The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-02-15
Washington

ON0tJAgS0AOU
The investigation of the cost OF hv-
ing contemplated by the Senate will
not include HEARINGS from a great
multiplicity of witnesses, as has been
assumed On the con-
Hunting trary, the existing in
Cause of strumentalities of the
High Prices. Government will be util-
lied to procure the
facts. The great army of employees
of the Department of Agriculture, for
instance, will be used to procure and
to present in available form the facts
regarding the prices received by the
initial producers-the farmers-for
their products, and to that army may
also be confided the collection of data
regarding the prices at which such
products are sold by commission men.
The Department of Commerce and
Labor will be used to secure costs of
manufacturing selling, prices at the
mill, to the jobber and to the retailer,
and by the retailer, and so on. In
this way it is believed the informa-
ton can be quickly procured and an
analysis and report made before Con-
gress adjourns. Senator Elkins, COM
menting on this subject, said he was
prepared to admit that the tariff in
creased some prices, but he believed
the increases were more than offset
by the benefits resulting therefrom
Senator Lodge is of the opinion that
the investigation will show that the
prices throughout the world have in
creased as a result of the increased
production of gold, although he ex-
poets number of other interesting
developments.
X 4 X
There is no likelihood that the Adj
ministration's Federal Incorporation
measure will receive favorable action
by either house of Congress at this
session There has
Federal been some reluctance
Incorporation on the part of the
Not to Pass. leaders to admit this
fact, but they have
finally concluded that there is no
longer any good end to be served by
concealing it. Two factors contribute
to this situation. First, it would be
impossible to adopt legislation of such
far-reaching Importance in the face
Of the determined oppd bn of the
minority. 1t would be talMed death
In the Senate, even were it possible
under whip and spur to muster ma
jority for it in the House. In the seq
ond place, there is grave question re-
garding the political expediency of
such legislation
The gravest anxiety prevails. in Adj
ministration circles, sipclu B the
leaders of Congress, %egardilg the
forthcomin9decision of the Supreme
Court of the United
Cause of States in the case of
Grave Anxiety. the American Tobac-
X co Company. If the
decision of the lower court is affirmed,
1t will mean the immediate appoint
ment of a receiver for the Tobacco
Trust. The directors of that great
corporation will be discharged from
all further responsibility, and the re-.
ceiver will assume charge of its af-
fairs, not for the purpose of admins
tering them in the interest of stock
holders. but to wind up the company,
to dispose OF its assets, presumably to
the highest bidder, and to cast adrift
On the financial sea the integral parts
Of that great aggregation of concerns
gradually brought together under
single management, with great loss
to those who own securities of the or
ganization Moreover, the affirmation
by the court of last resort of the prin-
;iple involved will leave the admins
sration no alternative but Immediate
ly to institute similar suits against
practically every concern which has
been constructed by the building up
process and the absorption of smaller
competitors into great and powerful
whole. One does not need to be
pessimist to foresee a condition bor-
1ering on industrial anarchy as the
result of the disintegration of the
chief corporations in the country. Nor
Is the realization of those facts af-
fected by the view maintained as to
the equity or the reverse of the pro-
cess whereby these great industrial
.tructure have been built up. If they
are found to exist in violation of the
law they must come down, and their
destruction will create havoc, accord
ing to the almost unanimous view.
X r X
A joint resolution postponing the
date for making returns and assess
ments under the operations of the
corporation tax law was introduced
by Senator Overman.
To Postpone of North Carolina. The
Operation OF resolution recites that
Tax Law. there is now case in
the Supreme Court of
the United States for the purpose of
testing the validity of the law and
provides that the date for making re-
turns be postponed sixty days, and
that the tax is not to be assessable for
three months after the time for maxi
ing returns has expired.
X X II
From his desk facing the members
of the House. Speaker Cannon again
declared he was no Gar In so doing
he attacked what he called the "agi-
tation" by the newspa-
No Gar, pers and magazines,
Says Cannon based on the charge
Again. that members OF the
lower branch Of Con-
gress have to eat out OF his hand in
order to get their ideas enacted into
law.
Mr.. McLachlin, Of California, had
called up bill for passage by unani-
nous consent, and, seeing that there
might be objection, asked leave to
mass over it without prejudice, allow
ing it to remain On the unanimous
consent calendar 4 Mr. Hofnnc of