The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume], March 19, 1913, Image 1

About The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917

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THE WEATHER
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VOI. 49 NO. 67
BRIDGEPORT,CONN.,WEDNESDAY,MAItCH 19, 1913
PRICE TWO CENTS
WILSON'S STAND
ON CHINA'S LOAN
Causes Widespread
Comment Here And
Abroad
Talk New of European Powers
' Going Ahead Without Amer
ican Bankers
Washington. March 19 President
Wilson's statement of the administra
tion's attitude toward American bank
ers' participation in the Chinese loan
and foreign loans generally has at
tracted widespread comment and dis
cussion In official and diplomatic quar
tern.. Following- closely upon the statement
come Intimations that the negotia
tions now may proceed as a five pow
er affair without the American group.
It is pointed out today that backers
of China's creditor ' nations, especially
Russia, may now be counting upon
the moral support of their governments
to continue to press Provisional Pres
ident Yuan Shi Kal to make the loan,
but there also are some Indications of
discord found In the conflicting claims
of the various nationalities for the
predominating Influence in the ap
pointment of administrators of the
loan and for its expenditure.
The pressing feature for China now,
diplomatists point out, is found in the
fact that China is more than one year
behind In payment of the Boxer in
demnities to the extent of $20,000,000.
With aa army clamoring1 for back pay.
msr provisional loans coming due
and need for money to continue .the
operation of the provisional govern
ment. Tun Shi Kal Is placed In a
peculiar position.
OERMAKS ASTOCIfDED .
Mnn iLrn.ivih 14 Th indicated re
tirement of the American bankers
from participatkm In the Chinese loan
has rated consternation among the
intirMtui o-roun of German ' bankers
who. it Is evident, fear the fate of the
whni onaratinn will be Affected.
It ! asserted that the Germans will
continue the negotiations in spite of
the resignation of the Amerloan bank
ers of wom they were to a certain
extent the natural allies.
The German banker have received
n intimation that the Amerloan group
contemplates withdrawal, from the
negotiations, their" information being
limited to the statement issued by
President Woodrdw Wilson that the
United States would not be represent
ed officially any longer In the negotia
tions. QUICK TARIFF WORK.
Quick tariff revision along lines ac
ceptable to the Democratic leaders of
both Houses of Congress was the ob
ject of a conference called for today
between the ranking tariff revision
ists of the party In the Senate and
the House, f
Senator Simmons, of North Caro
lina, chairman of the Senatf finance
committee, and Senators Stone, John
Sharp Williams and Smith of Georgia,
constituted the Senate sub-oommittee
for the conference with Chairman
"Underwood and some of his col
leagues of the waye and means com
mittee. House Democrats are confident they
have framed a tariff measure that
will be a valuable addition to the
I party platform and satisfactory gen
erally as a downward revision meas
ure and that the revision in onei gen
eral bill should be able to run the
gauntlet of both Houses without much
scarring. There will be a Democrat
ic caucus in the House during the
first day or two of the extra session
but the Democratic leaders do not
anticipate any upset of 'their general
revision' plan. "
HOW HOUSE STANDS.
The membership of 435 in the House
when it convenes April 7 will com
prise 990 Democrats, of whom 103 will
be new members and 145 Republicans,
of whom 55 will take their seats for
the first time. These figures, offi
cially printed, today, included Dem
ocrats expected to be elected from the
10th district of Texas and the first
district of South Carolina, to succeed
Postmaster General Burleson and the
late Representative Legare of Charles
ton, and a probable Republican suc
cessor to Senator Weeks, of Massa
chusetts, in the 13th district.
I
VNCLE SAM'S PROFITS.
The federal government made a
profit of . J6.50O.000 on the coinage of
pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters and
halves during the fiscal year 1912.
Geo. B. Roberts, director of the mint,
announced theft the treasury 'earned
a total of $5,652,000 during the year on
an investment of only $1,260,000 for the
operation of the entire mint service
or almost 4 SO percent.
The cost of the nickel is an index; of
the government's profit on the coin
age of frninor coins. Out of one
pound of compound of nickel and cop
per, coating about 23 cents, the gov
ernment coined $4.55 worth of five
cent pieces.
FAMILY JOB HUNTER.
