Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-11-26
THOUGHTS EY THE WAY

1t IS gratifying to notice, that
the papers throughout the country
are demanding a radical change in
the judicial procedure of our courts.
Attorneys at the meetings of their
associations are calling attention to
the necessity of a change that just
ice may be done to litigants at the
earliest moment at the least expense.
The agitation of the question is
gratifying to the writer, who for
years, has been advocating the
elimination from the practice in our
courts all forms which tended to
prolong litigation to the defeat of
common sense and justice.
The democrats who have weak
ened their own party by following
the breed standard, should be
the last to rail against the condi-
ton now prevailing in that party.
The men who have Been true to
their convictions and their party,
and faced defeat after defeat be-
cause of the detection of men claim
ing to be democrats are the ones to
complain of an absence of party
loyalty and the ones to lead the
party in its future campaigns.
The leading journals and prom
inent educators throughout the
country, are condemming in I'M
measured terms, football as now
played, claiming that its brutality
is of such a nature as to demand
that it be discontinued as a sport.
Since the opening of the football
season twenty-eight young men
have been killed while on the field
and two hundred and twenty-four
injured, some Of them seriously. 1t
is time that the rules of the game
be greatly and radically changed,
or the game be discontinued as an
athletic pastlme.
While the corporations are COM
planning about the high taxes i'm
posed upon them and asking for a
reduction, the Wells-Fargo Express
Co. cuts a lemon and declares a
dividend of only 900 per cent, and
proposes to increase its capital
from $4,000, 900 to S44, 1000, 900 by
giving each shareholder four addi-
tional shares SO as to reduce the
enormous dividend and continue to
charge the people exorbitant rates
to pay dividends on $50, 900, 900
of fictitious stock. No wonder the
express companies are. opposed to
the proposed parcel post law and
have paid lobby at Washington to
prevent the enactment of such a
law, which would be God send to
the people; and are opposing an in
come law which would even up the
tax and make the rich pay near
their proportion and not cast the
burden on the produ ctive classes
and the business men throughout
the country who, now pay from 200
to 500 per cent more than those
whose incomes run up into the
millions of dollars annually.
The decision handed down Mon
day by the United States Circuit
Court of Appeals that the Standard
Oil Company is a conspiracy in
restraint of interstate trade, and
that it must be dissolved, is a con-
spicuous triumph for the govern
ment. Not all that the government
asked in the suit has been granted !,
but on all essential points it has
won a victory. Under the terms of
the order not only is the present
combine to be discontinued, but it
can not be reorganized on anything
like existing lines. AS all four of
the judges concurred in their find
ings, the decision becomes especial
ly impressive.
The case will be appealed to the
supreme court by the Standard Co.
and no doubt will be reversed or