The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-08-01
UNDER the |: big. tHlI1iE !. DUNE
,sSAPsHoGs Al SIRN AND THINGS
! x FROM WAsHINGToN
Change III: CurIaa,llum In ,tIse Naval
Acadelny-New Complication
Coming From Texas Laws :. ~. :

w
Coming From Texas Laws = : ]
washington, July 81 The change
IN the curriculum at the Naval Aca-S]
DENY, which combines the depart
ments Of pathematics and mech am
les In charge OF Prof. Stinson ]. /
Brown, recalls the local ASTRONOMICAL
work Of that officer, who was stu
toned for some years at the United
States Naval Observatory, On George
town Heights. Rrof. Brown was in
charge Of the great equatorial at4the
observatory for a number of, years
PRIOR to his assignment to the Naval
Academy, He, was director of the
obseryatofy from 1898 to 1901, and
also director of the Nautical Alma
pac 19QQ-1901.,. He, prepared cat
alogue OF stars for the Berliner
+johrbuch at Annapolis in 1861,
and at the observatory Of the Uni
Yersity OF Wisconsin, 1899-90, also
various scientific memoirs in the As:
Economical q Journal, founded on orig
NAL observations and researches. =,
1 Capt.; G. Badger, who has lust
assumed the superintendency Of the
Naval Academy, does not approve OF
all the Recommendations and changes
made by the Wainwright board, but
has approved the: consolidation: Of
| mathematics and mechanics, OF
which the former Washington scien-
list is to be in charge. Prof. Brown
| lived for a number Of years In
| Georgetown, where he was married,
and where Mrs. Browns family stN1
| reside. He was educated at Cor
nell and at the Naval Academy, from
which he graduated, at the head of
his class, In 1875. He was appointed
professor of mathematics in 1883.
Another one or the many remark
FABLE laws enacted by the last session
OF the Texas legislature is now at
tracing attention. 1t is the one for
! bidding the issuance Of free passes
I'by railroads, and it has been brought
into the public eye as a result of a
suit filed by the ,Wells-F Fargo Express
lCompany against the various lines
IoVer which 1t operates to compel the
carrying out Of contracts, not yet ei-
plred> WHICH provides for the free
transportation Of certain express
company employees. The suit has been
filed In one Of the state district
courts at Houston. Counsel for the
plaintiff insist that they, have a
strong case, this opinion being par
TALLY based, apparently, on the as
sumption that the railroads have
4 construed the anti-pass law impro-
Iperly. So. - s..
roads is that they, cannot fulfill their
contracts with the express companies
without violating the new statute,
! but the plaintiff concern contends
that the legislation does not apply to
contracts in force prior to- it's enact
| ment. If this contention fails. the
claim will be made that the law is
unconstitutional, in that the state
legislature has no right or authority
under the federal or, state constitu-
lions, TO enact any law which impairs
the obligations of contracts, and be-
cause the enforcement Of the law in
such way as to annul the existing
contracts would constitute the TAX
|1nlg of property without due process
or law. In the event named it doubt
less would be further commended that
| the law interferes with Interstate
commerce, and that it denies the
iWells-Fargo Company the equal pro-
lection Of the law.
| In view Of the recent developments
In the North Carolina case, state
ment made by Judge Stockton, of
New York, general attorney for the
plalnt1ff company, is decidedly inter
esting. "Our reasons for going into
the state court" ne said, lis because
the state statute should, be decided by
the state courts. and this is not ne
cessarily federal question: