual kings have not always had the
happiest reigns. For the place he had to
fill his equipment was perhaps after all
best:—
He was always eager for information,
and gathered orally very varied stores of
knowledge. A rare aptitude for rapidly
assimilating the outlines of a topic enabled
him to hold his own in brief talks with
experts in every subject. He did not sus
tain conversation with much power or
brilliance, but bis grace and charm of man
ner atoned for any deficiency of mat
ter.
It defines very well the model modern
monarch, yet that it should give offense
can well he understood. The special griev
ance of Sir Sidney's critics seems to be
that his sources were as he confesses
“chiefly conversational." How impudent
to judge a king on no better authority
than personal chat! Yet as a matter of
fact this has been one of the staples of
the great historians, and the best of them
have most sedulously cultivated these in
formal but invaluable sources of informa
tion. Thucydides took pains to talk with
all kinds of people who had knowledge
of the persons and events of which he
wrote; the pages of Tacitus bristle with
“it was said.” “it was commonly believed."
“but others thought." It is commonly
said that a definitive history or biography
cannot be written till a half-century or
so has passed, but of late we are coming
to be a little more skeptical of the "defini
’five” book; what we actually see is end
less revision, and if the task is never to
be done, it might as well begin while the
stuff is fresh and before seniliity has over
taken the surviving witnesses. Sir Sid
ney's appraisal may need correction at
points, hut at all events he is to be com
mended for his courage and candor.
Fatt*ae and Efficiency.
Progress consists in the application of
knowledge; yet in an age marked by the
employment of machinery on every side we
are but beginning to apply our knowledge
of the human machine. The horse-power
and efficiency of steam engines hare been
measured almost since from Watts and
his kettle they were first developed. But
we have scarcely started to measure man
power in order that, like the other engines
and the motors which we watch so zeal
ously, man shall not be "overloaded.” The
history of legislation governing the hours
of labor covers practically a century. Like
all reforms, it has had to contend with
the inertia of prejudice, vested interests
and ignorance. It has depended upon in
stincts of humanity and in a necessarily
vague way upon the imperfect knowledge
or unproved beliefs as to the relative effi
ciency of human beings when worked with
in the limits of their strength and when
overworked. Now, however, the world is
in possession of new knowledge, scientif
ically obtained and not to be disputed, in
regard to human fatigue, and the appeal
for shorter hours of labor is based upon
two things more definite than compassion:
Increased efficiency and the future of the
race.
It is nearly 50 years since the scientists
began to learn of the physiological pro
cesses of fatigue. But only within recent
years in the growing popularization of
what may be called the romance of scien-
| title discoveries has there come a common
| understanding that, for example, the con-
I dition which is ordinarily described as
tire, as the result of physical or mental
effort, is actually a chemical process and
that exertion creates in the human system
certain toxins or poisons of which it frees
I and purifies itself by the automatic pro
cesses which operate in time of rest. The
■ simplest experiment illustrating this fact
is to subject the muscle of a frog to elec
trical stimulation. As the stimulation is
repeated the resultant contraction grows
less nnd less until it finally ceases. But
that this fntigne of the mnsdes is due to
the accumulated fatigue products in the
blood is shown by the fart that if the
muscle is washed out through its blood
vessels the power to contract at once re
turns. But the question is of the fatigue
of men and women and not of frogs.
Miss Josephine Goldmark, the publica
tion secretary of the national consumers'
league, who han also been conspicuous
for her public service in aiding Louis D.
I Brandeis to defend successfully the consti
tutionality of laws of Illinois. Oregon and
Ohio, limiting the hours of labor for wom
en. has prepared an exhaustive study un
der the title “Fatigue and Efficiency,”
which is published by the charities publica
tion committee under the Sage foundation.
It is a remarkable assembling of facts,
the product of long, laborious and highly
intelligent work. While its bulk is not
unlikely to prevent the reading which a
smaller volume might have received, it
stands as an invaluable storehouse of in
formation and argument bearing upon laws j
for the regulation of labor. It consists of ।
a clear but elaborate discussion of the
physiological and economic effects of fa
tigue on working men and particularly
working women, in which the subject is
approached in the light of the latest scien
tific knowledge. It would be difficult to
conceive of a more important aid to the
cause of intelligent labor regulation.
The essential fact as regards the labor
of the single day is that beyond a certain
point added effort brings no commensurate
return; as regards the labor of any consid
erable period that if the waste or fatigue
■products in the human system are not re
paired by rest the labor is continued at the
cost of progressive impoverishment which •
can only reduce the effective period of the
individual's working lifetime and the well
being of the race. That in the "speeding
‘up’’ of our industries and with the con
stant importation of fresh hands we in
America are wearing out our workers
and scrapping them at an unduly early
age is a charge which Miss Goldmark re
iterates. She presents the case from every
conceivable viewpoint, with special atten
tion to the burdens and fatigues of certain
industries. But the most practical pres
entation is that of the more than commen
surate increase in efficiency that has been
found where hours of labor have been vol
untarily decreased.
