The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], January 17, 1913, Image 1

About The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950

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THE BIRMINGHAM AGE HERALD
VOLUME XXXXII BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, FRIDAY, JANFARY 17, 1913 12 PAGES_NUMBER 256
ADVOCATES LIBERTY
OF INDIVIDUALS TO
ACCUMULATE MONEY
Jacob H. Schiff Testifies
Before Money Trust
Committee
TO TAKE TESTIMONY
OF W. ROCKEFELLER
Committee Adjourns Until Next
Wednesday When Witnesses Rep
resenting Banks and Banking
Houses Will Be Heard
Washington, January 16.—Liberty or In
dividuals to concentrate money and power
to the limit of their ability was advo
cated today before the House money trust
committee by Jacob H. Schiff. of the
New York banking firm of Kuhn, Loeb &
Co.
Mr. Schiff declared that individuals
should be allowed to exert their .utmost
efforts to concentrate fortunes and power,
until the “laws of nature caused the
attempted monopoly to fall of its own
weight.” He was opposed, however, to
concentration through corporations and
holding companies. Mr. Schiff could not
say whether concentration had as yet
reached a point where it is dangerous.
The New York banking financier fol
lowed George M. Reynolds of Chicago on
the stand. Mr. Reynolds told the com
mittee that he had studied the concentra
»ion of money and credit, and that he j
believed, at the point it had now reached,
it was " a menace to the progress of the
country.” He said that competition in
banking should be revived.
Others to Be Heard
The committee adjourned after today's
session until next Wednesday, when H.
P. Davison, F. B. Mine, George F. Baker, ,
Jr., and other witnesses representing
banks and banking houses in New York
and Chicago, will be heard. The commit- '
tee expects to conclude its public hear
ings next Friday and to begin immediate- j
ly the writing of its report. When the
committee reconvenes, plans for taking
of the testimony of William Rockefeller
will be made.
Jn the course of Mr. Schiff s examina
tion today he voiced the view that depos
itors in banks were sufficiently pro
tected under the present law “if Adopted
and kept up to the teachings of experi
ence.” He said that he could see no ob
jection to one banking institution selling
securities to another bank which it owned.
• prudence,” he said, would prevent the
officers of a bank from accepting too
much of a doubtful security. He thought,
this matter could be safely left to the
“self respecting men,” on the board of
directors, and that no further law was
necessary.
•Then you think the less law ttie better
for banks and trust companies?” asked
Air. Untermyer.
”Yes,” asserted Mr. Schiff. “Too much
law can crush the life out of a bank.”
Few Men in Control
Mr. Schiff said that he had observed a
concentration of the control of money and
credit into the hands of a few corpora
tions during the last few years, and that
t lie control of these corporations had
been centralized In the hands of a few
men.
"Has this been a subject of concern
to you?” asked Mr. Untermyer.
"No. It has not.”
”Would that be a subject of concern
to you if it continued to draft until all
control was in the same bands?”
"I can't answer that question,” said
Mr. 8chiff.
"Have you considered the possible ef
fect of this concentration on your own
credit?”
”1 do not require credit,” Mr. Schiff
replied.
Mr. Schiff said that lie believed it would
bp better if clearing houses were in
corporated.
Do you see any objection to enforcing
the publication of bank assets?” asked
Mr. Untermyer.
'The more publicity we can have about
banks the better,” said Mr. Schiff.
Mr. Schiff further said he would not
approve of one bank owning another.
Opposed to Holding Companies
“As a rule, he said, “I am opposed to
all holding companies."
"Why?"
“Because they lead to concentration
which, under our law and under our con
eiiions. should not be allowed." was Mr.
Srhiff’s reply.
The witness declared that he did "ot
object to the concentration in the iiands
of individuals, but he did not object to
corporation concenratlon.
"I believe In individual freedom." he
said. "I believe the individual should be
allowed to do hts best. If he goes too
far the laws of nature would interfere.
The first great attempt at monopoly was
at the time of the Tower of Babel.
