The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-02
phases Of the corporations activities.

tration to demonstrate that there is
no reasonable ground for opposition
of the party. the department of JUS
t1ce, according to the presidents
friends, offers the greatest advantages
at this time. 1t has the information,
and it ready to use it.
In addition to this, there is a re-
vival of the report that the supreme
court will hand down on April 4, its
opinion in the tobacco trust case, and
unerring guide as to what lines it
shall follow in its prosecution of the
offending corporations.
Some weeks ago it was said that
the court would not give this opinion
until it was ready to decide the Stan
dard Oil case, but the records and
briefs in the Standards case are so
voluminous and will take up so much
of the courts time that now the prob
ability is that the tobacco decision
will not be longer delayed.
President Taft has been absolutely
confident all along that the government
will win both cases. and. as the issues
in each are the same. the tobacco de-
cision will be enough to let the prose-
cution oc the offending trusts proceed
without delay.
1t will be recalled at this time that
Mr. Taft from his inaugural address
down to the present time, has said on
various occasions that he would pun
ish trusts and corpora ions which were
found to be infringing on the law. Con-
seQuently, his activity at this time and
in the near future can not be constru-
ed as a new policy. 1t is merely reSe I'd
ed as extremely fortunate by his ad-
Xisers that he is in position to fling
before the country his proofs that he
meant what he said when he promised
to carry out to their logical conclu-
sions the Roosevelt policies and the
pledges of the Republican platform.
Taft's friends say that. although Mr..
h TsNxya O.
suranccs of his future attitude and al
though he has sent for Clifford Pin
chot, one of his trusted captains, to
give him a report on the situation, Taft
will finally receive the cordial endorse
nent of the former president because
there will be no ultimate conclusion to
draw but that the things for which
Roosevelt stood are the very Things
for which Taft stands and has stood.
Taft mas been slow to move, but now
that he has the necessary ammunition
and is about to get the necessary guild
ance from the supreme court, the pun
ishment of the offending corporation,
the dad trusts will begin.
The movement for the joint govern
ment, state, and county construction or
roadwayS seems to be ready to mater
ialize. Senator Bankhead'S bill provld-
ing for the government participation in
such an arrangement has been favor
ably reported to the senate An appro-
priation of 100000 is provided for the
beginning of the highway construction
It is said in the report that this amount
is purely for an experimental trial of
the plan. If it works. and the local CO.
operation is assured, 1t is a fair guess
that the government will go deep into
the business of building good roads. 1t
" i'll provide every representative in
congress with an opportunity to do
something substantial for his rural
constituents.
The Bankhead bill provides that the
first 100000 shall be spent in building
better roads for the rural free mail
delivery service. This feature of the
Lii makes it ar. act to extend a gov
incorporated. however, that for every
dollar the government spends in road
building, the state or county where it
is expended must spend another dollar
On the game road. This means 81, 0O0, 900
worth of good roads out of the first ap-
preparation.
1t is declared in the report that there
is a countrywide sentiment in favor of
better public highways. The automo
bile has done much to encourage this
sentiment. Various states have made
appropriations. and these have been
supplemented by the counties. the re-
port further states. Senator Bankhead
row wants the federal government to
do it's share.
1t is set forth that there is now an
annual appropriation of $35. 6730 900 for
the rural Tree OOaNSIy SGTNlCS. Ills
service is seriously hampered by the
bad roads. To build better roads on
the rural routes would therefore serve
a double purpose. the report says. 1t
would facilitate the mail service, and
give the country people better nigh
ways accomm odations.
Senator Bankhead also refers to the
fact that France has expended $612,-
775, 900 on it's system of highways. 1t
is therefore possible in that country
for a single horse to haul on an av-
erage 1906 pounds at a load. In this
country, it is set forth, the horse is
only able to haul 800 pounds
The economic effects on land values
and the general incentive to future i'm
provement in country life are other
reasons advanced for the passage of
the bill.
Senator j. L. Bristow has offered an
amendment to the railway bill which |
he will seek to have incorporated in
the measure. This amendment pro-
vides that all cases brought in a fed !
eral court to set asidG the action of !
state officials in regulating rates or |
practices of common carriers shall be |
brought in the United States supreme |
court, and that such cases must be |
considered by not less than three cir |
cult judges.
Congressman Phil P. Campbell has
bill in the house to
authorize the president to appoint (
F. de Niedman, now first /
Lieutenant IN the medical reserve Il
corps, as first lieutenant of the med II
tired list A similar bill was present y