Here, as might be expected, scientific
management is brought into the case to
show that where the problem has been ap
proached with the primary aim of merely
achieving greater efficiency, the conclu
sions reached are identical with those of
the new physiology. F. W. Taylor, the
"father” of scientific management, whose
book, by the way. is just now attracting
notable attention in France. has told how
in the early and baffling observations
which led to the establishment of the new
science, for science it is. there was a com
plete failure “to find any law which was
‘an accurate guide to the maximum day’s
’work for a first-class workman.” But
when after years of observations and
measurements the sought-for law of me
chanical work was found it was simply
the mathematical application of the funda
mental principle which has been separately
evolved from the study of fatigpe. namely,
that rest must adequately balance exer
tion. In the language of mechanical labor
this means that a man must be under load
for only a definite percentage of the day.
Mr Taylor’s now celebrated initial ex
periments in the handling of pig-iron by
which the amount handled daily per man
was increased from 12% to 47% tons,
showed that a man engaged in suclt ex
tremely heavy work could only be under
load 43 per cent of the working day and
must be entirely free from load for 57
per cent to attain the maximum efficiency.
The important facts which Miss Gold
mark has emphasized are that if fatigue
is forced beyond the limits of repair, effi
ciency is inevitably lowered and that wom
en who. because of the burdens which na
ture has laid upon them, most need pro
tection from overlong hours, have thus
far in practical effect enjoyed less protec
tion than men. Experience points toward
the eight-hour day as being dictated by
efficiency and the physiological processes,
and yet. as Miss Goldmark points out, "in
‘the great trades which during the past
‘25 years have reduced the workday to
‘nine or to eight hours,—such as the cigar
'makers, the carpenters and builders, the
‘printers, granite cutters and brewers—few
•if any women share the benefit.” The
knowledge which Taylor gained from the
mechanical end. which German scientists
and statisticians have gained through lab
oratory experiment and the patient collec
tion of data and which has been applied
with brilliant success, as at the famous
Zeiss optical works in Jena, where the
voluntary grant of the eight-hour day re
sulted in an actual and sustained increased
product compared with the previous nine
hour day,—this knowledge cries for appli
cation to the problems of American indus
try. In such application lies the surest
promise of social progress.
FIRST BUSINESS AT CHICAGO.
(From tbe New York Sua l
Will the delegates to the. republican
national convention be able to nominate
a candidate for president?
It will be necessary, of course, for tbe
Taft adherents in the gallery to cheer
him longer than any other man has ever
been cheered at any prvious convention.
It will then be necessary for the Roose
velt Blipporters to cheer the colonel longer
than Taft was cheered. This will natur
ally impose on the Taft people the high
obligation of cheering the president long
er than Mr Roosevelt has been cheered.
And so it will go on indefinitely, for the
principal business of spectators at polit
ical conventions is to establish a new
“record” for cheering.
We have long expected to see a program
for n national convention in which one
day should be set aside for cheers. But
the republican contest brings a new situs
tion before the country. Will the per
functory and wholly immaterial matter of
selecting a candidate be allowed to inter
fere with the solemn necessity of produc
ing more theatrical noise than bas evet
been had before?
THE SPRINGFIELD WEEKLY REPUBLICAN: THURSDAY. JUNE 13, 1012.
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON.
' COMMERCE COURT HARD HIT.
SENATE VOTES TO ABOLISH.
Mention Made at Washington of Con
wressmnn Lawrence as Successor to
Unites! States Judge Schofield.
From Our Special Correspondent.
Washington. D. C., Tuesday. June 11.
The commerce court hit the rocks hard
in the Senate to-day. which voted to abol
ish it by 36 to 23, the court being starved
out by a refusal to appropriate money for
its maintenance in the legislative, execu
tive and judicial appropriation bill. There
was plenty of discussion. Senator Cum
mins said he did not like this way of legis
lating. and would rather have put the court
out of business by direct methods, but in
asmuch as this had been agreed upon as
the most expeditious way of suppressing
the court, be would acquiesce. The votes
against the court were largely cast by the
democrats and progressive senators, albeit
such regulars as Heyburn and Nelson were
found among rhe opponents of the court.
The 23 regulars supporting the court wore
made up of regular administration sen
ators, plus Thornton of Louisiana, a dem
ocrat. Some amendments were adopted
setting back into the old order the appeal
ing of cases from the interstate commerce
commission to the courts. Senator Lodge
voted for the court, and he announced
that Senator Crane would have also so
voted had he been in the Senate. A pair
had been arranged for him. The court
has been President Taft's pet measure,
and it remains to be seen how he will
receive the bill that legislates the court out
of existence. Many intimate that he will
veto it, and say that they have the best
authority for so believing.
After an absence of some months Sen
ator La Follette was back in the Senate
chamber to-day and looked on, but did not
make a speech on the commerce court,
which it was rumored he would do. He
looked in splendid health and had quite a
reception from democrats and many of the
regulars, inclusive of Senator I.odge. but
it was noticed that such old former as
sociates of his in insurgency as Senators
Clapp. Bourne and Bristow and Cummins
did not rush up to embrace him. being
rather distant in fact. The senator is to
be with us but briefly.
