Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-01-09
FROM WASHINGTON

ttOll vi llC -NCNlOuiilldHA iiohSAi ~ WV
opened at the State Department today
between representatives OF the govern
ments OF Canada and the United States,
in an effort to avoid the appointment
Of a Joint commission. /. 2. Brodeur,
minister of marine and fisheries, and
Sir Alan B. Aylcsworth, minister OF
rstice, of the Dominion cabinet, were
met by Chandler Anderson, counselor
Of the State Department, IN whose
bands the negotiations have been
placed. Secretary OF State, Knox, was
present. It is understood, however,
that he will leave the active negotiation
to Mr.. Anderson.
Claims totaling hundreds of thous-
ands OF dollars must be paid to south
ern and western shippers by the Mis-
souri, Pacific, the Santa Fe and fourteen
other railroads asa result of an order
issued by the Interstate Commerce
Commission today The decision is
based on the Missouri rate case. invol-
wing the demands for relief in the sum
of 81. 10000 by the Burnham-Han-
nah Munger Dry Goods Company, OF
st. Louis, and other concerns, in which
the United States Supreme Court re-
Gently sustained the decision of the
commission,against the railroads. Rep.
arations are now ordered to be paid on
all shipments made between November
10, 1909, and October 26. 1910, from
Atlantic Seaboard points to Missouri
river cities, Sioux City, Iowa and other
localities taking the same rate.
Just how the American Tobacco
trust squeezed gigantic profits out OF
its monopoly of the tobacco business
and stified competition by unfair
methods was the second chapter in the
argument before the Supreme Court OF
the United States today by ]. G..
McReynolds, government counsel, in
the antitrust suit. McReynolds &C.
cupicd the greater part OF the afternoon
in his arraignmcnt of the trust and It's
methods. Much Of it was q history of
the combine, and the assistant attorney
general did not get down TO the dry,
legal aspects OF the case until later.
Some surprise was caused among law
yers at court by the contention, more
insistentIy made today than during the
argument Of the cases during the last
term. that tic trust" had violated the
antitrust provisions OF the Wilson
tariff act Bare mention OF this con-
tcntion was made last year, but at this
term the government apparently hopes
to insure its victory by relying as much
| upon this statute as the Sherman anti
trust law. Many provisions OF the two
are almost identical.
President Taft today nominated Ell
lott Northcott, of Clarksburg, w. Va,
to be minister to Nicaragua, and Frank
lin Mott Gunthcr, to be secretary to
the American legation in Nicaragua.
Gunthcr is a resident of Amherst, Va.
Also the following to be postmasters's
in Virginia: G. A. Edwards, at Alta
Vista; G. w. Rose, at Toms Brook;
and Harvey Libby at Hampton.
Naval officers attach no significance
TO the reports that evidence has been
found by those at work raising tho
Maine Indicating that the battleship
was blown up by an internal explosion.
That the obstruction Of the battleship
was due to the explosion OF her maya
zines was definitely established years
ago. they said, by the naval investiga-
ting board. The only question now in
doubt is whether the magazine ex-
plosion was caused by mine explosion
outside the vessel.
The most notable battle ever fought
before the Interstate Commerce Com
mission began today when q score or
more OF attorneys, representing the
railroads and the people, opened argu-
| mcnts for and against the recent in
crease in freight rates on practically
MI the necessities of life. The people
demanded relief, declaring the rates
now effective to be exorbitant. They
charged that they were practically
being made the victims OF extortlon
in order that railroad stockholders
! might receive swollen dividends. 1t
vas decla,cd, that the earnings, could
be still further reduced by scientific
| management. I" Railroad attorneys
denied every contention OF the people.
They declared past rate advances to
have been necessary in order TO meet
wage increases, augmented operating
expenses, and road Improvements.
One hundred and fifty boomers OF
New Orleans rs the Logical Point"
for holding the Panama Exposition
flooded the ante-room OF President
Taft today to impress him with the de-
termination OF the south to secure that
prize. The delegation was headed by
Governor Sanders, Senators Foster and
Thornton of Louisiana, Senator-elect
John Sharp Williams and former Sena-
tor James Gordon, of Mississippi, and
Mayor Behren, Of New Orleans. Alter
visiting the president the delegation
called upon Vice-President Sherman
as president OF the SHnate and Speaker
Cannon and spent the, morning doing
boost wurI, among the congressman.
The conStitutionality Of the Missouri
state law Of 1909 prohibiting the re-
duccSon OF weight on grain, seed, hay
and coal was upheld today by the U.
s. Supreme Court in decision in the
case OF r. j. House against the attor-
ney general OF Jackson county. The
law, which provided that a reduction
in weight inyalidated contract and
WAS to be considered misdemesnor,
was in direct conflict with the rules OF
az Kansas city hon rl Of trlde which