Armed with a photograph of his
family of 13 children, Ben Marshall,
clerk of the circuit court at Frank
fort, Ky., today. Joined the ranks of
the Job-hunters. He admits that he
is after the collectorship of internal
revenue at Lexington and; as his
phenomenal family aided materially
in landing him the court clerkship he
brought along the photograph In the
belief that It would prove useful in
aiding him to acquire a federal place.
Mr. Marshall recalled that thirteen
was regarded by President Wilson as
his lucky number. His brother and
sister, Mr. Marshall added, also had
3 3 children each, although another
brother broke the perfect reoord by
acquiring a 1 4th addition to his fam
jly. Mr. Marshall said his father was
Pass TwoJ
FENNELL IS
FINED $150
Holder of South End
Liquor License Held
for Selling
Prosecutor Banks Declares Gon-
tinucus Violations of Law.
EVIust Cease
That the holder of a liquor license
must be responsible for violations of
law on the part of the manager of
the place, was , stated today in the
criminal court of common pleas when
Anthony Fennell was fined $150. Fen
nell, who owns the licenseof the sa
loon conducted by Timothy O'Reilly
at Lafayette street and Railroad ave
nue, pleaded guilty to the charges of
keeping open on Sunday and allowing
an unsuitable person to remain in
charge of the place.
O'iRellly was convicted of violating
the law last October and was fined $75
and costs. In November he was ar
rested again. Prosecutor Banks then
determined to go after the holder of
the license and he had Judge Walsh
issue a bench warrant yesterday for
Fennel's arrest. v
"This continuous violation of the
law,' Sunday after Sunday, must
stop," ' declared the - prosecutor.
"O'Reilly could keep on paying fines
Indefinitely and it would never af
fect his license. This saloon, un
less I am misinformed' by the police,
is notorious for its violations of the
law."
The prosecutor said he would not
Insist upon Fennell losing the license
but he would like to have him trans
fer it from the present location. At
torney John p. Gray, who represent
ed Fennell," said his client would take
Personal charge of the saloon and
.would see that the law was obeyed. -.
! Judge Walsh them imposed the fine
las noted above and said he would re
serve decision on the matter of grant
ing a certificate to prevent Fennell
from losing his license.
MARIGOLD BETTER
MAY YETRECOVER
Family Has Hopes Following
Improvement for' Three
- - Days
Slight improvement was noted to
day in the condition of Postmaster W,
H. Marigold. For the -past three days
he has gained quite a bit. in. strength
and his condition was such- today that
the family entertained nopes for his
ultimate recovery. TJr. F. J. Adams,
who is in attendance, was greatly
pleased with the postmaser's condi
tion and hopes to continue his gradual
recovery. Absolute quiet and rest is
necessary to this end.
The postmaster's remarkable fight
for lite has attracted considerable at
tention among the medical profession
and his hundreds of intimate friends.
His vitality an0 robust constitution
have brought him from death's door
to a point where now he stand & a fair
chanoe of recovery. A blood clot on
the brain, due to a, fall some weeks
ago, induced a paralytic shock that
has confined him to his bed for over
two weeks.
COLLECTOR BELDEN
INHERITS FORTUNE
i
Practically Sole Beneficiary Under
Will of Wealthy Aunt, of
Hartford
I. Lewis Belden, deputy collector of
customs at the local customs house,
and a well known resident of Strat
ford, is practically the sole legatee of
his aunt, Grace Belden Parker, the
widow of Rev. John Parker, a clergy
man prominent for many years in
Hartford, and for a long time identi
fied with the First M. B. church of
that city.
The will offered for probate in Hart
ford today disposes of an estate val
ued at about $17,000. With the ex
ception of small sums of money to a
number of other relatives, practically
the entire estate is bequeathed to a
-nephew, I. L. Belden, of Stratford,
who is in the .custom house service at
Bridgeport.
JURY FINDS STAVOLA
GUILTY; FINED $50
A Jury in the criminal court of
Common Pleas this morning brought
in a verdict of guilty against Angelo
Stavola, the Stratford saloon keeper
charged with violating the liquor law.
He is alleged to have kept his place
open after hours on February 13 and
to have sold liquor on Sunday, Feb
ruary 9, last.