That fell of its own weight. Every indi
vidual monopoly will do the same when
It reaches that point. The laws of na
ture take care of that and no law of man
is required."
"But have you ever thought what would
happen while this monopoly was grow
ing and when it fell of its own weight?"
"No. 1 have never thought of that "
said Mr. Schiff.
New Potash Bill
Berlin. Germany, January lfi.—The Ger
man government is preparing a new pot
ash bill, which today is designed to re
strict production, according to a report
made by Clemons Delbrueck, minister of
the interior, at the meeting of the budget
committee of tne imperial parliament.
The measure p-obably will be reported
before the termination of the present ses
sion.
ROLE BILL PASSES
Long and Stern Battle Ends
in Passing the
Measure
IS LATER READ IN
HOUSE OF LORDS
Brilliant Speeches Again Mark Ses
sion in House—Nationalists Re
ceive the Decision With
Great Enthusiasm
London, January 16.—After a long, stern
battle the home rule bill passed the House
of commons tonigbt by a majority of 110.
Later it was read for the first time in
the house of lords.
There were two divisions in the lower
house. Mr. Balfour’s motion for its re
jection was defeated 258 to 368. while
the third reading was carried by a vote
of 367 to 237, one member of each side
having left the house in the interval.
The result of the division was too much
a foregone conclusion for a tremendous
demonstration, but Irishmen inside and
outside of the house did their best and
assisted by the liberals and laborites,
gave the measure for which they had
waited and worked so long a good send
off on its way to the house of lords,
where its fate certainly is sealed.
Brilliant Speeches
The division was proceeded by another
series of brilliant speeches by the political
leaders, among whom were Frederick E.
Smith and the solicitor general, Sir John
A. Simon, tw'o of the cleverest among the
younger members, and the veterans, John
E. Redmond, Timothy Healy and Augus
tine Birrell, chief secretary for Ireland.
The house was crowded throughout the
clay. The nationalists were only one man
short of their full strength. Several of
th » older nationalists, who ure seldom j
able to attend, came over from Ireland
for the division.
The liberals and laborites. too, turned
out in force and the unionists were not
far below their total membership. The gal
leries were filled to their capacity.
Decision Is Cheered
When the figures were announced ihe |
nationalists waved hats, handkerchiefs j
and papers and cheered lustily for Pre- ]
mier Asquith and Mr. Redmond. The lat- J
te~. who is usually impassive, was car- i
ried away by the enthusiasm of his fol
lowers, and entered into ttie spirit of the
d< monstratlons as effusively as they.
Those Avho crowded the lobbies received
the figures with another roar of welcome
and added to this by cheering. The bill
itself as a copy was carried by an of
ficial from the commons to the lords.
The upper house met especially to re
ceive the measure and formally passed
Its first reading.
The house of commons soon quieted
alter the Irish demonstration, but outside
the crowd continued to cheer for some
time. A strong force of police prevented
any attempt at an organized demonstra
tion fearing a clash between the opposing
factions. The nationalist^' song and
cheers brought forth counter cries from
the persons who had gathered largely out
of curiosity.
An anti-home rule demonstration was
held in the streets of Belfast tonight end
a copy of the bill burned amid deafening
cheers. 'Intense excitement prevailed, hut
there was no disorder.
In a characteristic speech in the course
of the debate Mr. Redmond dwell feel
ingly on the years of defeat and discour
agement through which Irishmen had
passed in their efforts to gain home rule
and now their day of victory had ar
rived.
"We know that the House of Lords is
going to throw the home rule bill out,”
he said, “but l believe the home rule
bill, in spite of the House of Lords, is
going to pass into law within the life
time of this parliament.”
Andrew' Bonar Law. leader of the op
position, said that for a generation the
liberals had been emulating Sisyphus
They had rolled the stone to the top of
the hill for a third time, but the cheers
over the \*ote about to be taken would
not have died away when the stone had
begun to roll down, this time to remain
at the bottom.
