Middletown transcript., 1907-03-30

state commerce commission on April AID
when some Of the attorneys for the Harri-
man system will present their side Of the
ease to the commission tending TO estab-
Aish the legality OF tile yarions moves
made in affecting the combination. When
this statement is made 1t will be taken up
by the commission and special report
will be prepared for the Department of
Justice by Frank Kellog and Charles
Severance, special attorneys for tile Com
mission in this case. There Is consider
able doubt whether there will be any
thing In the case that can be dealt with
under the Interstate Commerce act. But
it is believed that an even more complete
case can be made ont under the Sherman
act than was done in the combination of
tile Hill lines. 1t seems certain that the
suppression of competition in the country
affected was greater. There is also the
case Of the Oregon Short Line which may
be used as the basis of a separate prosecu-
ton. Certain it is that the most of the
important callers at the White House re-
Gently have come away breathing dire
prophesies of the things that we're going
to happen to Mr.. Hartman. So it is
possible that lie will be taken to make an
example of if possible for the benefit of
other, though perhas less noted, expon-
ents of 'high fnance."
-
The Interstate Commerce Commission
has come to the conclusion that it was do
ing too much work for the money even at
its increased salary. Perhaps that is
hardly fair statement. The Commits
sion is really hard working body and it
shows no disposition to shirk. But it can
not do every thing with only "A hours in
the day, and it has decided hereafter to
spend the bulk OF its time in Washington
and leave the taking of testimony over
the country to special agents who will re-
port direct to Washington. This is in
teresting to the outside world as it will
open up number OF desirable engage
nIents in the shape of deputy commission
ership. These special agents will be
stationed at the big railroad centres such
as New York, Chicago, ST. Louis aud
Kansas City. They will have charge Of
certain defined territory Disputes arising
in these districts will be adjusted If pos
sible by the deputy commissioner on the
ground. If it is an important case, it wi |
| be referred to Washington and in cases
| that would demand set hearing and
| where some Of the commissioners ord:-
nariiy would come from Washington to
hold court, the testimony will be taken
| by deputy and forwarded to Washing
ton. This will leave the commissioners
free of an enormous amount Of railway
travelling. And it will enable them to
get through much more work in the
course of year than they would have
| done under the old system.
~
Secretary Taft. is going to start next
| week for the sort of vacation trip that
/ Mr.. Roosevelt has been in the habit of
taking so often. II is merely trip where
the vacation will consist in doing differ
ent sort OF work, but more of it. He is to
start from Washington, go south by rail to
Charleston, and take warship that will
land him III Panama. He will make an
inspection Of the Canal Zone with view
to reorganizing the local government and
see what has been done i'll the way OF
testing the foundation site for the Gatun
dam and locks. He will have a number
of competent outside engineers along to
advise him from technical standpoint.
He also will be accompanied on the trip
by Senator Kitteridge anu Representatives
Burton and DeArmond. On his way
back he will take look at Porto Rico,
where the natives recently have been agi-s
tating for autotomy. lie will be the
guest Of GOV. Winthrop while on the is
land, and the governor probably will
come back with him to this cosntry. 1t
is not likely that the Porto Rieans will
get much more than they are now getting
in the way Of self government, the indi-
cations being that they have all now that
will be good for them for some years to
come From Porto Rico the party will
go to Cuba. Here will be one
OF the hardest tasks OF the whole
trip, for the Secretary will be called upon
to decide whether the islanders are ripe
to handle their own affairs once more, and
on his decision will depend whether or
not there will be elections on the Island
this fall preparatory to Withdrawing the
United States troops.