davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1911-05-29
of politics issto be written there is no
reason why the Hon. George KONG
should not be the man to write it.
INVESTIGATING THE DIS.
TRICT OF COLUMBIA.

the proposed investigation of the
administration of District government
affairs cannot possibly hurt the Dis
trict, and it may do great deal of
good. The District has not been sin
vestigated" for great many years,
and it would not therefore be surpris-
ing if abuses, bad management, or un-
economical methods had grown up in
some of the. departments. If such
things exist, they should be uncovered
and remedied. An investigation which
revealed them would be beneficial. If
such things do not exist, an investiga-
ton which so demonstrated would be
beneficial, in that it would give the Dis
trict government a clean bill of health
and would silence criticism. In other
words, the District has everything to
gain and nothing to lose by the pro-
posed inquiry.
Chairman johnson of the House Dis
trict Committee, criticises the arrange
ment by which the old debt of the Dis
trict is being liquidated. He does not
object to the payment of the debt
originally about $2O,OOO,OOO, but now
only about $lO,OOO,O OO-by the District
and the United States, but he raises
the question whether the interest on
this debt should be met on the half
and half basis. He says he can find
no authority in law for the Govern
ment's contribution for interest.
This. is a new question, and it is
one which may properly be considered
by Congress. 1t does not seem possible
there can be any doubt of the legality
of the Governments interest pay
ments, in view of the fact that every
Congress has regularly made appro-
priations for this purpose and that no
question of the propriety of its ac
ton has ever been raised before. If,
however, there is any doubt as to the
legality and the wisdom of the prac-
tice, the issue should be thoroughly
threshed out.
The other features of the Oldfeld
resolution-authorizing the District
Committee to investigate local public
service corporations-must appeal to
every fair minded member of the
House and to all citizens of the Dis
trict who are anxious to have I>al
control and regulation of public dtni-
ties established. 1t is only by obtain
ing the fullest information concern
ing the public service companies that
the House District Committee can put
itself in position to draft and pass an
effective public service commission
bill
The Washington times., 1911-05-29
AUTHORITY OF THE CON-
MERGE COMMISSION.

In these columns a few days ago we
presented extracts from two annual
reports of the Interstate Commerce
Commission to Congress, in which the
Commission asked to be relieved of the
regulation of local street railway com.
panies. We showed that the Commits
sion itself realizes it cannot perform
this duty.
Today we present a concrete exam
pie of the Commissions inability to
fulfill the functions of local public
utility board for the District of Co.
lumbia. 1t is made possible by the
announcement that the District Elec-
trio Railway Commission, which is
merely a bureau of the Interstate
Commerce Commission, will decide, on
Thursday next, whether to recommend
to the parent body a regulation re-
quiring the street railway companies
to operate more "owl cars"
The secretary of the Commission has
been to considerable trouble and some
expense to obtain the sentiment of
street railway patrons. He has found
a demand for better night service, and
will so report to his superiors.
Let us suppose the Interstate Com
merce Commission orders the companies
to put on more owl cars. Will they do
it? Has the Commission the authority
to force them to do it?
Here's the Commissions authority,
laid down in the act of 1908:
Every street railroad company or cor
operating one or more street railroads
within the District of Columbia shall
on each and all of its railroads supply
and operate sufficient number Of cars,
clean, sanitary, in good repair, with
proper and safe power, equipment, ap-
pliances and service, comfortable and
convenient, and so operate the same as
to give expeditions passage, not to ex-
coed fifteen miles per hour within the
city limits or twenty miles per hour In
athe use of said cars, without crowding
said cars. The Interstate Commerce
Commission is hereby given power to
require and compel obedience to all OF
the provisions of this section.
Just where, under this section, will
the Commission find authority to force
compliance with its owl car order, pro-
vided it issues one? How hard would
it be for street railway lawyer to
punch that law full of holes if the
Commission attempted to use it as a
foundation for a regulation for an ex-
tended night serviceH
The most casual student of law need
not be told that this authority wouldn't
be worth the paper it's printed on. If
the street car companies decided they
didn't want to run more owl cars, they
wouldn't run them, and the Commits
sion would be as helpless as it found
itself when it attempted to prosecute
one of the companies for crowded cars.
If the people living in the suburbs of
Washington want better night service,
the surest and quickest way to get It
is to throw their influence toward the
creation of public service commission
clothed with real authority.
=
The Washington times., 1911-05-29


