Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-02-14
It is Making Ready for Number of
Sherman Law Cases.
1OURs OF SERVICE STATUTE
Validity Of Limit Placed Upon Rail
road Workers to Be Tested.
STATE LAWS ARE UNDER FIRE
Minnesota, Kansas and Arkansas
Acts Regulating and Taxing
Corporations Are to BE
Construed.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1s.-when the SUI
preme court Of the United States convenes
Monday, February q, a long list of deci-
sions is expected by lawyers who have
( baen 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 questions
of the application of the Sherman anti
trrst law to corporations 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
under advisement by the court. II was
argued several weeks ago. On account of
the Standard Oil case, to be argued March
H. and involving similar questions. 1t Is
believed that the decision in the tobacco
case will not be announced until after the
STANDARD oil suit has been heard.
Hours of Service Law.
One of the most important laws whose
validity has been questioned in arguments
before the court, is the hours of service
law for railroad employees" passed by con-
grtss in 1907 The railroads have attacked
the law as being applicable to employees
engaged in commerce within the state as
we'll as in interstate commerce. 1t is
claimed the law is open to the same objec-
ton which wiped the employers liability
law Of 1906 off the statutes. A decision in
this case may be announced on February
H.
Another suit which has attracted much
attention is that in which the government
| 10 90 of
amounting to nearly 800 900, in the hands
of oberlin NJ. Carter. former captain in
the engineer corps OF the army. who was
sentenced to prison for his alleged conuec-
tion with schemes to defraud the govern
ment out of s2,OOoO0O intended for the i'm
provement of the harbor at Savannah, Ga
The court has the case under advisenlent.
A trio of cases under advisement involve
the authority Of the federal officials to
bring Theodore H. Price, Frederick 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 De-
pertinent of Agriculture in 1906
state Laws Under Fire.
The validity OF a number of state laws
is questioned in cases which the court has
heard argued, but in which it has not an
nounced its decision. Among these Is the
act of the legislature Of Minnesota, in
creasing to per cent the rate of the gross
earnings tax upon railroads in the state.
The Chicago, Great Western company and
the Great Northern Railway company have
brought suits in the supreme court claim
ing that as applied to them the law is void,
because they possess charters which ex-
empt thAm from paying higher rate than
is specified in those charters
One Arkansas suit involves the validity
of thea ct of the state legislature requiring
local corporations and foreign corporations
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 revo-
cation of the charter of any foreign cor
poratlon which removes a suit of prosecu-
= ton brought by any one against 1t in any
( court of the state TO any federal court
without the consent of the party or which
I institutes an original suit or proceeding
against any citizen of Arkansas In any
r federal court.
S The validity of the regulations of ths
railroad commission OF Arkansas requiring
! railroads to furnish cars for local ship.
n ments within five days after order has
4 been received is raised in another cast
under consideration.
I From Alabama comes a case which test,
e the constitutionality of the law forbddlng
the soliciting Of orders for enlargement o.
photographs or selling picture frames with
out a license, except in the case of mer
c chants or others having place OF business
5 in the state.