Immigration from Europe into the United
States is believed to be a cause making for
the high cost es living in a memorial
sent to Representative Gardner to-day.
signed by leading educators, labor and
financial men of Massachusetts to-day. urg
ing needed immigration legislation. Im
migration. it is declared, tends to unset
tle standards in wages and manner of liv
ing and thus affects the cost of living.
The death in Boston of Judge Schofield
of tbe United States circuit court has
brought forward the mention of Repre
sentative Lawrence as his successor. He
is regarded as splendidly qualified for the
place having bad experience as a judge of
the district court of northern Berkshire
and having presided for three years over
tbe Massachusetts Senate as its president.
Mr Lawrence is, indeed, familiarly known
as “Judge.” He is only 53 years old and
it was learned with great surprise that be
would retire from Congress so early in bis
career. But the congressman has said it
was time he began to consider the decline
of life. What he had planned to do after
quitting Congress the congressman has
divulged to only a very few friends, but it
is declared it would not surprise many
people if he should find a career on the
United States bench attractive to him and
entertain an offer of the post. This is
made by President Taft, on recommenda
tion by the United States senators from
the state in which tbe district is, and Mr
Lawrence is a favorite of both Senators
Crane and Lodge, and especially so of Sen
ator Crane, with whom he now is in Chi
cago. So it is believed that if Mr Law
rence should care for the post, he can
have it.
CONGRESSMEN NOT SCARED.
By the Roosevelt Blnfflna—lntima
tions Made That There Will Be a
Colonel’s Candidate in Every Con
gressional District.
From Our Special Correspondent.
Washington, D. C., Monday. June 10.
The frenzied terrorism the Roosevelt
crowd in Chicago is roaring before the
Taft people in Chicago as a means to com
pel them to let go of the nomination so
that Roosevelt might have it, is taken with
a considerable grain of allowance in Wash
ington. The dispatches of a public nature
and from sources very close to the Roose
velt managers all shout "bolt.” Judson C,
Welliver telegraphs: "On the highest pos
sible authority—an authority which at this
time cannot he quoted, but whose responsi
bility is unquestionable—it can be said to
day that Col Roosevelt is going to be a
candidate for president, no matter what
burglary may he attempted and accom
plished by the Taft organization. If the
presidential nomination is stolen, the pro.
grossires will make Roosevelt a candidate
anyhow, and they will put a Roosevelt
supporter in nomination for Congress in
every district in the country. Members
of Congress, or candidates for Congress,
who do not declare their allegiance to the
Roosevelt cause will find themselves op
posed by men who will make such declara
tion. and make it in terms that leave no
room for mistake.”
All the foregoing is sent here for the
benefit of republican members of Con
gress, who are expected to tremble for
their seats and bring pressure according
ly to bear upon the Taft people to sur
render. but the members are so callous
now as not to be given to fright or stam
pede. and. besides, many of them know
that even though Roosevelt bolt he will
take but a small part of the convention
with him; certainly very few from the
East. Furthermore, their interpretation
is that tbe Roosevelt screaming is noth
ing more than a game nt bluff and to be
responded to accordingly. There are signs
that the Roosevelt people are, making des
perate overtures to Senator ‘Cummins lo
obtain bis support, but he declares he
will remain in the race and stay, more
over. in Washington, and that anyway,
under no circumstances, would he retire;
to do so. for one thing, would expose him
to the charge of having served as a stalk
ing horse for some one.
After some lively debate the House re
fused to concur to the Senate amendments
to the steel tariff bill repealing the Cana
dian reciprocity bill, and among the
small hand of republicans uniting with the
democrats not to concur were Representa
tive Mann, the floor leader of the repub
licans. and Representatives Gillett. Mc-
Call and Wilder of Massachusetts, Repre
sentative Weeks being the only Massa
chusetts man found voting for the repeal
amendment, and he said he onlv did so
that the next Canadian reciprocity agree
ment may not be embarrassed by a dead
law. Representative Hill of Connecticut
also voted for the nonconcurrence. as did
also Representative Sullowov from New
Hampshire.
The Senate surprised itself to-day by
voting to accept tbe. conference report
over the army bill. It had been expected
that this would be rejected, and there
was quite a battle Jed by Senators Lodge
and Root on the chief new legislation in
I the bill ousting, in effect, Maj-Gen Wood
। from the post of chief of staff and the
arrangement providing for the appoint
ment of a commission to investigate what
i are the needless army posts that should be
abandoned. The commission by the ar
rangement being men who had established
Fort Russell in Wyoming which the war
department especially designs to abolish,
to the great horror of Senator Warren of
I that state, who has retaliated in this way
I and provided additionally for ihe ouster
I of Maj-Gen Wood. It was a triumph for
i Warren in the Senate, who showed himself
' once again as chairman of the powerful
I appropriations committee a wizard in unit
l ing the Senate behind him. No one knows
, better than bo how to apply the principle
in the expression, "The cohesive power of
public plunder." Warren got together all
those interested in items in the appropria
tions bills and at this won only by 27 to
24. but it was enough. The conference
report has still to be accepted by the
House, but its acceptance is expected there
also. The friends of Wood now hope for
a veto, bat a presidential convention is
right ahead and Warren is a delegate
there.