Judge Walsh imposed a fine of $50
and costs on Stavola. His ' place is
on the Honeyspot road, near Avon
Park. His trial started yesterday and
was not finished until this morn
ing. BEAT OFF VICIOUS
DOG WITH HEAVY CLUBS
While walking upon the sidewalk
near his home on Toft avenue, this
morning. Robert E. Lockwood, a local
truckman, was attacked by a vicious
dog which sank ita fangs in his left
leg and caused deep laceration of the
flesh before it could be beaten off
with clubs in the hands of persons
who came to Uockwood's rescue.
Treatment of the wounds was given at
the emergency hospital.
FOUND STARVING
IN OLD BOILER
Aged Man May Have
Lain for Days With
out Food
Taken to Hospital in Precar
ious Condition Is About
70 Years Old
Having equipped a rusty and aban
doned boiler in an inaccessible spot at
the rear of the Bridgeport Boiler
Works, on Housa tonic avenue, as a
refuge from the elements, an aged
man was this morning discovered in
a dying condition from starvation and
exposure, by some inquisitfve person.
In the tube which was about three
feet in diameter and nine feet long
the aged recluse had crept, no one
knows how many days ago, and being
beyond the call of assistance and in a
lonely spot, had slowly emaciated to
but a skeleton.
Patrolman Chris Finnegan and Pa
trol Wagon Driver Wheeler were the
first to reach the scene after the tele
phone report sent in by an unknown
man. They found the aged man
stretched out upon a bed of papers
which he toad arranged beneath him.
He ws scantily clad, even his un
derclothing having been removed and
placed in a neat roll in his coat
pocket. He was clad in an overcoat
and undercoat of black material, dark
trousers, dark shoes and no hat. His
outer coat had. been pinned as though
to protect his wasted body from the
cold. No vestige of food was vis
ible. '
1 It was seen that he was in a seri
ous condition and a telephone call
was sent to the emergency hospital.
Dr. Davis administered stimulants and
the patient was taken to St. Vincent's
hospital.
No cards or other belongings indi
cated his identity,' although several
who viewed his features said that he
has been often seen around the city's
streets. He, is a man of about 70
years, probably In health weighing 140
pounds, about 5 feet 2 inches in height,
entirely .bald upon- the crown with a
fringe of gray hair below. He wears
a small gray moustache and a stubble
growth of beard.
SHERIFFS STORM
HOUSE TO GET
$30,000 CLAIM
. New York, March 19 1 wo deputy
sheriffs were camped, today, in front
of the Madison avenue residence or
Eric B. Dahlgren son of Rear Ad
miral Dahlgren, of Civil War fame,
demanding entrance on behalf of Mrs.
Lucy Drexel Dahlgren, of Philadel
phia, who contends that property of
heirs worth $30,000 is held in the resi
dence of her former husband. She
obtained recently a decree of absolute
divorce and the custody of the chil
dren. Counsel for the former wife se
cured a writ for the property in ques
tions but her representatives were de
nied admittance by detectives. The
matter was then placed in the sher
iff's hands.
M0T0RMEN FINED
$100 AND COST
FOR SPEEDING
! Waterbury, March 19 F. A. Dicker
man, of New Haven, and Charles A.
Weavering, of this city, motormen of
the Connecticut Co., running on the
Waterbury-New Haven line, were fin
ed $100 and costs in the city court,
today, for running their cars at a
fepeed which, it was held, endanger
ed the safety of pedestrians. : Coun
ted for - the men told the court that
the men were not blame as -they had
not been notified by the company of
ficials about running too fast. .Judge
Qdc-Mahon, .presiding, said that if that
Kvae so, the superintendent, H. L.
Wales, should, If he is to blame, be
brought into court also.
The action was part of the police
crusade against the speeding of trol
ley cars within the city limits.
Weather Indications.
New Haven, March 19. Forecast
Fair and warmer tonight, Thursday
generally cloudy and warmer.
A disturbance central over Florida
is causing cloudy and rainy weather
on the east gulf and south Atlantic
coasts. The western disturbance now
forms a long trough of low pressure
extending from Colorado northeast
ward to upper Michigan. High tem
peratures for the season of the year
prevail on the southeast side of this
disturbance and very low tempera
tures on the nqjthwest side. Quite a
severe snow storm with temperatures
below zero prevails from Montana
eastward to Minnesota-
Conditions favor for this vicinity
fair breather with rising temperature
followed by increasing cloudiness.
MEETING DAY ADVANCED.
