The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-08
FORECAST OF NEWS.
A REVIVAL OF INTEREST IN THREE
 SUBJECTS.
The Forces Fer and Against tie Pres ent Tariff Schedules Will Be Marshalled Against Each
 Other This
 Week.

There will be a revival of interest this week in three subjects, which at intervals in years past have occupied public attention almost to the exclu- sion of other affairs.
 The forces for and against the pres ent tarin schedules will be marshaled; {; the old dispute between the mine work ers' union and the anthracite operators will be renewed. and Albert T. Patrick. serving a life sentence for the murder of William March Rice in 1900. will begin the completion of brief in be- half of his freedom.
 When Congress adjourned last week, optimism regarding tariff revision was expressed In the prediction that the special tarin session. called on March Is. would be concluded by June l. New erthless. 1t Is realized that there is much to be said on the subjects of hides and wool and beet sugar, to say nothing of lumber and steel.
 The House Committee on Ways and Means has in hand the tentative" revision measure.' which will be occu- pied. nevertheless. by active cam paigns on the part of the multiple interests involved.
 In April. seven years ago. the six months' strike in the anthracite coal regions began and brought in its wake public handships not yet forgotten
 The last three-year agreement will expire April l. and upon the early re- newal of q working agreement rests the matter of harmony or strife in the anthracite field. Indications are that an understanding will be reached. though the contract may be modified. President Lewis of the United Mine Workers of America. has been in Penn- sylvania conferring with the mine own- CTS and his union associates. and ap- pears hopeful of the outcome. On Thursday in Philadelphia. he and the miners committee will have a con- ference with the presidents of the an- thracite railroad and coal companies.
 Despite the fact that Patrick has made more than a score of futile ef- forts to secure his freedom. and the story has been told again and again. there is still an eternal element of hu- man interest in the lone fight which this brilliant and courageous attorney h making for his freedom. Convicted of murder, sentenced to be executed. but his sentence commuted to life im- prisonment by the late Governor hig- gins, Patrick maintains that continued Imprisonment Is worse than death and that the executive had no legal right to make more severe the punishment imposed by the court. For four hours Patrick pleaded his case before the appellate division in Brooklyn last Fri day. adding to his original contention the charge that he had been rail roaded" to prison through conspiracy.
 Patrick has been relieved of his customary labors and his cell has been transformed into lawyers office. where, surrounded by law books and legal papers, he will use on his own behalf the genius of his chosen profess sion.
 The retrial of the Standard oil Com pany of Indiana for alleged rebating. will be continued at Chicago.
 The State. having completed its case in "rebuttal last week, the arguments in the Carmack trial at Nashville will begin this week. Many lawyers are engaged in the case and the summing up will be long drawn-out. and, tudg. ing from the bitterness which has the taking of testimony. is likely to be broadly interesting. both in text and fashion of delivery.