Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-06-02
SUPREME COURT BUSINESS.
Some of the Important Questions Passed
Upon During the Term just Ended.


WASHINGTON, June 9. The most
striking feature of the work of the su-
preme court of the United States during
the term ended last Friday was the large
number and variety of cases involving a
construction of the interstate commerce
clause of the Federal constitution. An
other feature was the large and increas-
ing number of habeas corpus cases be-
fore the court. Indeed, this latter class
of cases came before the court with such
frequency that Justice Miller, in an
opinion on one of the last days of the
term, was moved to remark with dry
sarcasm that the case was another one
of the frequent instances of late in
which it was sought on all sorts of pre-
texts to make the supreme court pass
upon every motion for writ Of habeas
corpus that could be devised by counsel.
The work of the court during the
term shows an increase in the number
of cases disposed of as compared with
previous terms, though the court still
leaves the docket little more in ar
rears than it was the term before. The
opinions delivered during the term have
been of more than usual general inn
portance, and many of them will here
after be weighty authorities in future
litigation. The appellate docket of the
court at the close of the term exhibits
an increase of thirty-one cases in the
number left undisposed of, as compared
with the docket at the close of the
previous term.
AT the close of the October term, 1888,
there remained undisposed of on the APP
pellate docket / JAG cases. There were
docketed during the 1899 term 489 cases,
making the total number of cases before
the court ,63J, Of which 460 were dis
posed of, or forty-three more than dur
ing the previous term. In addition to
this number there were eleven cases ON
the original docket disposed of, or five
more than at the 1858 term. Eighteen
cases, which have been argued or sub
mitted to the court by counsel, go over
until next term without decisions hav-
ing been rendered upon them by the
court. Not more than dozen opinions,
however, will be necessary to dispose of
all these cases under advisement, as i'll
several instances two or more cases will
be decided by one opinion,
The most important cases decided
during the term are as follows: The
Iowa original package suit; the Granger
railroad commission cases from Mime
sofa; the dressed beef cases from the
same state; the Mormon church suit;
Virginia coupon cases; North Carolina
and Louisiana bond cases, involving the
the right of citizen to sue his own
state; a Pennsylvania case involving the
right of property owners to consequen-
tial damages, several other suits lnvolv-
ing the question of the validity Of state
license and tax laws in which the prinv
cipal question was as to whether or not
there were interferences with interstate
commerce. and the Neagle, Medley and
Kemmler habeas corpus cases.
The most important eases which go
over undecided until next term are suits
over Pennsylvania and Kansas laws,
taxing the Pullman Palace Car COM
pany over a Kentucky statute taxing
express companies and three important
suits from Colorado.