The building commissioners will
meet this week at 5:15 o'clock Thurs
day afternoon, instead of Friday, the
regular meeting day. Good Friday Is
observed as a holiday at City Hall.
NAMED ADMINISTRATRIX.
Emma. V. Ackerman today was
named by Probate Judge E. F. Hallen
as administratrix of the estate of the
late David R. Ackerman,
DEEP GRIEF FOR
MURDERED KING
Hellenic Nation in
Mourning for Ruier
Dear to All
Constlne, Now King of Greece
Bursts into Tears When In
formed of Father's Death
Athena, March 19 The council of
ministers issued its official statement
early today on the assassination of
King George yesterday. It reads:
"Overwhelmed with grief, the coun
cil of ministers announces to the peo
ple the death of his beloved majesty,
King George I, at the hands of crim
inals. A madman assassinated , the
King at Salonica, throwing the whole
nation into deep mourning in these
days of rejoicing at the accomplish
ment of our national desires. The
outrage was committed at 5 o'clock
yesterday afternoon while his majesty
wag out walking. The "weapon used
was a revolver. The council hastens
to communicate the sad news at once
t his majesty, King Constantine."
State mourning has been ordered for
a period of six months and court
mourning for a,: year.
The whole Greek capital is draped
in mourning. On public and other
buildings the national flag flies at
half mast and is draped with crepe.
The bells of all the churches in the
city were tolling all day and minute
guns were fired from the forts. The
newspapers are printed with black
borders and contain long eulogies of
the dead monarch.
When the chamber of deputies met,
this morning, Premier t Venizelos for
mally announced the 'death of King
George and the accession of King Co'n
CONSTANTINE WEEPS.
Janina, March 19 King Constantine
left for Salonica this morning after
handing over .to General Dsnglis the
Chief, command of the Grecian army.
- His -Majesty was informed of the
death of his father by CoL Dousmanis,
who said to him:
"Tour. Royal Highness, I have, im
portant and sad news to impart. i
. Prince Constantine grasping The
back of his chair, interrupted, "From
Salonica?" When the telegram an
nouncing the tragedy was then read
to him the Prince was so overcome
that he wast unable fully to grasp" its
import and Col. Dousmanis was oblig
ed to read it to a second time.
Prince ' Constantine thereupon burst
into tears and for a .considerable time
was quite overcome with" grief.
WILSON" MESSAGE.
Washington, . March 19 President
Wilson's first act today was to send
a message of condolence to the. wid
owed Queen of the late King George
of Greece. It read as follows:
"Her Majesty, Olga, Queen of" the
Hellenes, Athens.
T am inexpressably shocked to hear
of the terrible crime which has result
ed in the death of the King, anct 1
offer to Tour Majesty, to the Royal
Family and to the Grecian Nation the
sincere condolences of the government
and people of the "United States and
the expression of my own deev sympathy.-
(Signed) Woodrow Wilson,
President of the United States of
America."
QUEEN "MOTHER SHOCKED.
London, March 19 Queen Mother AI
exandra, sister of the murdered King
of Greece, has recovered from the first
shock of her brother's tragic death
and is bravely giving considerable per
sonal attention to the flood of sympa
thetic messages she has received from
all parts of the world. " -
King- George of England, her son,
joined her early in the day and re
mained with her until this afternoon.
The British court will go into full
mourning for three weeks and into
half mourning for another week.
The Greek minister on leaving Marl
borough House, today, said that his
advices left no doubt as to the means
of the King's assassination, and at the
time of the outrage the man was in
toxicated. No political significance
could be attached to the crime, the
minister said.
ASSASSIN TRUCULENT.
Salonica, March 19. Aleko Schinas,
the murderer of the late King George
of Greece, appears to have lived much
abroad. He returned to this city only
after it . had been occupied by the
Greek army to which the Turkish
garrison surrendered.
The premeditation of the regicide
appears to be established' by the fact
that Schinas lurked in hiding. He
rushed out when his royal victim had
reached within six feet of his lair and
fired point plank into the back of the
king, who at the time was only a few
yards from police headquarters.
Lieut. Col. Francoudis, his aide de
camp, who was walking beside King
George, immediately 'drew bis revolv
er.1 Schinas then turned about and
fired at the aide de camp without,
however, hitting him.
Two Cretan military policemen who
were acting as an escort , to the king
dashed at' Schinas and pinioned his
arms before he could fire again.
