The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-20
Who Was Asked by President Roose-
welt tn Investigate the Merger
and submit His Views. a
NOT MUCH HOPE FOR CUBA
SENTIMENT OF REPUBLICANs
AGAINST GRANTING CONCESSIONS.
Question Considered by Members OF
the Ways and Means Committee,
but No Action Taken.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Feb 1s-Attorney Gen.
eIal Knox authorizes the statement that
he will proceed against the Northern Sc
curities Company through the district fed
eraI courts to determine the legality OF
the New Jersey chartered corporation. Mr..
Knox has informed the President that he
is convinced the Northern Securities Com
pany is organized to violate the provisions
of the Sherman antitrust law and that IL
is violating that law. On Saturday the
President sent for the attorney general
and asked him if he had come TO any con-
clusion in relation to the legality OF the big
railroad company Mr. Knox said he had
practically decided that proceedings should
be begun against il for violating the Sher-
man act but that he would be ready with
a definite announcement on Monday. At
the Cabinet meeting yesterday Mr.. Knox
said he was preparing instructions for the
district attorney as TO how he should pro-
ceed against the New Jersey corporation.
The proceedings contemplated by the De-
partment of Justice will strike at the very
root of the big railway organization. IL will
declare that it is constituted for the pur-
pose of controlling the transportation and
thereby the commerce between States. and
i'm doing this violates the trust act men,
toned above. Mr.. Knox has been busy for
several weeks making an investigation Of
the Northern Securities Company.
In speaking Of the matter to-day. Mr.
Knox said: .'Some time ago the President
requested an opinion as TO the legality OF
this merger, and have recently given him
one 10 the effect that, in my Judgment, ii
violates the provisions of the Sherman Act
of 1890 whereupon he directed that suitable
action should be taken TO have the question
judcally determined. A bill I'm equity is
now in course of preparation which will be
filed within very short time. which Will
ask that the merger effected through the
exchange Of shares OF the Northern Securi-
ties Company for shares of the two rail-
road companies be dissolved, and such
shares ordered re-exchanged TO restore the
stocks of the two railroad companies 10
their original holders The two railroad
companies, the Northern Securities Com
pany j. Pierpont Morgan and James j.
Hill and their associates. stockholders In
the two companies will be the defendants
in the bill. The district in which the pro-
ceedings will be instituted has not yet
been determined Most likely IT will be in
Minnesota
The Republican members of the ways and
to-day on the subject of Cuban reciprocity
and remained in session all afternoon No
decision was reached, however. and the
conference will be resumed tomorrow.
Representative Tawney brought forward
the proposition of Representative Morris.
Of Minnesota, proposing an increase In the
general duty on raw sugar and then a pay
ment TO the Cuban treasury OF an amount
equal 10 30 Der cent. of the receipts from
/ Cuban imports for a term of three years.
This served as a basis for discussion. but
beyond this the conference was not fruitful
Of results. Much of the time OF the confer
ence was taken up in going over the show
ing Cuba had made at the recent hearings.
IL being urged by some OF the members that
any relief should be based on the actual
distress existing in the Islands. and not on
any prospective and indefinite distress OF
the future. Another view strongly urged
on the conference was that no concession
should be made 10 Cuba which would en-
danger the future of the American indus
tries of cane or beet sugar. IL was stated
after the conference that the generdl
tendency did not appear TO be strongly
favorable 20 granting concessions, although
IL was believed that i'm Difference 10 the
widespread public sentiment favorable to
such concessions some action I'm that line
should be- and probably would be, ma
tured at the subsequent conferences.
The Treasury Department has decided a
case involving the right OF a citizen of the
]
! ada in certain-sized packages. Canada
prohibits the Importation OF whisky into
that country in casks OF a less capacity
/ than one hundred gallons. The tariff act
OF the United States, approved July - 1891.
provides that any spirituous liquors inn
ported into the United States I'm any-sized
packages of or from any country under
whose laws similar-sized packages are de-
MED entrance into such country shall be
/ forfeited 10 the United States. I'm the case
r.fF naHa inn. a
/ tive nty-gallon cask of Scotch whisky from
! Ontario province, which was promptly
/ seized by the United States collector Al
/ Detroit. The contention was that the act
/ of 1897 applies only 10 the country OF
I igin. which in this case was Scotland. The
I department holds 20 the contrary. and finds
that the wording OF the act 'of from
I any country" etc, makes II apply In this
/ instance 10 the Dominion OF Canada.
Orders were issued to-day by Lieutenant
/ General Miles. commanding the army. for
the second battalion of the Eleventh In
| fantry. stationed at Mayaguez and Ponce.
/ Porto Rico. TO proceed 10 san Francisco.
/ preparatory TO service I'm the Philippines.
4 The battalion probably VIII remain al san
I Francisco some time. n n intended a.
recruit 10 there 10 the maximum. Orders
L also have been issued Co pre- pare the head
4 quarters and the Second Battalion OF the
+ Tenth Infantry. stationed at Fort Creek.
Neb.. for transportation 10 the Philippines.
4 4
when relieved al Fort Crook by battalion
/ OF the Twenty Infantry. now on is
way home from the philippines on the
transport Hancock.
Secretary Shaw has received from Ehz-
abeth c. Hobson. secretary OF the CON-
mittee OF women who recently made CON-
plaint of the personal baggage inspection
methods al New York and other ports IN
the United states an answer 10 his cfrcu-