in this column.)
Lawn fete under the auspices OF me
Sunday school Of Church or the
Covenant 1925 F street northwest
The following Masonic organizations
will meet tonight: Lodge-kepanon on,
No. Z, special, NJ M: Naliepoli
Gonotto, Yelled Prophets ceremo-
The heaf following L o. o. F. lodges will
meet tonight: Covenant, No. u;
Beacon, No. Is; Excelsior, No. II;
Langdon, No. 26; Union. No. ITO.
Meeting of Equal Lodge, No. IT;
knights of Pythias, tonight.
Meeting of Usage Tribe, No: 6, /. Q. r:
M. tribal visitation, Fifth and 6
streets northwest, tonight.
sioux Tribe, No. Is, I. o. r. NJ, instttu-
tion of ''Hoosier Court, 623 Louisiana
avenue northwest, tonight.
Meeting of Oneita Council, Nc. ,, Gegree
of Pocahontas,f Masonic Temple, ana
costa, tonight. 81
Meeting OF Benning CoIncll' NO "a Jr.
q ri A. NJ, tonight.
Meeting of Camp No. .. P. o. s. Of A,
; Mariners Temple, Seventh street
Z southwest, tonight.
Meeting of Camp No.. ., p. y. 5. Of A,
a3I Eighth st, est southeast, tonight.
Meeting of advisory board, P. q. S. OF
A., Mariners Temple. tonight.
Meeting of Camp No. ., L. y. 5. ~ A,
odd Fellows Hall, Georgetown. to-
night.
The Washington times., 1911-05-29
Congressman Discussing Abolition OF Commerce Com,
Fearing 1t viii Anna! the Interstate Commerce Laz,s
Fear Expressed That Measures to Prevent
Relating viii Be Annulzed

Members of seriously considering
Court of Commerce.
Evidence of the courts innocence about the terms with
DEAL subject comments not indicative
confidence in courts equipment
jects coming before 1t.
Impending effort abolish the is based in
hndance to prompt and final adjudication of
questions.
It recalled that the Commerce Court provision
bill carried the House by a majority Of just vote
There real about the attitude Of the
sO-caled "tap line cases. Practically will determine
the big and powerful shippers to be allowed continue
method rebatng which, the law stands only be
reached through construction.
Between the Courts attitude the commodities
toward charges
divisions is feared the whole prevent
batting will
The Washington times., 1911-05-29

Y. w. C. A. of the country is again
demonstrated in the announcement that
the Washington Y. w. c. AS "Vaca-
ton Lodge" will be opened for the sum-
mer tomorrow. At this delightful camp
in Virginia young women of the city may
find inexpensive accommodations. af-
fording opportunity for a wholesome
vacation close at hand. The Y. w. c. a.
could not hit upon more practical and
beneficial way of giving real help to the
working women Of Washington.
The Washington times., 1911-05-29
July Fourth Fete for
Residents of PetWorth

Residents of Petworth are called to
attend a mass meeting Wednesday even
Ing to plan for the celebration Of the
Fourth OF July. The meeting viii be
held in the United Presbyterian Church
at p. m.
"A celebration by the people and for
the people," is the purpose this year,
says the call of the meeting. The United
Presbyterian Church Is at Georgia and
New Hampshire avenues and Rock
Creek Church road.
The Washington times., 1911-05-29
Broker Mumford Has No
Clue Yet to Daughter

CHICAGO, May 2e-No word has yet
been received OF Helen Mumford, the
missing daughter Of William o. Mum
ford, a board of trade operator Of this
city.
The girl is fifteen years old, and dis
appeared from her home last Tuesday,
when she left to attend school, wearing
neither hat or coat.
The Washington times., 1911-05-29
AWAKENING INTEREST
IN THE DIVORCE LAWS

To the Editor Of THE TIMES:
Two of the letters for the Mail Bag
on the divorce evil have been sent in
and others will follow in answer to
these.
Please accept our most sincere
thanks for your kind interest in the
matter and we most earnestly hope
these letters will bring about the de-
sired result of having the law so
changed that these makeshifts will be
impossible. c. w. LODGE.
The Washington times., 1911-05-29
Colored Boy Meets Fate
Of Innocent Bystander