When Lieut. Col. Francoudis saw
that the assassin had been arrested he
turned to King George, who, he sup
posed, had - escaped unscathed, and
was horrified to find him stretched on
the roadway. He raised the stricken
monarch's head from the pavement,
but King George by then had become
unconscious and he never spoke again.
Some soldiers who had been attract
ed to the spot by the shots lifted the
king from the ground and carried him
to the hospital, but he had expired be
fore he reached the palace.
When Questioned . by the police,
Schinas truculently replied:
"You . have courts. I will, speak
there."
Pressed to say who be was and
what was the motive for his crime, he
(Continued on Page Two)
REFERENDUM
GOES ON ALL
BOND ISSUES
The principle of the referendum on
!bond issues and charter amendments
IWill be strictly adhered to by the
Bridgeport delegation in the General
Assembly.
j-- At a meeting of the delegation, held
3resterday, It -was decided that no
bonds should be asked for Bridgeport
without the referendum attached.
! This was in accordance with the
platform pledges of the ,, Democratic
party, and with the belief of the dele
gation that the people's money ought
"not to be pledged without an oppor
tunity for them to pass upon the
"matter. "
' There was some difference of opin
ion tin the delegation as to the merit
In the proposed bond issues. A ma
jority of the delegation believed that
the school bonds and pavement bonds
are necessary These will have the op
tional referendum placed upon them.
A majority of the delegation be
lieves that there is grave doubt if the
'people desire bridge bonds for $500,
000, sewer bonds or almshouse bonds.
To these a blanket referendum will
be attached and they will be submit
ted at the election In November.
" An optional referendum, which goes
'on the school and street bonds, means
"that the referendum requires a pop
ular petition, like that which- was ap
plied to the bond issues of two years
'ago.
' The optional referendum "will pro
Vide that - unless 15 per cent of the
"registered vote is of Bridgeport pe
titions for the privilege of voting on
the questions of schools and paving
"bonds within 25 days from the time
of the approval of the bonds by the
"Legislature, the act shall become ef
fective. ,
Should 15 per cent of the registered
-vote petition for the right to! vdte
'on these bonds, an election shall be
Tield.
The proposed issue of school bonds
is $200,000. A similar amount is asked
for street pavements. The delegation
decided not to authorize an issue of
$25,000 for sewers.
BOOSTS BRIDGEPORT
AS A GRETNA GREEN
New York School Teacher Urges
Sisters to Come Here
to Wed
Bridgeport will Become one of our
leading little Gretna Greens if New
York school teachers take the advice
given by one of their number, Mrs.
Herman De Fremery, relative to the
marriage problem. The New . York
board of Education has put a ban on
married women for teaching posts,
and Mrs. De Fremery Is leading a
fight against the ruling. Just to show
her independence and her faith in the
cause, she sneaked away to South Nor
walk, February 15, and got married.
Her wedding was kept a secret until
yesterday, when she admitted her
marriage to a reporter. ,
. Now she intends to make a test of
her own case and will cause a "merry
row, she says, when the board of edu
cation takes action towards her sus
pension. Meantime, Mrs. DeFramery urges
the New York school teachers to go
ahead and get married secretly, just
like she did.
""Go to Norwalk, of Bridgeport," she
tells them, "and when you are mar
ried come back to New' York and say
nothing about it. It has been done
before and can be done now."
- About her own.case, she told a re
porter: "What I wanted to do was to keep
the Board of Education in ignorance
of the marriage until I was about to
be promoted. I was then going to
make my case a test case. Now, hav
ing disobeyed the rule which compels
us to announce marriage, I suppose I
will be tried for insubordination. How
ever, that doesn't worry me. ,
."Scores yes, hundreds of women
teachers have married, yet are sup
posed to be single. They have kept
their secret where I couldn't keep
mine, and we are going to collect data
which will show that wives and moth
ers make at least as good teachers as
those who do not wed.
"This penalizing of marriage for
women wage earners is becoming such
a serious thing that the public must
soon take it up. I understand that the
telephone company, as well as other
large corporations, is discharging wo
men employes for the "crime' of get
ting married. The school authorities
cannot longer actually discharge wo
men who marry, but they- can, and do,
treat them as interlopers and infer
iors. The whole thing is uncivilized,
out of date and opposed to public
policy."