IN DEFENSE OF TARIFF BOARD.
Representative Gillett Attacks the
Democrats for Refusina: an Appro
priation.
The House slowly considered the sun
dry civil bill. Friday, and in the course
of the proceedings Representative Gillett
attached the democrats for refusing an ap
propriation for the tariff board, saying:—
it is quite natural, judging from their
conduct, that the democrats should oppose
anything which throws light upon the for
mation of a tariff. They have had no
hearings at all. Apparently their tariff
bills have been evolved from their inner
consciousness, without any information re
specting facts, without any suggestions
that anybody outside could give to them;
and on the most far-reaching and radical
of all their bills I understand the commit
tee on ways and means, having framed
and agreed upon a bill, kept its provisions
absolutely secret so that when it was
brought into the democratic caucus the
members of their own party knew nothing
at all as to what its provisions were, so
ca refull.v had the secrei been guarded.
There was a sample of democratic legis
lation. and that being their method, it is
not strange that they are opposed to a
tariff board. It is not strange that they
do not want any light. My objection to a
tariff board, the doubt in my mind about
it at least, was that I did not believe any
bi-partisan board could investigate facts
and come to a unanimous opinion. I be
lieved the facts and the deductions from
the facts were so intricately involved that
they would not agree and that there would
be necessarily a partisan report on each
side. I think it is a great credit to the
ability and fairness and mental integrity
of the members of this tariff board that
their reports have come in unanimous. It
is a result which I did not believe possi
ble. Therefore, to my mind our experi
ence thus far justifies the experiment we
have made. That board has been infinite
ly more successful than I supposed was
possible. They have thrown light on the
questions they have investigated and to my
mind it opens a new era in the develop
ment of tariff bills. I believe that we
should have an expert commission formed
of men of this great ability in investiga
tion as these gentlemen have proved them
selves to be, in order that they may come
in and give ns the facts upon which tariff
bills should be framed. lam glad that it
is the republican party that stands for
it. and I believe that is bound to be the
method of framing tariff bills in the future.
Representative McCall also defended the
tariff board.
DAY FOR LORIMER VOTE SET.
Business ( logrseil in Senate—Appro
priation Bills May Not Be Passed
by End of Fiscal Year.
From Our Special Correspondent.
Washington. D. H, Saturday, June 8.
The Senate to-day l in one of its sud
den moods it is fiend of exemplifying agreed
to vote on the Lorimer case on July 6
or sooner, if. adjournment of Congress is
agreed upon before that time. This is not
likely. So then, a day is in sight when
Senator Lorimer will be voted out of the
Senate. It would seem there can be no
other verdict. It was noticed in the after
noon that there was much conferring be
tween the conspicuous Lorimer senators
pro and con and on a sudden Senator Dil
lingham came out of the republican cloak
room and announced that a date had been
agreed upon on which to vote on the
Jjorimer case, and the Senate acquiesced,
as it is fond of doing when a day on which
to vote is made distant enough and it is
tired out. as it was to-day.
Although the House found the Columbus
dedication exercises and the fine weather
irresistible and adjourned early as a con
sequence, the Senate resisted the bland
ishments and used up the day over the big
executive, legislative and judicial appropri
ation bill. While the Lorimer date has now
cleared the air a good deal, it is beginning
to he entertained by the conservatives that
Congress will not adjourn much before
August 1. For one thing, it has been tacit
ly agreed that the Senate at least shall
stand adjourned three days at a time dur
ing tbe two convention Weeks.
As most business is clogged in the Sen
ate, the importance of these successive
adjournments can be appreciated. It is
even expected now thaf it will not he pos
sible to pass all the general appropriation
bills by the end of the fiscal year. June
30. and so extraordinary recourse will
have to be had to a resolution continuing
the present rate of appropriations into the
next fiscal year until the regular ap
propriation bills can become available. It
is understood that about 24 republican
senators will go to Chicago, Senator Root
starting out in the middle of next week
and of course practically the whole demo
cratic body will want to attend the con
vention nt Baltimore.
Nothing is expected to come of the
resolutions in the Senate to-day of Senator
Nelson to authorize a committee of in
quiry to ascertain the truth of the charges
that Americans are fomenting and financ
ing the revolutions in Cuba and Mexico
to bring about annexation to this country.
It is regarded as highly improbable, if
proof thereto can bo obtained, oven
though in the case of Cuba there is strong
ground for believing the charges to be
true, although not at till likely with
respect tn Mexico.