Will Never Welcome Law
He declared that no bill which Included
Ulster without Ulster's consent ever could
become a law. The bill, as it was, could
not stand for a single year. Once they
pave Mr. Redmond a parliament, in Dub
lin he could, alter It In any way he
pleased.
Compared with 18*5 and 1893, the speaker
added, the demand now for home rule had
decreaaed, while the hostility against It
liad intensified. The real demand came
from the nationalist party, which had so|
votes to sell. The unionist party, he
said, would remove that temptation when
It got the chance, by reducing the Irish
representation at Westminster to lust pto
portlons. He challenged Mr. Birrell to
say that the bill could be imposed upon
Ulster without bloodshed.
"No rebellion would he belter Justified,'1
the opposition leader declared. ••The men
of Ulster are ready to give up their lives
at the hands of British soldiers. If they
shoot down a hundred in Belfast, 3009
will he ready next day to share their
late!"
Mr. Birrell concluded the debate. He
regretted that the opposition had merely
beiittled*the movement which, for y»ars.
had been the soul of Ireland. He chal
lenged any one to say that the present j
(Conllaned aa Page Eight.) ' j
GEORGE W. GOETHALS TALKS"
OF PANAMA CANAL PROGRESS
- i
Washington, January 16.—Col. George
W. Goethals, chairman of the isthmian
canal commission, told the House com
mittee on appropriations today about
the progress of tho Panama canal, over
which he expects ’o send a ship or two
experimentally next autumn. He and
half a dozen bureau chiefs of the war
department spent the day at the Cap
itol explaining th^ official eatlmates
of 06.700.000 that me government wanta
provided for in tho coming sundry civil
appropriation tw cover fortifications,
batteries, camps and the like during
the next fiscal year. It Is estimated
that ultimately the fortifications as*
would he yn.000,000.
The date set for opening the canal
to commerce is January 1. 1915.
A host of detaila must be work'd
out between the time the canal Is fin
ished and its opening date. Pilots will
be needed, vessels will make experi
mental trips tp test the working ef
ficiency of the waterway, cross cur
rents that may he encountered by the
tunning in of the Chagres river be
tween the locks of Qatun and Mila
flores will be figuted on and many
things must he adjusted in the pre
liminary period leading up to the actual
opening of the canal.
Colontl Ooethal8 la going to confer
with President-elect Wilson at Trenton
and wil. meet with the committee again
Monday,
THE NEW ORDER OF THINGS
DAY PASSES IN THE
PEACECONFERENCE
Part of European Press
Claims Delay Is Due
to the German Am
bassador
London. January 18.—Another das' has
passed without progress In the peace ne
gotiations. The ambassadors of the pow
ers have not yet presented their collec
tive note to the porte. Constantinople
dispatches say that the delay Is due to
the failure of the German ambassador
to receive irstructlons from his govern
ment.
Part of the European press blames
Germany, charging that she is standing
outside the concert of Europe and pla -
ing a game of her own. The ambassa
dors at London deny this. One said to
day :
"This suggestion Is wholly unjust.
Thank God. tile iriifl promising fea
ture of the situation is that all tlie pow
ers are marching |ogetlier."
Bulgaria in Earnest
Considerable difficulty lias been expert
eneed in carrying: on an exchange of
views through code telegrams and thi.s
is explained to be the real cause of the
delay. The fact that King Ferdinand
of Bulgaria, with his ministers, Jour
neyed to Mustapha Pasha for a council
of war yesterday with General Savoff
and tiie commanders of the four Bulga
rian armies is considered proof that the
Bulgarian threat to begin the war soon
is in earnest.
Dr. Daneff. the chief Bulgarian envoy,
has received a long cipher telegram from
the premier, telling of King Ferdinand’s
visit and describing the condition of the
armies besieging Adrianople and facing
Tchatalja. The Bulgarian soldiers, says
the premier, are in higli spirits and eager
again to measure themselves against their
traditional foes.
