The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-12-12
Department Review OF Attor-
ney General Sent to Con-
grcss Promises Snug
Cling Scandals.
TRIO OF IMPORTANT
CASES REFERRED TO
Wickersham Briefly and
Curtly Discusses Trust Ac-
tions and Legality Of Cor
poration Tax Law.

pOIdtiOIl j AK Law.
Washington. Dec. 12.--Reveaiing
that more than $6.00o,O00 has either
been collected by the Government or
is involved in Judgment cases against
firms or individuals for smuggling
and undervaluation of imports, the an
nual report OF Attorney General Wick.
ersham. sent to congress today. prom
ises more customs frauds indictments
and a continuation OF the stern in.
vestigation which il now in progress.
There have already been fifty-eight
convictions in the Southern part OF
New York. says he. but at least
score more indictments vii; be found.
In this same connection the attorney
general asks congress to pass 4 law
forbidding revenue men from accept
ing perouisites from importers and an
other law granting Immunity to ac-
cused persons who turn states EVIL
dence and assist the Government in
the prosecution Of others.
1t is also demanded that heavier
penalty be placed upon the statute
books for importing firms which re-
fuse to show their books upon the re-
quest Of the collector Of any port In
the United States. The present pen
atty is 500 fine.
Reviewing the smuggling and under
valuation cases in New York, many of
which are pending. the attorney-gener-
al says that nearly 1000 witnesses
have been examined. In the dress
making cases" thirty indictments have
been returned; in the figs and cheese
cases twenty-four indictments have
been handed down and twenty more
are expected: ..-,r,..-.g
Three important Cases.
The attorney-general briefly ana
curtly reviews three OF the most I'm
portant cases ever brought before tho
United States Supreme court; all of
which are now pending. They are the
suits to dissolve the Standard OF: Trust
and the American Tobacco company.
the Tobacco Trtst." The third IL
the suit to determine the constitution
ality Of the Corporation tax law. All
these arguments will be presented In
January.
Mr.. Wickersham says there isn't
bucket shop doing business In the
United States at present. thanks to his
crusades against them.
President Taft called upon Attorney
General Wickersham nineteen times in
the course of year for> formal opin-
ions. despite the fact that he il pro-
found student OF the law himself.
During the year. twenty-eight crimi-
nal cases we've brought under the In
terstate Commerce law, twenty-five OF
which involved rebating. However.
despite the fact that Mr.. Wickersham
says 1t was an extremely important
and busy year the Government spent
only $3s.620 in its litigation and had
over million dollars left for the APP
preparation for that term.
Mr.. Wickersham wants the salaries
of the Federal Judges raised and In
Inmates that the Government could do
better work in the prosecution OF the
/ trusts If higher fees were paid its at
torneys. He points out that corpor1
tons are noted for the big sums they
| pay their counsel.
Among the recommendation set
forth in the report are for the follow
| ing:
! An acceleration law in appeal cases
where judgment ID involved: search
warrant law TO allow invasion Of pri-
| vate property to search for goods stol-
| en- from the Government; law making
information only necessary In criminal
cases where the charge Is selling Of
liquor to Indians, an indictment being
necessary at present; law granting
change of venue to the Government
even in cases where it is opposed: law
making Federal indictment unneces-
sary ih petty criminal cases where &C
cused pleads guilty before United
States commissioner; law enabling
Government to serve processes upon
domestic corporations as well 40 upon
their officers and agents.
All the litigation Of the past year il
reviewed in brief and its present stat
US set forth. These include the move
on the cotton pool last spring: liti-
cation against the Powder Trust and
other important suits entered under
the restraint OF trade" clause. Mr..
lWickersham says that the appeal I'm
the case testing the constitutionality
OF the Hepburn clause OF the Inter
state Commerce lay will be argued IN
January. This is commonly known as
the commodity clause and pertains TO
the right OF railroads to own stock In
corporations.
i President Taft granted one hundred
and eleven pardons during the year.
Only one woman was committed TO =
Federal penitenuary although nineteen
women were sent to State prisons.
The number OF men sent TO Federal
prisons were 1.183-
/ The report is for the fiscal year of
1910 up TO June 80 last.