Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-14
READY FOR TRUSTS
Supreme Court Clears Pend
ing Cases From Docket.
DECISIONS NEXT MONDAY
Belief That Tribunal Is Free to Con-
slider Application Of Law to
Corporations.

When the Supreme Court Of the United
States convenes Monday, February q, a
long list of decisions is anticipated by
some of the legal profession which has
been following the proceedings in the
court. The lawyers believe that the court
during its three weeks vacation has en-
deavored to dispose of many cases in
order that it may be as free as possible
to consider this spring the great ques-
tons of the application of the Sherman
antitrust law to corpor atoms and the
validity of the corporation tax provisions
Of the Payne tariff law.
Overshadowing all others, the suit of
the government against the American
Tobacco Company and others is the most
important case under advisement by the
court. 1t was argued several weeks ago.
On account of the Standard Oil case to
be argued March Ia, and involving sim
liar questions. 1t Is believed that the de-
cision in the tobacco case will not be
announced until after the Standard Oil
suit has been heard.
Affects Railway Employees.
One of the most important laws whose
validity has been questioned In argument
before the court is the "hours of service
law for railroad employees passed by
Congress in 1907. The railroads have at
tackled the law as being applicable to
employees engaged in commerce within
the state as we'll as In interstate COM
merce. It is claimed the law Is open to
the same objection which wiped the en-
ployers' liability law OF 1906 off the stat
utes. A decision in this case may be an
nounced February Il.
Another suit which has attracted much
attention is that In which the govern
ment is seeking to get possession of prop
erty amounting to nearly 100000 in the
hands of Oberlin NJ. Carter, former
captain in the Engineer Corps of the
army, who was sentenced to prison for
his alleged connection with schemes to
defraud the government OF 100000 In
tended for the improvement of the har-
Dor at Savannah, Ga. The court has the
case under Amusement.
Cotton Leak Cases.
A trio Of cases under advisement in
wolves the authority of the federal off,
Gals to bring Theodore H. Price. Fred
erick A. Peckham and Moses Haas from
their homes in New York to the District
Of Columbia for trial on charges growing
out of the cotton leak scandal in the
Department of Agriculture in 1905
The validity of large number OF state
laws are questioned in cases which the
court has heard argued. but in which
1t has not announced its decision.
Among these is the act of the legisla-
ture of Minnesota increasing to per
cent the rate of the gross earnings taxes
upon railroads in the state. The Chicago.
Great Western Railway Company and the
Great Northern Railway Company have
brought suits to the Supreme Court
claiming that as applied to them the law
is void because they possess charters
which exempt them from paying higher
rate than is specified in those charters.
From South Carolina have come num-
Der of suits involving the validity Of the
law which awards to the complainant a
penalty If railroads refuse to adjust a
claim for goods lost In shipment.
Suits Appealed From Arkansas.
One Arkansas suit involves the validity
of the act Of the state legislature requir-
ing local corporations and foreign corpo-
rations seeking to do business there to
pay fee proportionate to the capital
| stock of the corporation.
Another suit attacks the validity Of the
Arkansas law which authorizes the rev.
ocation of the charter of any foreign
cution brought by any one against it in
any court Of the state to any federal
court without the consent Of the other
party, or which Institutes an original suit
or proceedings against any citizen Of Ar
kansas in any federal court.
The validity of the regulations of the
railroad commission of Arkansas requir-
ing railroads to furnish cars for local
shipments within five days after order
has been raised in another case under
consideration.
Validity of Law Questioned.
From Alabama comes a case which
tests the constitutionality Of the law for
bidding the soliciting OF orders for en-
largement Of photographs or selling pic
ture frames without license except in
the case Of merchants or others having
a place of business in the state
A suit brought to the court from Geor-
gia. and which the court has taken under
consideration, is one which will determine
the amount of taxes the Georgia Rail-
road and Banking Company is required to
pay the state under the existing laws.
THE IIII1ET rs OPENED