Strategem Suspected
Fugitives, all claiming to be soldiers,
are escaping from Adriunople in sued)
numbers that the Bulgarians suspect a
strategem on the part of the Shukrl
Pasha, the Turkish commander, to rid
himself of the burden of feeding civilians
by sending them out as deserting sol
diers.
Dr. Daneff today handed to M. Joneseu,
the Rumanian minister of the interior,
the Bulgarian reply to the Rumanian
claims respecting the rectification of tiie
Dthrudja frontier and the future status
of the Vlaeh communities in the terri
tory Turkey cedes to Bulgaria. M. Jones
cu will take the reply to Bucharest for
submission to the cabinet.
Arrange Bulgarian Loan
St. Petersburg, January 16.—The Bul
garian minister of finance, T. Tiieo
doroff, about whose mission to St. Pe
tersburg there has been much mystery,
declared today that tiie purpose of his
trip here and to other European cap
itals was to arrange for a Bulgarian
loan after the war had ceased. The
sum necessarily, lie said, would amount
to more than 20o.000.000 francs (ap
proximately 640.000.000).
The negotiations which had been ar
ranged in Paris for the spring had.
he declared, Imen abandoned by the
French bankers who were opposed to
the war. The results In St Peters
burg have, however, been satisfactory.
Theodoroff, who leaves tomorrow for
Paris, speaking of the dispute between
Roumanla and Bulgaria, pointed out
that any cession of territory must he
aoroved bv the Bulgarian parliament
and that this approval It was utterly
Impossible to secure for the cessions
demanded by Roumanla.
The Bulgarian army, he asserted, was
able to hold its present position before
the lines at Tchatalja against an army
three timeR as stiong as that of the
Turks. This statement is thought to bo
indicative of the Bulgarian intentiQn
merely to hold the Turks and allow
Adrianople to fall.
Pressing Need of I-oans
Constantinople. January lU.-Representa
tives of an international group have had
several interviews with the ruikleli fi
nance minister as to a loan to relievo
I he pressing wants of the Turkish treas
ury, but it is feared nothing can be done
until peace has been concluded.
To Resume Hostilities
Sofia. January lH.-The Mir savs the
council at Mustapha Pasha yesterday,
which Included King Ferdinand, Ills min
isters and generals, decided to resume hos
tilities If Turkey failed to accept, the al
lies' terms immediately after oho re
ceived the collective note of the powers
Athens. January 16.-A royal decree Is
sued tonight appoints Crown Prince Con
stantino commander in chief of the Greek
armies do Macedonia and Kplrus.
TANGLED SITUATION
OVER ELECTION OF
FRENCHPRESIDENT
Executive Will Be Chosen
Today by the National
As&embly of Ver
sailles
Paris, January 16.—A president of
i Prance will be chosen tomorrow by tnem
! hers of the chamber of deputies and oi
the Senate sitting together as the national
assembly of Versailles. The eve of the
election finds the situation as Involved as
it was at the beginning.
The joint caucus to nominate a candi
date for the presidency ended today with
out. giving a majority to either Premier
Poincare or Jules Pams, the minister of
agriculture, and it is impossible to fore
rasr tomorrow’s result, although appar
ently the election lies between thc««e two
officials. The third ballot taken this aft
ernoon gave Premier Poincare *W9 votes,
while M Pams received 313. Five votes
went to three other candidates.
It is thought, however, that the radi
cal left may bring forward a new candi
date. or revive the candidacy of Antonin !
DuBost, president of the Senate, or ex- i
Premier Pelix Ribot, if M. Pams does not
win on the first ballot, for which the so
cialist. Eduardo Vaillant stands.
It is explained that tup uncertain situa
tion is due to the fact that a large num
ber of M. Poincare’s supporters wouid on
no account vote fo»* M. Pams if the
Premier withdrew, while none of the ex
ponents of proportional representation,
who support the candidacy* of M. Pams,
would vote for Premier Poincare, if Mie
minister of agriculture returned.
