Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-01-18


clearly define the powers OF that oody'
The statute under which the board Is
now acting is rather hszT on the subject
Of its authority to compel the rail-
roa ls to obey its orders. The question
was brought up recently by Hat refu'al
on the part Of the railroad companies OF
Washington TO better the service on GER
ain suburban lines.
President-elect Taft has gone on rec
ord as fsvolIDg the creation OF peTma'
nent tariff commission. This was the
text OF q letter shown to President
Roosevelt today by Henry Rosenberg
Of indianapolis, chairman OF the execu'
tive committee of the Tariff Convention,
to be held there February 10th. Under
date January 4, and witten from Au-
gusta, Judge Taft said: "Iquite agree
with you 10 the advantages OF having
permanent tariff commission, and II the
coming tariff bill should make provision
for some such body, 1t would meet ny
views exactly" Rosenberg Invited
President Roosevelt to address the To-
disnspolis convention but Was Informed
that be did not consider itproper for the
retiring president to take such So active
psrt ia the discussion of body that
would have to be worked out by his sue
csssor. The president said be fully en-
dorsed the iles of q tariff commission.
Stanley Doggelt Of New York, has
written to the wsys and means commit
Tee that recently Mr.. Dinkelspiel Of the
PsrtamoI Company sought to present
request that lycopodiur be placed on
dutiable list. They found the committee
90 busy however, that they decided to
write the fact that unless q tariff is
placed on cheap imported lycopodium,
hey will be driven out OF business.
Lycopodium is a versatile sort of fungus
growth from Russia that is used as q
toilet powder, for hsshlight or photo
graphic purposes, aud 10 iron and brass
| foundries IS a parting medium. Other
apptais of various kinds have reached
the committee within the lsst few days.
A great number of operators in the
Pittsburgh coal district have asked that
everything possible be done to establish
reciprocal coal trade with Canada. Elk.
ports to Canada last year we're 6, S6l, 600
tons, imports /, 255, 900 tons.
President Roosevelt has pat himself
In tluch- with the California situation,
growing out Of The introduction 10 the
legislature of that state OF bills inimicsl
to japanese interests. Whether he has
| directed any formal communication on
the subject to the California authorities
canno! be learned, but at theWhiteHouse
there is no doubt that the president will
do wha. he can TO prevent a revival OF
the issue raised lWO years ago. AT that
times he called tho governor and other
officials to Washington to confer with
him. There Is no doubt il representa-.
tons are made by the japanese govern
ment he will not hesitate to take simi-
lar action over the present agitation.
The y. 5. Supreme Court held against
Charles K. Meyer, OF the WeSteren
Federation of Miners, 10 an opinion on
his appeal for damages against Former
Governor Peabody, General Sherman
| VI. Bell, aud Captain Bulkley Wells for
illegal imprisonment. The judgement
| of the Circuit Court was afimed.
The comptroller of the currency today
announced the resumption Of business
BY the Citizens National Bank, Of Mon
| tcello, KY, and the National Exchange
Bsuk, OF Springfield, Mo-, the two 10.
situations having met with the condi.
lions stipulated by the comptroller.
The Texas state antitrust laws
of 1899 and 1908 we're today held
constitutional By the u 3. Supreme
court 10 decision in the famous Water
| Pierce Oil Company case, The opinion
also decides against the Wstsis-Pierce
| Oil Company and sfirmS the fine Of
81, 1928 900 originally imposed on the
company.
While the District grand jury Is 10.
vestigatiug whether criminal prosecution
shall grow out of Panama canal publi-
cation, President Roosevelt is wondering
whether he has not started the spark
that will blow his African hunting trip
plans into smithereens. Although the
White House expresses the belief tba'
there will be no interference With the
presidents desire to spend over year
10 the African juuglss, leaving this coun'
try shortly after be retlres from Office,
| it ia the belief based upon the desires Of
the opposition, that he will be held 10
this country indefinitely in case the pres.
ent inquiry results 10 indictments.
Service can be made upon President
Roosevelt the moment he ceases to be
president. He cannot escape testifying
because 1t is upon his initiative that the
present grand jury investigation Is being
conducted. 1t is limited here that should
case be made Theodore Roosevelt,
Charles P. Taft, Douglas Robinson,
| William Nelson Cromwell and number
of officials of the War and Navy De.
psrtmsuts, as we'll IS naval officers, Till
be required to give testimony. Al i'm
por,a0t conference bearing upon the
proposed criminal libel prosecution was
| held at the White House today between
the president and Charles P. Taft,
brother OF the president.elect. Later
the president conferred on the same sub
iect with Douglas Robinson, Of New
York, his brother-iu-laW.
Charles P. Taft, brother Of the presi.
dent-elect, srrived here today under SUBJ
poena to testify before the grand jury OF
| the District of Columbia, in the libel
case brought by the government against
the New York World on account of the
publications with reference to the pur.
chase of the Panama canal. Douglas