Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-05-27
BIG HOLE IN DOCKET
L. S. SUPREME COURT MAKES y
GOOD RECORD.
NOW eff FOR THE SU. LINER
A Total of 49, Cases Were Heard Dur
ing the Last Year--Less Actions
Left on the Calendar Than for 80
Years Railroads Beat the Inter
state Commission.

Washington, May 20. After render
ing final decisions in SO cases and Civ
ing attention to other business incl
dent to the last sitting OF the term,
the United States supreme court, adj
! journed Monday until October. When
/ tbs court announced the final adjourn
mont there were apparently $50 cases
on the docket uudisposed OF, but there
were actually $50 cases, Il having al
ready been argued and 1ubmitted. This
B is smaller number than the records
OF the court have shown for 30 years.
J At the conclusion of the term ending
year ago there were 533 cases undis-
/ posed of and since then 2Si were add
ed, making a total of ST. contained in
the docket for the year. or this num-
! Der 437 were finally disposed of and
| the principal labor was done in u
Others. Included in the p cases which
were argued but in which no opinions
We're rendered are several of consider
able Importance. Among them are
/
case; the controversy between the Bay
den Power Brake and Westinghouse
! Brake companies as TO the validity OF
! the latter's invention; and the Ala
| bama Midland case involving the valid
! ity of the long and short haul clause
of the interstate commerce acS.
The question whether the statutes
relating TO national banks prohibite
! them from purchasing or subscribing
! to stock of other corporations wa
! passed on by supreme court in IN
case of the California national bank,
| plaintiff in error, VS.. Nat Kennedy.
! The court held that a national bank
| has no right to deal in stocks, al
though it may accept them as seoul
! ties.
The court decided two cases hold
ing that the United States interstat
commerce commission has no powe
to prescribe rates on railroads which
they may control in the luture. Tn
cases were those OF the commission Us
the Cincinnati and New Orleans Rail
road company and against the Flor
ida and Western company. The cases
freight bureaus OF Chicago and
the Cincinnati chamber OF COM
merce The question involved
was whether congress in
tneded to confer upon the interstate
commerce commission the power 10
fix the rates. The gist OF the opinion
is found in the following paragraph,
Under the interstate commerce nc,
the commission has no power TO pre-
scribe the tariff or rates winch shall
control it in the future, ana therefore
cannot invoke in a judgment In man
damus from the cou is 10 force any
such tariff by it prescribed. Cnques-
tionably the commission has a func-
ton to perform in respect to the mat
ter of rates. 1t is charged with the
general duty of inquiring as to the
management VI the business OF rail-
road companies and has the right to
compel full and complete informant n
as to the manner in which such com
panies are transacting their business,
AnQ with JDlS lHIOFUldllOu II ID
charged with the duty Of seeing that
there is no violation of the long and
short haul clause; that there is no dis
elimination between individual ship
pers and that nothing is done by re-
bate or otherwise TO give preference
10 one against another
The decision of the court is con-
strued to mean that the interstate
commerce commission has no power
TO pass upon rates before they are put
into effect.
The court also affirmed the decision
of the court below in the case of c. S.
Wright of Pittsburg, charged with a
violation of the interstate commerce
law prohibiting discrimination.
Wright granted rebates on beer TO pay
for drayage This action was held to
be a violation Of the law.
In the case of Blythe VS.. Hinckley,
involving the estate of the late MIL
lionaie Blythe of California, tie mat
ter was dismissed for want Of juris-
diction The effect is to leave the
property in the possession Of Mrs.
Hinckley. daughter Of the millionaire.
SWEETHEART JILTS HIM.