New Compromise Lxpected
Apart from this there are more than
]00 right and conservative republicans,
who were not. present at the caucus, most
of whom, it is believed, will vote for
M. Poincare. And there are 75 socialists
who might vote for the Premier «m a
second ballot on account of Ids champion
ship of proportional representation, of
which they are zealous advocates.
A larRe meeting of members of the re
publican left was held late tonight under
the chairmanship of ex-Premier Combes.
At, the opening of tlie session the d'scus
sion was exceedingly stormy, M. Clemen -
ceau characterizing Ferdmand Buison as
a ‘'miserable liar."
Calm having been restored, the delega
tion, including M. Clemenceau, Cailiaux.
Combes and Monis, which had been sent
to ask Premier Poincare in the interests
of the republican party to withdraw, if
M. Pams did likewise, reported that M.
Poincare absolutely refused to do so.
During the course of the day the
Premier made several efforts to induce
I ..eon Bourgeois to reconsider the decision
and accept the candidacy, but without
avail.
MISSOURI TOWN
GETS MAINE RELIC
Washington, January 16.—Within an
hour after the newspapers had appeared
today announcing that the navy depart
ment had an available Maine relic in the
shape of a bath tub, the city of St. Jo
seph, Mo., wired a peremptory claim to
the department. Standing by his pledge
of “first come, first served,” Captain
Leigh, in charge of the relics, allotted th«
bath tub to the Missouri town.
TODAY’S AGE-HERALD
1— Advocates liberty of individuals to
accumulate money.
The English home rule bill passes
the house of commons.
Day passes In the peace conference
without progress.
Tangled situation over election of
French president.
Charge that fraud is being practiced
against the Indians.
Widely different currency reform plans
suggested.
Edward F. Myllus is debarred from
the United States.
2— Business handled by parcel post.
Chamber of Commerce to send Atchln
son to capital.
3— Wilson will have united support of
Senate democrats.
Alabama men successful In Electra
oil fields.
4— Editorial comment.
&—Mark is awarded contract for the new
Roden hotel.
Lane's position on appeals is given.
Kelley interests are hard* at work.
6— Society.
7— Sports.
8— Mobile Y. M. C. A. defeats the B. A.
„ C. five.
ft—Provision aimed at powder trust.
11— Grains nervous and irregular.
12— Interesting relic at corn exposition.
Automobile at ruck by freight train.
I i—HIM ii li
I-1
AGAINST INDIANS
Indians on the White Reser
vation Are Claimed
to Be in Pitiful
Condition
Washington, January 16.—Charges of
gross frauds against the Indians in Min
nesota on the White reservation, t fiat
their condition is pitiful ami that Maj.
.lames Mclwaugtilin, Indian Inspector, did
not properly guard the Indians' requests
in the allotments of lands, were preferred
today to the House in a report • by the
committee on expenditures in the interior
depa rtment.
The report recommended some remedy
be found by Congress for ’he present
Anomalous situation by which tlie commis
sioner of Indian affairs has complete con
trol over property worth $1.000,000.000 be
longing to Indians of the various tribes
in the country.
The report declares that the Chippewa
and other Indians were defrauded of large
sums in the sale of lands and standing
timber on the reservation. The 1900 sales
Is cited. In it the committee finds from
undisputed authority frauds committed
in the details of its accomplishment. The
I committee further charges that fraudu
lent partiality was patronized on the In
Idiam, by Simeon Michulet, Indian allotting
agent, In apportioning the Indian timber
forests under the law' of 1906.
“The best and most valuable pine allot
ments fell Into the hands of those who
w<re intended In advance to receive
th< m,“ says the brief.
Send Out Indian Agent
investigations after the acts the com
mittee says in its brief resulted in the
sending out of an Indian agent, Thomas
Downs, who found the anomalous pro
ceedings alleged partially without fourida
lumber companies who claimed rights
themselves as Indians and who would oe
beneficiaries of the allotment fraud In
aoalagous transactions remonstrated
to the department for the set
tir.r. aside of the contracts. The report
says Major Md,aughlin, the second agent
sent out, refused to allow the full blood
Indians to send out runners to bring in
the people, made false reports as to the
number of full bloods present and gave
no adequate notice to the Indians of the
public meetings at which the questions
came up which in effect was a council of
lumber companies. • The action of for
mer Commissioner Francis K. Daupp was
cordernned on the ground that he prevent
ed a full statement of the lmilans' com
plaints to President Koosevelt during his
incumbency.