BOARD OPENS B DS
FOR ROAD MATERIAL
The Board of Contract and Supply
today opened bids for the furnishing
to the city of 20,000 tons of trap rock
for use in road building this summer.
There were only two bidders, the
George E. Sykes company and the
Connecticut Trap Rock Quarries. The
bids were as follows:
Sykes company F. O. B., at bins,
all sizes, $1.10 a ton; on barges, all
sizes, 97 cents a ton; on cars, 1 inch
and screenings, $1.20 a ton; 1 inch
and inch, $1.30 a ton.
Conn. Trap Rock Quarries F. O.
B. cars, 1 inch and 14 inch, $1 a
ton; inch, $1.20 a ton; dumped at
trolley tracks, 1 inch, 1 inch and
screenings, $1.20 a ton; inch, $1.40
a ton.
Joseph F. Doherty and Brother put
in a bid of 95 cents a ton for crushed
stone. The board will award the con
tract in a few days.
HOUSE SUSTAINS
ON PECK'S MEASURE
No Free Railroad Transportation for
Members of the General As
sembly This Session
G0VERN0R'SVET0 LONGEST ON RECORD
Representative IKurray Disputes Governor's Right to Pass c.i
Constitutionality of the Matter Involved-Vote Is 154
to 39 to Sustain the Attitude of Governor
Hartford, March 19 There will be
no free railroad transportation for
members of the General Assembly, this
session. Today Gov. Baldwin vetoed
the Peck free pass bill and the House
by an overwhelming vote refused to
pass the bill over the veto. The veto
message went into the- House and im
mediately after the prayer of Chaplain
Parsons, the clerk began the reading
of the .document which was of con
siderable length. The veto message
was probably the longest ever sent
to a General Assembly by any ; Gover
nor of Connecticut. The Governor's
objection to the bill was that it was
unconstitutional. As soon as the mes
sage was received Representative
Healy moved that the House recon
sider its previous action in passing
the bill. On a viva . voce vote the
matter was reconsidered, a very few
members voting either way.
Representative Wilson's motion that
ths matter lie upon the table until It
was printed, was voted down by the
Republican side of the House. Mr.
Wilson doubted the vote and the
Speaker was requested , to consider the
doubt. Representative Armington of
Willington said that 25 good members
of the legislative committees, lawyers,
had passed upon the constitutionality
or the present statute and he thought
his opinion asf good as the Governor's.
Representative MeMurrayw of Bridge
port believed the bill . ehould pass in
spite of the Governor's - veto.. 'He
thought the courts ought to, pass on
the legality " of the matter.
Representative Landon of Old Say
brook called the attention of the House
to. the fact that Gov. Baldwin was not
a good judge of the constitutionality
of the New London women's college
bill, and said he thought be was
wrong now. I - -
Mr. Kirchberger of Morris said he
needed the- money as badly as anyone,
but he believed the veto ought to be
sustained. This ended the debate and
in compliance with the constitution,
the House proceeded to a roll call on
the question of the passage of the bill,
the veto notwithstanding.
The vote was 39 to pass and 154
against.
' GOVERNOR'S VETO.
The Governor's message- said - in
part:
. "The constitution of this state pro
vides and has always provided that
the compensations of the Governor,'
Lieut.-Governor, Senators and Repre
sentatives shall be established by law
and shall not be varied so as to take
effect until after' the election which
shall next succeed the passage of the
law establishing the compensations.
"It was obviously thus intended to
prevent the possibility of a vote by
any Senator or Representative to In
crease his own compensation. ' Re
peated propositions to remove the lim
itation of" the power of - members of
the General Assembly . to increase
their own compensations, have been
made but they have always been de
feated. The bill which now returns
5s unconstitutional because it is a
mode although an indirect one,, of in
creasing the compensation of mem
bers of the present General Assembly.
"Now they each receive three hun
dred dollars and a fixed mileage.
