Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-05-06
CAPITAL JoTTINGs.

Government receipts Tuesday: From
internal revenue, $461,842; customs,
$684,807; miscellaneous. $21S.G47. Ex-
penditures, $1,510.O00.
President Roosevelt Tuesday ex-
pressed to Senator Carter of the Sen
ate committee on post offices and post
roads his earnest desire to see postal
savings bank bill become law at this
session.
The ways and means committee of
the House Tuesday reported favor
ably the Philippine tariff bill, which
removes the duty upon certain inn
ports into the Philippine islands, for
the purpose of stimulating agriculture,
road building, etc.
A biz to do away with secrecy in the
holding by the so-called tobacco trust of
the stock of subsidiary companies was
introduced Tuesday by Rep. Boutell of
Illinois. 1t provides that on all man
ufactured tobacco and snuff shall appear
the name of the owner of the producing
plant as we'll as the name of the pro-
ducer and the place and date of produc-
ton.
George II. Fearons, general attorney for
the Western Union Telegraph Co., ad-
dressed the House committee on inter-
state and foreign commerce Tuesday in
opposition to the bill introduced by Mr.
Carey of Wisconsin to require telegraph
companies to transmit with kilograms
the time of filing messages and the time
of putting them on the wire. Mr.. Fearons
said that on the basis of 74,S05,GO0 tele-
grams transmitted annually the addi-
tional number of words imposed by the
bill upon the Western Union Co. for
transmission would be equal to 7454 600
10-word messages.
A general arbitration treaty between
the United States and Japan was signed
Tuesday by Secretary Root and Amhas-
sador Takahira The treaty follows the
lines of the several arbitration agree
ments which have been negotiated be-
tween this country and European nations
during the winter. 1t will permit of the
arbitration at The Hague of nearly every
class of dispute which may arise be-
tween the signatOry powers.
The hearing before the Senate commit
tee on the judiciary on bills to amend
the Sherman antitrust laws was resumed
ueSudy, bdIllel dNellpOTl Oh BrluSe-
port being heard. He declared that If
the present law was amended so as to
apply to combinations which are in ''un-
reasonable restraint of trade the amend
ment would impair the whole purpose of
the law, as there would be no standard
to determine whether the restraint was
unreasonable. He said that such legis-
latior would make the corporations i'm
mune from prosecution and exempt them
from practically every regulation provid-
ed by the Sherman law.
hearing was granted by the Sen
ate committee on finance Tuesday on
the bill passed by the House amend
ing the laws for the administration
of customs. The customs branch of
the treasury department is dissatisfied
with the bill as it relates to appeals
from the boards of appraisers in class
iflcation cases. An amendment is ia
vOred providing that all of the evil
dence in such cases must be submit
ted TO the board of appraisers before
an appeal is taken to the circuit court
OF appeals. All except the importers
are said to be in favor of the amend
ment and the indications are that the
House bill will be amended according
ly.
James B. Reynolds. assistant secre-
tary of the treasury; Edward P. Shat
ter, of the Department of Agriculture
and Norris Jacobson of the Depart
ment of Commerce and Labor were
Tuesday appointed members of a COM
mission on the part of the United
States to consider and report on pos
sible amendments Of existing trade
regulations between France and the
United States. This commission was
appointed in accordance with the
terms of the Franco American reci-
procity arrangement signed by Secre-
tary Root and Ambassador Jusserano
on Jan. 2S. The arrangement pro-
vides also for the appointment of a
similar commission by France.