Exaggeration Charged
l.i presenting their report to the House,
minority members of the committee de
clare the majority report “shows on its
fat t evidence of extreme exaggeration
on statement and reckless charges of the
most serious character against the In
dian service as a whole and against pub
lic officials in particular, who have a rec
ord of faithful service which entitles
them to. and lias heretofore secured for
them reputations for enlightened and
faithful devotion to tlie interests of the
Indians and the public service.”
The report refers to former Indian (Jom
rrisfioner l/cupp and Indian Inspector
James McLaughlin, who are criticised in
the majority report, and says:
••.sweeping and serious charges against
men of such established record and repu
tation for faithful, honest and sympa
thetic service for the Indians and the
public are not justified by hurried and
superficial examination of some isolated
official act.”
“Most of the procedure, acts and prac
tices criticised and complained of,” the
report concludes, “occurred under the
operation of the so-called Clapp amend
ment to Indian appropriation Mil. If the
carrying out of the acts of Congress re
sulted In loss to the Indians the blame
would seem to lie with Congress and not
with the Indian office, which, from tile
record, seems to have been opposed to the
legislation.”
SOUTH’S NEWSPAPER
PUBLISHERS MEET
i
New Orleans, January 16. The South
ern Newspaper Publishers’ association
and the southwestern Association of he
Associated Press met here In joint con
vention today. After addresses of wel
come and responses were made the joint
session was resolved Into a meeting of
Associated Pr.'ss papers and matters cf
working detail discussed. + The visitors
w.rc guests of the progressive union at
luncheon, followed by an automobile ride.
Business session will he held tomorrow!.
About ,*1 editors and their wives will sail
Saturday oil the steamship Atenas for
Panama.
WIDELY DIFFERENT
PLANS SUGGESTED
Two Plans Submitted to the
House Committee by
Prominent Bankers
DECLARES CENTRAL
POWER UNNECESSARY
Both Bankers Agree That Is Is Not
Necessary for America to Copy
Foreign Banking
Methods
LpAY IN CONGRESS.
SENAThPI Resumed consideration
of legislative, executive and judicial
appropriation bill.
Further testimony regarding Arch- |
bold letters heard by campaign funds j
investigating committee.
Passed legislative, executive and
judicial appropriation bill containing
provision for commerce court to
June .**).
Resumed consideration of omnibus
claims bill defeating amendment for
appropriation to pay French spolia
tion claims
Senator Root vigorously denied i
speech credited to him and circulated
extensively throughout Central and
South America for purpose of stirring
up strife against United States.
Commerce committee ordered favor
aide report on bill authorizing con
struction of dam across Connecticut
river at King's Island and levying
annual rental.
Confirmed nomination of Col. Ed
.T. McClernand to succeed General
Wotherspoon ns brigadier general.
Adjourned at 4:50 p. m. until noon
Friday.
HOUSE: Begins debate on army ap
propriation bill carrying $9J.sao,ooo.
Chairman Graham of interior depart
ment expenditures committee of Htu
benville made report in duplicate
charging that many frauds had been
committed against White Earth In
dians.
Prominent bankers testify before
Chairman Pujo. Mr. Pujo announces
adjournment will be taken until Jan
uary 23.
Views on what new banking and
currency law should contain were
given currency reform committee by
bankers. Chairman Glass announcing
committee would bear farmers, lubor
men and merchants.
Fortifications appropriation bill, car
rying $5,218,250 was reported.
Ways and means committee ordered
favorable report of resolution direct
ing President to advise House whether
rebates bad been given importers of
hemp from Philippines.