Should this bill become a law its
purpose and its only purpose would
be' to give them the same compensa
tion and also in addition, free trans
portation daily to and from the scene
of their official duties. Such trans
portation they must now secure at
their, own expense,
"This bill is designed to give it to
them at the expense of others. What
ever sum each member of the assem
bly would thus be relieved from pay
ing is equivalent 'to an addition of
just that amount to his official com
pensations. "This bill, even if it were so drawn
as not to take effect until after the
next election would seem to me un
constitutional as an obvious attenapt
to evade the force of the constitu
tional amendment of 1884. What the
constitution prohibits cannot be done
either directly or indirectly. Every
dollar which it now costs a mem
ber of the General Assembly to trav
el to and from the Capitol he would
save if the bill became a law and all
that he thus saved would be a vir
tual addition to the compensations
distinctly prescribed by the consti
tution for his official services and ex
penses. '
"Several attempts to increase these
compensations by a constitutional
amendment have been made but they
constantly met a strong public sen
timent in opposition and have always
failed of success.
"This bill appears to me to be in
conflict with several of the more im
portant constitutional guarantees of
'individual rights. One of these con
tained in article first, section 11, of
the constitution of this state is that
"the property of no person shall be
taken for public use without just
compensation therefore."
. r -?..-.::, . .
"This Implies ? that no1 property can'
te taken for private use. a railroad
'company Is a person within the mean
ing of the constitution. Railroad
companies have a right to collect
cash fares from those whom they
transport over their lines. To take
away this right, so far as members
lof the General Assembly, are concern
'ed, is to leaseir .' to a corresponding
amount the property of the railroad
and so to take Its property for the
'private use . of a particular class of
'travellers.
"The fourteenth amendment to the
constitution of the United States seems
to me equally violated.
"This bill singles out a particular
class of persons (railroad companies)
and makes a: law discriminating
against them in favor of another par
ticular class of persons but not apply
ing to the community in general.
"It would also deprive railroad
companies of property without due
process of law if they were to lose the
right to charge members and employ
es of the general assembly for trans
portation to and from the capital, not
by reason of any Judicial proceeding
but by the mere fiat of a legislative
body.
"According to these maxims and
principles of law, the acceptance of a
charter franchise to construct and
operate a- railroad inriplies .a contract
by the state that such operation shall
not be unreasonably restricted by leg
islative requirements subsequently im
pressed. Any such requirements as
would prevent a railroad company so
L far as it had built its railroad, from
making its v. operation. reasonable
charges against those seeking trans
portation over the line would be a
deprivation of property without due
process of law.
"The charter of every private cor
poration, when accepted, is a contract
with the state. Although the state
may have a reserved power to alter,
amend or repeal such charter at pleas
ure, such power Is not without limit.
It cannot be exercised in such a way
as to deprive a corporation or its
shareholders of all benefits from their
outlay under, the charter. The altera
tions must be reasonable and be con
sistent with the scope and object of
the act of incorporation. An amend
ment to a railroad charter, therefore,
requiring it to transport either all per.
sons or a particular class of persons
free of charge or at a charge less than
reasonable would be inoperative un
less justified by a public purpose.
"In my opinion, no justifiable pub
lic purpose exists in respect to the
bill now inder consideration.
"The purpose of this bill is to en
large the compensation fixed by law
of those members and employes by re
lieving them of the necessity or re
straint upon all other members of the
community and of other officers or
employes of the state of paying cer
tain sums of money for certain ser
vices, the benefit of which they de
sire. '
"The general - assembly has no
greater rlghttin tins respect than f
amend a charter of a common carrier
which it has gifted with the power of
eminent . domain than that of any
other private corporation. In my
judgment, it - cannot, as proposed in
this bill, require a common carrier to
carry its members free any mors
than it could require an Inn-keeper
to entertain its members f ree." t
SMALL ARMY OF
HEW POLICEMEN TO
DRILL NEXT WEEK
Lieut. Sanger Will Be Instruc
tor in Police Tactics Fifty
Four to Report
Almost a full company of men will
be instructed in police formality, dress
and tactics when the 54 newly ap
pointed patrolmen and sergeants mert
for drill in the rear of poitce head
quarters Wednesday and Thursday
afternoons of next week, according r
the orders being posted by Superin
tendent Birmingham today.
Drill exercises will commence
promptly at 2 o'clock on both after
noons of March 26 and 27, and a at
present contemplated Lieut. Garry
Sanger will act as instructor. Be-,
sides instruction in the various mili
tary formations, salutes, presentation
of arms and equipment, lectures will
be given upon the duties, .courtesy .and
scope of power to be observed by pa
trolmen towards citizens, also Instruc
tion upon the mechanism and opera
tion of police and fire boxes by the
department electrician, Sheridan Lad-