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

House. They are taking their pers 10
baud for The purpose OF letting the
statesman know how they feel. Their
epistles have come In by the hundred
ever since the members voted by a vast
msiorIty to rebuke the president for
ha Wing 'irossted" the House In his an
nusl message. Those who were most
prominent in the attack on aud the de-
tense Of the president are most favored
by these letter writers. For the critics
OF the White House there ere few kidd
words aud volumes of condemnation.
For the champions Of the president there
are long and lurid peans Of praise. sit
is too bad that we have 10 congress repre-
sentatives who attack our president"
ia the refrain. What most initiates the
members opposed to the president Is
their fra belief that they are condemned
by people who have not had the opPor-
tupity to fully inform themselves at to
both sides Of the controversy.
The petition to the Supreme Court OF
the United States of the Chicago aud
Alton Railway for rehearing Of the re-
bate cases In which that court Oh Janu-
airy A affirmed, without opinion, the
Judgment of the Circuit Court Of APP
pesIs, wss today filed. The Supreme
court of the United States was equally
divided in the judgment Of the cases,
aud the petitioners cite this as an example
of the uncertainty of the Hepburn anti
rebate provision. "Tbe l'w," the brief
reciles, ''is so uncertain that no court
ba, up to the present time succeeded In
\ Interpreting it, Instead of being Law
which every man should be able to know
With certainly 1t seems to be law which
20 one can interpret with certainty"
The petition declares that it does not
seek to ind fault with the actual con
stitutioDality of the act, but desires q
definite Interpretation for guidance Of
the railroads of the country. "The
RAILROADS." it Gays "should not be pun
ished for the violation of a Grimm al
sia ute whose meaning is 30 uncertain.
They ought to know how 10 conduct
themselves In the future as to avoid
other indictments" The Obicsgo aud
Alton aud two oil its officers were found
guilty of rebatiug aud fine of $50, OOO
imposed. This conviction was affirmed
by the Circuit Court of Appeals and the
Supreme Court Of the United 5 ates.
| II Senator Tillman insists that bis
connection with proposed purchase OF
Oregon lands shall be investigated by
the Senate it will be done either by
special committee appointed for the
purpose or by the standing committee
on privileges aud elections. There will
be 20 investigation of Tillman's case by
the subcommittee OF the appropriations
committee.
| President Roosevelt today sent spe-
cisl message to Congress asking thai the
birthday OF Abraham Lincoln February
| IL be msde q national holiday.
| Secretary Garfield today sent to Con-
Vress a letter asking that the sppropri-
ton for the prevention Of land frauds be
increased from $500, 900 to 81 900, 600.
The letter shows that the government
has taken steps to recover ell0, 600, OOC
worth of public lands alleged to have
been frsudulently acquired.
Further discussion Of the proposed
plan to re.orgsuizs the Navy Depart
ment took place at the Whits House to
day between President Roosevelt and
Mr.. Fosp, chairman of the House com
mittee on naval affairs. The report oil
the experts, which has been KEEP
secret, sIncs the meeting Of Friday
was gone over rather hurriedly. MI
Foss, later, announced that while ht
could not discuss the presidents plans
he could say that the subject was on'
that would require careful consideration
from him before he could give his opin
ion of 1t to the president.
The president today nominated her
| bert ?. Ssawell to be judge Of the East
ern District Of North Carolina.