Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-06-03
FROM WASHINGTON.

make a formal complaint. Attorney
General Wickersham has indicated
both by his actions and words that he
is ready TO institute proceedings pro
vided evidence is presented to him that
would warrant such action. The
twenty four railroads in the Central
Freight Association operating in the
Chicago and Ohio river territory whose
proposed new tariffs were filled yester-
day, acted in concert just as did the
Western Freight Association against
whom the attorney general obtained
an injunction. They acted through
one agent, c. E. Fulton. Should 1t
be shown that the officers of the roads
entered into a conspiracy to increase
the rates it is probable that the De-
partment of Justice would institute
suit. The Eastern roads which have
given notice Of increases have hled
their tariffs individually.
1t has been figured by officials OF the
Interstate Commerce Commission that
the new commodity rates filed by the
New York Central covering traffic from
New York to st. Paul amount to from
9 TO 13 per cent. increase. There are
few items which bear the heaviest IN
crease. The other increases are all be-
low 10 per cent. The commission has
not vet been able because of special
business TO make comparisons between
the old and new tariffs filed by the
Pennsylvania, Baltimore and Ono and
Erie systems and it is presumed that
the increases will average about the
same. Practically every road north OF
the Potomac and Ohio Rivers and as
far west as the Missouri River has now
indicated officially its intention to in
crease its commodity rates either on
July or July D.
Troubles that may snarl the last knot
of this sessions legislative programme
into an ugly knot today threatens the
Postal Savings Bank bill. The regular
republicans are eager to put gag
rule through the House limiting the
amendments to be considered on this
measure 10 those reported from the
House committee on post officers. This
would require an agreement between
the minority and majority members
i'm this committee and so far harmony
is utterly absent there. The democrats
SAY that if they must fight they will
do so, good and plenty" first IN the
committee and later when the gag
rule appears in the House. Both part
les however would like to avoid a fight
TO shorten the sessions. Strenuous
efforts therefore are being made today
by Chairman Weeks of the House
committee on post offices and post
roads and Representative Moon and
Finley representing the minority to
come to an agreement on the question
of amendments. No-one today was
willing to forecast the probable success
with which this attempt Twill meet.
There is prospect for lively row
in the Senate when the bill recently
passed by the House providing for an
increase in the efficiency Of the army
engineer corps is up for passage The
first thing which causes some OF the
saloons to be suspicious is the pro
vision granting the president power to
detail army engineers to supervise any
works of construction carried on by
the government. In view Of the pub
Gshed rumors that President Taft Is
considering the ACCESSIBILITY OF DIS
placing f. H. Newell, director of the
reclamation service in favor OF army
engineers opponents of the bill IN the
Senate scent Joker" in the proviso III
that measue, 1t PASSED through the
House unobserved. Director f. H..
Newell is opposed to the plan OF run
ming the Reclamation Bureau through
the engineer corps of the army.
A mass of testimony was submitted
today to the Senate committee investi-
eating conditions in Alaska. 1t carried
charges against the operations ofagents
of the MOrgan-Guggcnhelm syndicate
i'm Alaska and was designed to support
the charges that those interests caused
the removal of United States District
Attorney Boyce and United States Mar
shall Sutherland. Persons who claim
to know. declared the government was
charged $54, 600 above what would have
been fair price for the coal on con-
tract in 1908.
There will be no oleomargarlne legls-
lation at the present session OF Congress.
This decision will undoubtedly prove a
great disappointment to many hundreds
of persons who urged the passage OF the
Burleson bill reducing the tax ON oleo
from 10 cents to cents, a pound. No
LEGISLATION at this session has been sup
ported by so mspy petitions. The bill
WAS not .o..d ON by the agricultural
committee and will not come 10 vote.
Diplomatic experts and students OF
disfiples Of movement tor world peace
are beginning to wonder how Mr..
Roosevelt is going to muzzle the dogs
of war in his new capacity as chairman
of the commission OF five which Con
gress will soon create. There Is not
much doubt that Congress will eStab-
lsh the commission and there is no
doubt whatsoever that Mr. Roosevelt
will be at its head. No other names
have vet been mentioned in this CON
nection. The way has been paved for
the commission by the proposal OF
Secretary Knox to establish an arbl-
trial court of justice at the Hague by
enlarging the powers of the prize court
established by the last Hague confer
ence. This porposal is now before the
powers.
The privilege of the floor Of the
House Of Representatives was granted
today to Louis Jagged 81 and Temple