The national forest reservation commis
sion will meet next week to consider pro
posals to acquire tracts of forest lands in
the White mountains which the forest
bureau is ready tn recommend. It is
understood that some of these are held at
fancy figures; others are held at reason
able. There will have to be some hurried
work by the commission if it develops that
the agricultural hill containing the pro
vision extending into the next fiscal year
, unused appropriations as authorized in
the Weeks act. shall nnt have passed l,v
| the end of this fiscal year, June 30. and
. this the forest bureau is prepared to do
so that little if any money need be lost.
! SENATE REPORT ON CANAL BILL.
I House Measure Amended to Regulate I
Vessels Owned by Railroads.
The Beuate committee on interoceanic
I canals at Washington Tuesday favorably
reported the House bill to open, protect
nnd operate the Panama canal and to
govern the canal zone. The bill retains
the House provision exempting coastwise
vessels from canal tolls and embodies an
amendment strictly regulating railroad
owned vessels. The Senate amended tbe
House hill to provide that no ship owned,
chartered, operated or eontroled by a rail-
I road or in which any railroad had any in-
I terest whatever through any holding com
pany. stockholders or directors in com
mon or otherwise, should be permitted to
enter or pass through the Panama, canal
if eugngeil in the constwise trade between
United States ports,
Any ship of American registratiion. how
ever owned or controled, would be per-
I mined to operate through the canal in
transoceanic trade to and from oriental o*
European countries and on its way might
do a coastwise trade between ports of the
United States and intermediate foreign
ports. This privilege, however, would not
be permitted to any ship owned or con
troled wholly or partly by any railroad
unless it bo in transoceanic trade. The
coastwise trade to he allowed such vessels
would be strictly to or from transoceanic
ports and not to ports of Canada, Mexico
or Central and South America.
The committee added an additional re
striction to protect coastwise traffic by re
quiring that a railroad-owned ship passing
through the canal must have at least 50
per cent of its cargo destined to a trans
oceanic port.
SUPREME BENCH DECISIONS.
Status of Commerce Court-—Cannot
Pan on Facts tn Case.
Blow after blow was given the new com
merce court Friday by the supreme
court of the United States at Washington,
which upheld the exclusive jurisdiction of
the interstate commerce commission over
the administrative machinery of the fed
eral rate Jaws. The principal decision was
announced by Chief Justice White in the
so-called “Procter & Gamble case.” He
was sustained by the entire court. In sub
stance, he held that the commerce court
was not to substitute its judgment for
the interstate commerce commission in the
administration of the rate laws. The
specific point ruled upon was that parties
who failed to get relief before the inter
state commerce commission have no right
to go into the commerce court and have
that court pass upon the facts to ascertain
if they should have been granted relief.
In the course of bis opinion Chief Justice
White, however, went further. He showed
that the commerce court was not given
"new and strange” powers, but succeeded
to the powers of the circuit courts in exist
ence when the commerce court was creat
ed. and that the commerce court was
limited in reviewing the commission's or
ders to questions of law. In cases yet to
be passed upon, it is claimed that the com
merce court went out of the domain of
law and gave its judgment on pure ques
tions of fact.
To adopt the review of the commerce
court as to its jurisdiction. Chief Justice
White said, would be to overthrow the
system of rate regulation adopted by Con
gress. Senator Poindexter yesterday intro
duced a resolution to discharge the com
mittee on commerce from further consid
eration of the bill to abolish the commerce
court in order to bring the measure be
fore the Senate for a vote. No action on
the resolution was taken.
The supreme court Monday adjourned
until October, leaving undecided the hard
coal trust cases, the Union Pacific merger
case and the state rate cases. Prosecu
tion of offenders against federal law was
given a tremendous impetus Monday by
the court when it held that conspiracy to
violate federal laws could be punished in
any state where an overt act was done
to further that conspiracy.
Justice McKenna laid down the doc
trine, which was supported by Chief Jus
tice White and Justices Day, Van De
vanter and Pitney. Justice Holmes dis
sented and with him were Justices Lur
ton. Hughes and Lamar. Mr Lamar de
clared trial should be only where the con
spiracy was entered into.-—As an immedi
ate result of the decision. Henry A. Hyde
and Joost H.-Schneider of California were
held guilts' of "land fraud" conspiracy, as
found by trial in the District of Columbia."
Hyde and Schneider, with John A. Ben
son and Henry P, Dimond, were indicted
in Washington in 1904.
HANFORD IMPEACHMENT REPORT.
House Committee Votes to Present
Resolution.
An impeachment resolution similar to
that in the Judge Swayne case is to be
presented to the House by the judiciary
committee at Washington against Judge
Cornelius Hanford of Seattle, Wash., un
der fire for his action in the Olsen socialist
citizenship case. A subcommittee will go to
Seattle to hear the charges against Judge
Hanford.
To Check Canadian Imlgratlon.
President Taft Thursday signed the three
year homestead bill permitting entrymen on
public lands to prove their claims at the
end of three instead of five years, allowing
five months' absence from a claim each
year and reducing the acreage to be culti
vated on large claims from 80 to 40 acres.
The bill is designed to so liberalize the
homestead Jaws as to check the emigration
of American farmers to Canada.
