Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-31

Just as these changes were ABOUT 10 De-
come effective Attorney General Wicker
sham checkmated the move by obtaining
an Injunction alleging That the increase
| would be unreasonable and oppressive
and in violation OF the Sherman anti
| trust law. ThereupOn the railroads agreed
| to withdraw the rates and submit them
| to the interstate commerce commission
for decision as to their reasonableness
| Congress also authorized the establish
| ment of a system Of postal savings banks
! Separate statehood was granted to Arr
! IONA and New Mexico. There was Gre
ated a bureau OF mines in the Interior De-
! partment, for the saving Of lives and the
protection of the public welfare. An ap-
! preparation of $4,000 was made to pay
| for "A years work of the tariff board UNI
| der the Presidents direction. The rails
| ing of the wreck of the battleship Maine
! from Havana harbOr was authorized and
| the work is now progressing.
Big Reclamation Projects.
| In the closing days of its first regular
/ session Congress authorized the issuance
| of s2O.O0O,OOC i'm bonds for reclamation
projects. 1t also passed a bill giving the
President authority to withdraw lands
from public entry pending congressional
Oction for their disposition. In July
President Taft began affirming land with
drawals made by the preceding admins
tration and also making large withdraw
ais himself In that same month q tota
of 11.3iS.oss acres of coal lands we're
withdrawn in the United States and TO-
COO acres in Alaska. On July 3 the Pres
ident signed orders for the withdrawal of
S.49o, 1H acres of power site, phosphate
and petroleum lands. Thus far the
grand total of land reserved by the gov
eminent reaches the area of $4,000
square miles-more than the combined
c1tS-fo nf Srrl
Pennsylvania and South Carolina.
Presidential Policies.
The closing session of the Sixty first
Congress, which met in December, lis
tened to the following recommendations
made in the Presidents message:
That a permanent tariff commission be
appointed and all future revision of the
tariff be made schedule by schedule
That the Panama canal be fortified, and
an appropriation Of $19.OOO,OOO be made
for the purpose. That the beginning of a
parcels post service be established on all
free rural delivery routes. That the civil
service rules be extended to include all
postmasters, thus taking them out of
politics. That the limitation which now
prevents the executive from withdrawn
more forest lands be withdrawn, and that
other legislation looking toward the con-
servation of our natural resources be en-
acted. That Congress give some fitting
recognition to Peary for his discovery Of
the north pole: that Secretary Meyers
plan to reOrsanize the navy and build two
battleships year be approved; that a
new army bill for the organization of
volunteer forces in time of war he passed;
that greater number Of army officers be
authorized That the present eight-hOur
law be ENLARGED by providing that public
works shall be construed to include not
only buildings and work upon public
ground. but also ships, armor and large
guns when manufactured in private yards
or factories. That with the exception of
a law to prevent fraudulent bills of lad
ing, no further amendment be made to
our corporal ton controlling laws until
they have been tested.
Referring to the recent fraudulent cot
ton bills Of ladins scandal, he urges Con-
gress to enact a law under which one
who in good faith advances money or
credit upon bill of lading issued by a
common carrier upon an interstate or
foreign shipment can hold the carrier liza
Bile for the value of the goods described
in the BILL at least to the extent of the
advances made in reliance upon it. He
also recommends that punishment of
fine and imprisonment be imposed upon
railroad agents and shippers for fraud or
Misrepresentation.
The President also recommends that in
terstate railroads be prohibited from
owning or controlling ships plying
through the Panama canal, and he asks
for subsidies for American shipping. es-
pecialiy for vessels plying to South
America
The L, commentator made in the spe-
cial message last year for a general law
providing for the incorporation of indus
trial and other companies engaged in in
terstate commerce is renewed. He also
urges upon Congress the prOpriety of es-
tablishins cheaper and simpler forms of
judicial procedure SO that the Supreme
Court may be relieved of it's burden of ap-
peals. The recommendation made in the
last message in favor Of a law regulating
the issuing Of injunctions without notice
is repeated. The President also urges the
passage of the bill now pending to in
crease the salaries of federal judges.
This session of Congress will have
among its other duties the passing ~Of a
new apportionment bill based on the new
census returns.
with 6J.O00 enumerators, was taken rapid
ly and the whole accurately, and
showed total population in the United
States proper. exclusive OF Alaska. Of
u 81, :256. During the last ten years the
states of the Union had an aggregate in
crease of population of 1897 .dD1. which
amounts TO II per cent over the 1900
figures.
The population Of the United States. in
GLIDING Alaska, Hawaii and Porto Rico,
is s.402.15l. The total does not include
the Philippines. The increase, I'm the area
included. during the last ten years was
IL. 1881. or 2O.9 per cent. over 1855, $50.
the population in 1900. compared with an
increase of 14.276,SG4, OF per cent.
, over G2.9T9. 766, the population i'm 1890.
Growth Since 1870.
Since the first census was taken, in
1880. the country has grown twenty-five
times as large, the popula ton then having