The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-12-14

trust, lumber trust. milk trust,
wall paper combination. sugar trust,
transatlantic steamship pool, maya
zine trust shoe machinery trust.
suit In Oklahoma, and kindling wood
trust"
Emphasizing his satisfaction with
the decree of the New York circuit
court In the tobacco trust dissolution,
the attorney general has this to say
Of Independent tobacco interests who
have criticised the plan of disintegra-
ton:
Competitors Of the existing COM
position Of terms or conditions Of
the disintegration which would have
made a solvent, successful business
readjustment impossible. would have
Ssrought about receivership OF the
TAI onerty and forced judicial sales, re-
III in great financial loss, not
on. St hose interested in the COM
t binas. large. and in the business .
the II 'ns sefy ind wso hss sssn SnH
dominant in the, ,rmation Of the
combination. as they are possessed Of
means ample enough to profit by the
ruin which would have followed. In
my opininon. the plan which has been
approved by the court will accom-
plish the objects of the law"
Forty-six prosecutions for illegal
determinations and rebates were in
stituted against railroads during the
year. The attorney general urges the
amendment Of the 2s-hour law gov
erning the railroad transportation Of
live stock by imposing an imprison-
ment penalty for its violation.
The vigorous enforcement Of the
customs laws, the attorney general
says. resulted in the recovery Of ST.
100000 in duties out Of which the
government had been defrauded.
White Slave Act.
The white slave traffic act, now a
year and a half old. is having a salu-
tary effect, in the Judgment Of Mr..
Wickersham. The statute was dill
gently enforced throughout the coun-
results. One hundred and forty-flve
prosecutions were had. resulting in
seventy-six convictions. fourteen ac-
quittals and ten nolle pressed or 9TH
erwise discontinued. Forty.five cases
are pending. Sentences imposed rang
ed from a few months In Jail to ten
years in the penitentiary.
While prosecution against peonage.
the attorney geenral says, has
u"o .tuSh " SldHlp ~ Oul, tno pTdC"
tice still appears to be quite extern
sively carried on in some Of the
southern states He suggests the
strengthening Of the statutes so az to
AFFORD efficient protection Of persons
against slavery and involuntary servi-
tude, except as a punishment for
crime.
Mr.. wickersl,am calls attention to
the discovery OF extensive irregulari-
ties and IN some cases actual dishon-
esty In offices Of clerks of the United
States courts No effective reform,
he declares. can be accomplished until
the power Of removing the clerks
is taken from the judges and lodged
in the president and the clerks paid
a specific sum, instead by the fees
system.
Declaring that many OF the jails
where federal prisoners are confined
are wholly unsuitable for the deten-
tion OF human beings and ARE shock
ing breeding places Of crime," the at
torney general recommends the ap-
pointment OF commission to inquire
into the conditions. This commission
also would consider the general treat
nent Of Juvenile and first offenders.
The attorney general also recon-.
mends that the federal government
Us given the right to bring an action
against an individual or corporation
IN any part Of the country without re-
striction as to the place Of residence
OF the individual or the home state
Of the corporation.
The attorney general also recon-
mends a general immunity statute,
numerous laws for Alaska and a civil
service retirement law.