Negro Knights of Pythias Win.
The supreme court of the United States
Monday set aside the decree of the su
preme court of Georgia, which enjoined
negro men from incorporating a lodge in
that state, under the name of Knights of
Pythias. Chief Justice White announced
the opinion. Justice Holmes announced a
dissenting opinion.
Not to Rehear Bigelow Copper Case.
Rehearing was Monday denied by
the supreme court in the Old Dominion
copper case. In that suit Albert S. Big
elow of Boston recently was held liable to
pay the Old Dominion copper mining and
smelting company $2,100,000 as secret pro
moters’ profits.
Indiana Pnre Food Law Upheld.
The Indiana pure food law of 1907 was
upheld Friday as constitutional by the
supreme court of the United States. The
principle was announced that states may
enact such measures without interfering
with the federal pure food and drugs act
of 1906.
CUMMINS AS A COMPROMISE.
(From the Des Moines (la.) Capital.]
Thp Capital has considered President
Taft entitled to a renoniina tion—not only
by virtue of precedent, but because his
patriotic and statesmanlike course has
earned him that recognition at the hands
of his party, but fate is often cruel and
writes its decrees with a remorseless hand.
The republican party is facing a condi
tion. ami not a theory. If it shall become
apparent that President Taft cannot be
nominated, the next wisest step must be
promptly taken.
Under the circumstances, but one course
remains to follow, and that is to select a
new man.
Under the instructions of the Cedar
Rapids convention. 16 delegates from lowa
will he bound to vote for President Taft,
but the moment that obligation has been
discharged and a Taft nomination is found
to be impossible those 16 delegates should
join With the other 10 in support of United
States Senator Albert B. Cummins of
lowa.
Senator Cummins never would stand for
the judicial recall, or for the recall of de
cisions, or for many other legislative fads
emanating in iwpulistic and socialistic
sources, and the adoption of Which certain
elements are threatening under republican
administration. An able lawyer, he never
would stand for doiihtful or dangerous
constitutional interpretation.
Where is there a candidate, under exlst
iug circijriistances, more likely to attract
favorable consideration from tbs Chicago
convention?
CLEARING - HOUSE CRITICISM.
MONEY TRUST INQUIRY BEGINS.
Sberer Defends Association —.Lnteis-
myer Assails Its Power,
The immense power wielded by the New
York c)earjng-houM association over th®,
banks of the country's financial center and
arbitrarily lodged in the hands of five men
should be placed.under judicial regulation, it
was conceded by William Sherer, manager
of the assooiation, on the witness stand at
New York Thursday. Mr Sherer was the
chief witness at the first hearing held by
the House committee on banking and cur
rency, which is investigating the so-called
money trust. The committee went to New
York Thursday to take such testimony as
its powers will permit, pending the passage
of the amendment to the banking law now
in the Senate, under which the committee
hopes to be able to enforce from the banks
its demands for (he information which it
expects to make the basis of remedial legis
lation.
While Thursday’s inquiry was character
ized by Chairman Pujo as "collateral” to
the main scope of the inquiry, Samuel
Untermyer, special counsel for the commit
tee. developed through Mr Sherer testimony
to the effect that the destiny of practically
every financial institution in Now York was
potentially at the mercy of the “mere whim,
determination or order” of the five men who
composed the "New York clearing-house
committee." Mr Untermyer referred to the
regulations of the association conferring this
power as "monstrous" and also raised the
question as to whether the association did
not violate the interstate commerce laws in
the banking operations of its members with
out-of-town banks.
The clearing-house committee, composed
of Frank A. Vanderlip, president of the
National City bank, the largest in the coun
try ; James G. Cannon, president of the
Fourth national bank; Walter E. Frew,
president of the Com exchange bank ; Rich
ard Delafield, president of the National
Park bank, and Otto T. Bannard, president
of the New York trust company, had full
power over the admissions to membership,
according to the testimony of the witness,
and the power of suspension.
“Then it rests with these five men as to
whether they can keep a competitor out of
the association?" inquired Mr Untermyer.
“Don't you thinkthat is a monstrous regu
lation for an institution doing an inter
state business?" “The average banker has a
moral status to maintain,” replied Mr Sher
er. “He realizes that he can make more money
by walking straight than crooked. I have
never known honorable men who are able
to fulfil the financial requirements for ad
mission to be refused. If the committee
took the narrow view of keeping out a com
petitor, it would react against them. Mer
chants and business men who are the bank's
largest customers would never stand for un
just discrimination."
“I am not speaking of motives.” pursued
the attorney, “but of the unbridled and un
licensed power of these men. Don't you
think this power should he subject to ju
dicial review and control?” Mr Sherer then
explained that the clearing-house associa
tion was a voluntary institution, similar to
a private club, and that no court would
hold that a voluntary institution could be
compelled to accept as a member anyone
who could not comply with its regulations.
“But you know that this great power
exists: should it not be judicially con
troled?” was asked. "I agree with you,”
finally conceded Mr Sherer. “Where there
is a wrong, it should be corrected.” The
inquirer continued: “And this mere whim,
determination or order, whatever you are
to call it. to stop clearing for nonmember
banks. Don't you think that that is too
great a power without judicial review?”