Adjourned at (>:I2 p. in. until noon
Friday.
Washington. January t$.—Two widely
different plans for banking and currency
legislation were recommended to the
* House currency reform committee by
j prominent bankers. George M. Reynolds,
j president of the Chicago Continental and
j Commercial National bank, and a mem
ber of tlie national monetary commis
sion, Insisted that some central power
similar to the Central Reserve associa
tion proposed1 in the monetary commis
sion's plan, was essential to any sound
banking system.
W. A. Nash, chairman of the hoard
of directors of the New York Corn Ex
change hank, and a former president of
the New York Clearing House associa
tion, declared that a central power was
unnecessary, and proposed an association
of 20 geographically located clearing
houses with power to issue loan certifi
cates convertible upon demand to govern
tnent currency.
Both bankers told the committee that
it was not necessary for America to
copy foreign banking methods. When
Chairman Glass asked for an opinion
on regional reserve banks or associa
tions. with a supervising treasury board.
Mr. Reynolds said he thought such a
plan would work If the supervising board
had suffic ient power and absolute control
over the Issue of notes.
New Immigration Hill
Washington, January IB.—The immigra
tion bill was agreed upon in conference
between the two Houses today. It will
be brought up for adoption probably to
morrow' In the House, where it was re
ported late today by Representative Bur
nett of Alabama, who framed the House
proposition. 4
As agreed on Immigrants will have to
lead their own language, bur this re
quirement will he waived in the case of
wives, widows, single daughters and cer
tain others. The Senate yielded on its
Idea of requiring both a reading and
w'ritinn test.
The head tax on immigrants was in
creased by the conferees from $4 to $.j
each, but there were exceptions as to
this in favor of Uanadlans and Mexicans
because of their adjacent territory.
Under the terms of the conference ra
tion tinned on I*age Right.)
p:,
THE UNITED STATES
An Undesirable Immigrant,
According to American
Immigration Laws
OFFENSE INVOLVES
MORAL TURPITUDE
Secretary Nagel Gives Final Decision.
Only Appeal to the Courts
Can Now Stay His
Deportation
Washington, January 16.—TCdward F*.
Mylius, the journalist, convicted in
London of libeling King George, .or
which he paid a penalty of 10 months
in prison, was ordered turned away
from the gates of the United States to
day by Secretary of Commerce and
Labor Nagel, as an undesirable immi
grant within the meaning of Americao
immigration laws.
The cabinet offical held that Mylius*
offense was a crime involving moral
turpitude, which barred his admission.
He denied tlie contention that it was a
purely political crime, excepted by the
statutes. Only appeal to the courts
now can stay Mylius’ deportation
“I cannot assume,” said Secretary
Nagel in his decision, “that a law which
excludes anarchists and persons w'ito
advocate the overthrow of government
or the assassination of public officials,
was intended to admit the publisher of
a false charge of bigamy simply be
cause he advances a political purpose
or motive for the act, or because the
false charge was directed against a
king among others, or because the
court in which the trial was had re
garded the political aspect of the case
us an aggravation of the offense.”
Seditious Libel Claimed
Proponents of Mylius advanced the
defense that he was convicted of sedi
tious libel—a political crime—that his
trial in London had been a farce; that
in circulating: a story attacking the
honor of the King of England he was
aiming a blow at monarchical govern
ment in the interest of republicanism
which should make him a welcome
visitor to a free country.
The alleged libelous story, published
In the Paris Liberator, and for the dis
tribution of which in England Mylius
was convicted, charged that George V,
when a prince, contracted a mor
ganatic marriage in 18'JO with the
daughter of Sir Michael Culme-Sey
mour, an admiral of the British navy,
now the wife of Capt. Trevelyan Na
pier.
In ordering the deportation of the
journalist, Secretary Nagel was con
fronted with the unique situation that
although Mylius was not eligible to en
ter America, he was not barred from
returning to England, where his al
leged crime was committed.
