Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-05
Nebraska
SURETY COMPANY IS SUED
Attorney General Begins Fight to
Enforce Antitrust Law.
FAILS TO FILE ANNUAL REPORT
Act Applies to All Foreign Corpora
tions Doing business in state,
n None Have Complied
with II.
IRON q SAT- corresponoent.l

From q STAFF Correspondent
LINCOLN. Aug. L-(special)-Attorney
General Thompson filed suit in the county
court OF Lancaster county this afternoon
against the American Surety company for
failure to comply with the Junkin anti
trust law, enacted by the legislature Of
1906.
The .spccifio complaint Is that the com
pany has failed to file an annual report
with the attorney general as provided in
the law, and 81 has also failed to file an
undertaking with the attorney general,
saying that It will comply with the pro-
visions OF the Junkin act and all other
laws governing such companies.
The penalty for failure to comply with
the law is q fine of 5000 or Imprisonment
for one year or both.
The law applies TO all foreign corpora
lions except common carriers. Not one
corporation has ever filed the reports and
all are subject TO the same prosecution as
that which has just been started.
Attorney General Thompson has con-
templated this action for some time, but
the matter was precipitated by the action
Of the American Surety company in seek
ing an injunction against the state bond
ing board and the rates it proposes surety
companies may charge.
Fight ON state Freight Law.
The railroads of Nebraska in their fight
on the Aldrich freight rate law and the
z-cent fare law will stand on the valua
ton of their property as fixed by ;tate
Board Of Assessment. This stat. ds
made by w. D.. McHugh, one OF t- ,ail-
road lawyers, al "a conference between the
attorneys for the corporations ard the
railway commission yesterday. The law
yers asked for a delay in the hearing on
the proposed classification of freight rates,
as the hearing on the 2-cent rate bill and
the Aldrich bill comes up shortly in the
federal court.
The railroads will insist that the rates in
effect prior to 1907, when the reductions
were made, we're then noncompensatory
and evidence will be introduced to prove
this statement, said the railroad attorneys
The evidence introduced will be the valua-
tion Of railroad property by the state
board.
The railway commission has not yet de
Cided whether it will grant the delay tc
the railroads.
New Normal Board Busy.
The new normal board, though it is un
able to get warrants from the state auditor
is, nevertheless, getting busy and showing
DAkAa "a bSAAA5 nav ~ hAAS ~ 4 80
upon such boards. 1t has advertised 70
bids for the construction of the SAC, 900 ad
m~inistration building at the Peru norma
school, and 1t is also running an advertise
ment for bids for coal for the schools. TIL
plans and specifications for the administra
. ton building are on file with the STAT
superintendent, but so far no one has gon
in 10 examine them. Inasmuch as the con
stitutionality of the act which created tn
new democratic 'nonparttsan" norma
b boafdtIS beins tried out 10 the suprem
court. Auditor Barton will not issue wal
rants upon vouchers flied by the new board
which may account for the lack of contraC
tors investigating the plans Of the propose
building.
Fishers Plead Guilty.
Deputy Game Warden Guilis and Specla
Deputy ]. w. Gilbert Of Friend enriche
the school fund yesterday by the arrest {
Gus Wilde, James Wilde and Charles Wild
and three others for illegally taking fis
from a stream with a net. The men a
pleaded guilty and paid a fine of SIS each
Wayne Normal Abstract.
Senator George w. Wiltse of Cedar count
wal here today with an abstract Of III
Wayne Normal school property to be eS
amined by the legal department of Ii
state, as a preliminary to the purchase
the school by the state under the terms c
the appropriation made by the late legisll
ture. Senator Wiltse said the people 1
the northeast part of the state are ver
anxious for the suit over the normal boar
to come to a speedy end so they Will
able to get busy and turn the school owe
10 the proper board.
Majors Has Proposition.
G. s. Allen, attorney for Thomas Major
In the suit brought by the attorney generl
10 Gust Colonel Majors from the new Stat
Normal board because he was appointe
when a member OF the legislature whic
enacted the law, has made a proposition I
the attorney general. Mr.. Allen has aske
Thai a stipulation be made to try the cor