Tire witness again gave an affirmative
answer, but asserted that in the exercise
of the power, “it is not so bad as it looks,”
citing a recent instance where the commit
tee's power was exercised to prevent an
institution whose officers were “not of
good character” from obtaining member
ship by buying out and merging with a
clearing-house bank. "Good character of
len depends upon which group of banks
you belong to, doesn’t it?” queried Mr Un
termyer. “Oh, I don't admjt that,” said
the witness.
COLLAPSE OF ORIENTAL BANK,
As n Reenlt ot Clem-ing-House Power.
Testimony intended to show how the
power of the New York clearing-house
committee was used to force a solvent
bank to the wall during the aftermath of
the panic of 1907, with the result that the
"fair reputation” of its president was
“blasted”’ was dramatically unfolded
Friday at New York before the Pujo com
mittee. The testimony was elicited by
Samuel Untermeyer, special counsel for the
commitee. in his effort io demonstrate that
the functions of the clearing-house enable
it to control the destiny of New York’s
financial institutions and should be subject
to regulation by law.
The bank around which the testimony
centered was the Oriental, organized in
1853, and one of the charter members of
the clearing-house association, but it was
testified that three other banks, the bank
of North America and the New Amster
dam national bank, in both of which
Charles W. Morse was interested, and the
Mechanics and Traders, were similarly
compelled, through the action of the clear
ing-house, to close their doors, although all
proved to have been solvent. Their finan
cial decease was the result, it. was testi
fied. of a demand made by the clearing
house committee three months after the
panic began, that, they redeem their clear
ing-house loan certificates, nnd in the case
of the Oriental, followed n promise that
the association would stand by it “to the
last ditch.”
Mr Untermyer elicited from the wit
nesses testimony showing that at the time
of its suspension the Oriental had collat
eral tip with the clearing-house for twice
the value of its loan certificates, that it
liquidated assets twice the value of its
capitalization and that at the time its
troubles began was paying 12 per cent
dividends.
The action of the clearing-house in call
ing rhe loon certificates of the Oriental
bank during the aftermath of the panic of
1907 as a sequence of which the bank
failed, was conceded Tuesday by A. Bar
ton Hepburn to have been a mistake, Mr
Hepburn, who was chairman of the clear
ing-house committee at the time, together
with Frank A. Vanderlip, president of
the National city bank, was a voluntary
witness Tuesday before the Pujo commit
tee of the House of Representatives, which
is investigating at New York the so-called
money trust. In the course of his testi
mony Mr Hepburn also conceded that it
“may be true" that a few men in New
York practically dominate the money sit
uation in this country and throughout tbe
world.
Secretary Ely on Stand.
The committee also took up Tuesday
the functions of the stock exchange, but
got little satisfaction from George IV.
Ely. secretary of the exchange, as a wit
ness. Mr Ely's memory proved to be
very poor and the sharpest kind of ques
tioning by Mr Untermyer failed to elicit'
information that the committee was seek
ing. Mr Untermyer read a clause in the
regulations of the exchange which provides
a pehalty of expulsion for ans- member
who has. communicated directly, or indi
rectly with any member of the consolidat
ed stock exchange, the "little board.”
“Is this clause in operation?” asked Mr
Untermyer.
' "Amt can see it in-the hook, can't you?"
said Mr Ely.
V’* s ls .”? ur hook of gospel is it?"
.X'le witness did not answer.
"The stock exchange is incorporated?"
“1« it?" •
"Dou t you know?” asked Mr Untermyer
with a show of anger.
1 know anything about it," said
Mr Ely.
"lio yon think. the New York stock ex
change should be under judicial control’”
“I have no opinion on that matter.”
The witness admitted that no new mem
ber can. be admitted to the exchange un
les there he a vacancy or some one sells
his sent. Then he must pass the member
ship committee of 15 and 10 of them must
agree that he can be a member. “So he
must be admitted by the committee before
he can compete with the other members?”
asked Mr Untermyer.
“He has to get 10 white ballots before
he can be a member. I don't know any
thing about competition,” . said the wit
ness. "The stock exchange is not in any
business. "But the stock exchange
charges a fee for listing stocks and bonds,
does it not?’ asked Mr Untermyer. "Oh
yes. SSO on the million, but that is not
business.” "I suppose if is a pleasure ”
commented Mr Untermyer. "It is,” said
the witness without a smile.
VETO OF THE TROLLY MERGER.
THE HOUSE OVERRIDES IT.
But the Senate Upholds the Governor
by a Vote ot S 3 to 16.
From Our Special Reporter.
Boston, Wednesday. Junel2.
By vote of 157 yeas to 68 nays, the
House voted to pass the trolly merger bill
over the veto sent in by Gov Foss Satur
day. This vote was reached after a very
warmdebate yesterday, during which the at
tacking members were more numerous than
the defense, and the outlook for the bill
when the debate closed was very dubious.