"It is admitted," said the Secretary,
"that t his alien was accused of having
published a libel charging the King
with bigamy; that he was tried before*
a jury, convicted and sentenced, and
that he served ills term. It cannot be
doubted thaf the offense for which the
alien was convicted is of the character
described in our statute as a ground
for exclusion.
Moral Turpitude Involved
“The only question left for discussion
Is. whether (he offense should he re
garded as 'purely political, not Involv
ing moral turpitude,’ and therefore
meets the exception 1 n the statute.
"Primarily a false charge of bigamy
Is a common crime. In this Instance
that charge was directed, not only
against the King, but by Inference
against Mrs. Napier. While a convic
tion In a properly constituted court of
a civilised country is for all purposes
conclusive upon us In the consideration
iif such cases, it is proper to add that
tile alien admits the circulation of the
libel, that upon the trial, no evidence
was offered to substantiate the charge,
and that Mrs. Napier, her faiher an t
her brother, and other witnesses, testi
fied without contradltion or cross ex
amination to Its entire untruth. The
sole argument so advanced In favor of
Ireallng this offense as a purely politi
cal one is that the writer of the article
In Pails, and Mr. .Mylius In England,
Intended It as an attack upon a phase
of a monarchical institution, and hi
Justification of good morals and true
religion; and that the crown In its
proceeding treated It as a political of
fense.
"1 have not found a clear detlnation
of ‘political offense.’ The accepted rule
seems to be that, to constitute a polit
ical offense, it Is necessary to show
something In the nature of concerted
act Ion.''
The alleged crime lacked this charac
ter, the Secretary further said, and was
not part of a political Controversy, an
uprising or a common movement, but
Mylius depended entirely upon his
avowed motive or purpose to give his
act the required political character.
"If such a contention is to be as
cepted," added Mr. Nagel, there is no
crime In the calendar which cannot be
.provided with the proper coloring by
the offender himself."
..
EXPLOSION OF STEAMER
MAY REMAIN MYSTERY
Mobile, .January 16.—(Special.)—For
more than two hours Thursday morn
ing (Jreen Vernuiile, engineer of the
i in fated river steamer James T. Hta
i pies, which exploded her boilers at Poe's
| Landing a week ago, was interrogated
by Inspector Kugeiie Bryan in the fed
eral inquiry into the cause of the ex
plosion.
When the examination concluded if
the inspector was any nearer a solu
tion of the mystery which envelopes !
the explosion It was not apparent. The
examination of Engineer Vernuiile was j
| rigid in the extreme. He was carried
j over the entire ground, questioned and]
I requestioned.
If the engineer has any theory as
to the cause of the explosion It was
not developed at the examination.
"The cause of tin? explosion will, in
my humble opini m, ever remain a
mystery," said Engineer Vernuili •
"God knows, I w juld give my life to
tell the cause; it has tormented me un
til I am heartsick, if I had the re
motest idea of the cause, don't you
think 1 would be glad to give the pub
lic the benefit of it? 1 have not found
tho sliBhtrHt thing that would Biv<
an inkling an to tho cans® or the e\
plosion.’■
"What were tho distinctive detona
tions? Why. I aru tire that the mud
drum exploded drat, then the boilers.
But what could have caused the mud
drum to ex'plode? l am sure I don't
know. No, it could not have been tho
caking of mud. Why, the gooseneck,
a large pipe that lends to the mud drum,
is too large to become clogged in such
a short period as remained from the
time it was thoroughly cleaned until
the accident. The supply pipe conies
from the mud drum to the boilers.
*'I have positive proof that there was
ample water In the boilers and that the
steam pressure was not in excess of
143 pounds. If the water had been low
the soft plugs in the boiler would have
melted vgith a warning and given suf
ficient time to enable us to draw the
tires. The engines were working flue,
the doctor was working when the ex
plosion occurred.
John Parr of Camden died today,
making the tweu’iolh victim of tin
disaster. A diver btought the remains
of Mate Henry Moiton from the w reck
age late Wednesday, according to in
formation received here today. No trao*
of the other bodies could be found.