The old New Haven fight was brought in
with almost full force and it was the main
argument against the passage of the bill.
From the arrival of the western members
in the morning there was a feeling that the
vote was to be very close. The margin was
fully as large as the friends of the bill had
expected. One of the handicaps on the hill
was the opposition in Western Massachu
setts. The mayor of Holyoke was down,
against the bill. Mr Burdick of Adams
spoke against it, and Messrs Hall of Pitts
field. Buckley of Chicopee and Burns,
Reardon and Davies of Holyoke voted
against it. So the result of the roll-call
was gratifying.
It was almost 4.30 when the trolly bill
reached the Senate, after they had spent
the afternoon mostly in waiting for the
House. It had been learned that there were
probably 13 sure votes against the bill,
and 14 would be enough to sustain the
veto. After a spirited debate, the Senate,
by a vote of 22 to 15, postponed until to
day a vote on the question of concurring
with the House. To-day’s vote sustained
the governor's veto, standing 23 to 16.
In concluding his veto message last week
Gov Foss appended the following special
message
To the Honorable Senate and House of
Representatives ;—
It has been brought to the attention
of the present Legislature that an exten
sive district in the western section of the
commonwealth totally lacks the transpor
tation facilities necessary for its welfare
and prosperity. In this district, which
ought to be a prosperous farming region,
population has for many years declined,
farm values have fallen and the inhabi
tants have lacked the opportunities which
the people of the rest of the state have
long enjoyed.
The failure of legislation designed osten
sibly to provide such transixirtatjon fgcil-.
ities, but in effect legalizing the encroach
ment of the New York, New Haven and
Hartford railroad upon the laws and pol
icy of the state, should not prevent action
being taken at the present session to se
cure to the people of this region adequate
transportation facilities.
Such service should not be secured at the
cost of a departure from tbe wise and es
tablished policy of the state by methods
permitting financial jugglery and the un
dermining of our public service law. If
private capital is unable to supply this
service without surrendering it to the
domination of the New Haven road. I be
lieve it is the duty of the state to supply
that service directly by a state-owned
system of electric roads.
To this end I recommend that the state
conduct, through a special commission, an
investigation of the whole problem of
more adequate railroad facilities for the
western section, particularly the hill towns
of tbe state, and to report to the General
Court.
GRAND TRUNK BILL SIGNED.
Boston Now to Become a Great
Metropolis and Seaport.
From Our Special Reporter.
Boston, Monday. June 10.
Gov Foss signed the Grand Trunk bill
this noon, and the quill with which it was
done has been given to Robert Stein, the
state-house representative of the Boston
American, in behalf of that paper and its
constant fight for the bill. In connection
with the signing the governor gave out
the following statement: —
The entrance of tbe Grand Trunk railroad
into Boston Is necessary for the future de
velopment of the port, and desirable as a
means of controling, through competition,
the dominant railroad interests In tbe state,
I therefore take pleasure in signing the hill.
The people of Boston nnd of the entire com
monwealth are to be congratulated that tbe
Legislature bas granted the petition of tb!«
important Canadian railroad. With the en
actment of this measure, one of the prin
cipal obstacles to Boston's development as a
metropolis and n great seaport Is removed.
In my Judgment, Boston will respond im
mediately by an Increased development, in
dustrially and In wealth and population.
However. 1 wish to point out to tbe people
ot Massachusetts that the enactment of the
measure does not of itself solve nil the trans
portation problems confronting the state. It
does not provide for a proper physical con
nectior. between the North and South stations
In Boston, by which alone the present Incon
veutent break in transportation facilities at
an important point can be remedied. And it
does not provide for electrification within the
metropolitan district, which Is indispensably
necessary for tbe health 'and comfort of a
million nnd a half people. It does not pro
vide that efficient control over rotes and serv
ice which a strong transportation commis
sion. such as I am advocating, can alone
supply. In fact, the entrance of the Grand
Trunk puts greater emphasis upon tbe nerrs
site of such control. Adding to the number
of transportation companies increases the
duty of the state to control and regulate all
transportation within the borders of the com
mcnwcalth.
An efficient, public regulation ot transporta
tion and all other public services can be se
cured at the present session of the legisla
ture If the people will make their wishes
sufficiently known to their senators nnd rep
resentatives. I cannot believe that the Leg
islature will continue to refuse what ths
public so stronglv desires. Onlv some of the
corporal ions which are to be regulated op
pose thia n)ucb-nee<led legislation. The maar
expressions of public sentiment which have
come to my office from all parts ot the state,
leave no room tor doubt as to what the peo
ple think.
Thus out of the tangle of railroad inter
ests and the contention of parties so nu
merous and confused that it has been im
possible to unravel the snarl, there stand
out two farts which throw light on the
alignment of the parties; The governor has
signed the Grand Trunk bill to which the
New Haven railroad is opposed: he vetoed
the western trolly merger bill, which the
Now Haven road wanted passed. These
ire the salient facta in the midst of many
gneases and they must stand for . some
thing.