Fred Mason, a ten-year-old colored
how. met the usual fate Of the 'Inno-
cent Eystander," ard is at Casualty
Hospital with a big bump on his head.
He lives at 70 Fourth street north
wet and was watching 4 ball game at
Sixth and Florida avenue yesterday,
wher he was struck by ball. He In
not seriously hurt
The Washington times., 1911-05-29

the creation of the new tribunal, es-
teeming IL sort of subordinate su-
preme court. There is well-defined I'M
preston among lawyers, specialists in
commerce affairs, that the Supreme
Court will take about the same pleasure
in reversing the Commerce Court, that
the Commerce Court seems disposed to
extract from overturning the commits
sion
1t is recalled, too, that the Commerce
Court provision in the Mann-Elkins bill
carried the House by a majority or
just one vote. If one Democratic mem
Der had not been absent, at dinner,
when the vote was taken, that pro-
vision would have been stricken from
the bill. Nobody was very much inter
ested in the court provision, but the
Administration lawyers who prepared
the FIRST draft of the legislation had
written it in, and wanted 1t to stay as
a concession to them. AS little else Of
theri original draft was left when Con-
gress got done with the measure, the
Commerce Court was left in by the
Senate as a sort of sop to the Admin
istratiOn.
Concern About Views
On "Tap Line Cases"
There is very real concern about the
attitude Of the new court toward the
so-caIled tap line cases." on which the
COMMISSION Hs-S pcSH a. WI n IVA .
long time. A great number OF briefs
have been filed in behalf of various tap
lines and Industrial railroads, and the
decision regarding them will be Of the
greatest Importance. Practically, 1t
will determine whether the big and
powerful shippers are to be allowed
to continue a method Of rebating which,
as the law now stands, can only be
reached through construction.
The injunction of the Commerce Court
in the Federal sugar case, involving
accessorial charges at New York, has
occasioned serious fears that the court
will decide the tap line cases in such
manner as to make possible a contin-
uance of present discriminating d.
visions In favor of the industrial roads.
A single case will illustrate how the
tap lines work 10 reduce freight charges
in the interest of great industrials. The
old Salt trust had a great plant at
Hutchinson, Kan. This plant included
a siding from 1000 to 5000 feet long. This
siding was sold in 1902 to the Hutchin-
son and Arkansas River Railroad Com
The Washington times., 1911-05-29
Many Valuables Lost
On Monument Grounds

Many valuables we're lost during the
field mass at tho Monument grounds
Yesterday, Mrs. R. r. Sherwood, wife
OF Representative Sherwood. being the
first to report loss amounting to 500
Mrs. Morgan Lewis this morning makes
complaint to Police Headquarters that
lorgnette and gold chain set with
amethysts. together with several other
articles, were taken from her automo-
bile while it was standing at the Monu-
!nent circle.
The Washington times., 1911-05-29
Supreme Court Considered
Far From Fayoring New
Tribunal.
WAS ORGANIZED AS
ADMINISTRATION SOP
Grave Concern Regarding Its Atti-
tude on Important Top
Line Cases."

railroad in no substantial way change
their real status. They remain mere
devices for extracting from the railroads
what amount to rebates.
Thousands of Tap Lines
Are Not Listed.
There are about 1900 Of these indus
trial railroads or tap/lines that the in
terstate Commission has not, listed.
They are in almost all cases controlled
by big. wealthy industries. A small
industry is not able to own even a few
miles OF road; or, owning it. has not
the power to force the trunk lines to
give II exorbitant divisions Of the
through rates.
In one case an industrial railroad three
mics long served big stone quarry in
indiana 1t was owned by the stone
quarry people: On stone destined to
BOSTON, more than LOO miles, this three
mile railroad was given cents per
100 pounds, out of total through rate
OF u cents; even larger prOportionals
were allowed in some other instances.
The General Electric Company has one
OF these Industrial roads at its Schenec-
tady ". Y, plant The trunk lines re-
1using to grant division of rates with
this switching system, the General Elec-
trlc petitions the Interstate Commission
to order them to do so. After hearing
the commission refused such an order,
holding that it was not a proper one
under the law
In the case of the Illinois and Norta-
ern railroad, switching system owned
by the International Harvester Com
pany and calling itself i railroad, COM
plant was filed that the railroads were
granting divisions to this switching ser
vice, so large that they amounted to
rebates. The commission found that
this was true; that 1t amounted to a
great discrimination in rates in favor OF
the International as against its compel
itors: and ordered a great reduction Of
the divisions that could be granted the
Harvester Company's road. This order
has been complied with ever since.
Commissions Power
Soon to Be Tested.
The whole question" Of the commits
sion's power over these industrial o.
tap lines is soon to come Up, in view
OF the provisions of recent LEGISLATION,
The commodities clause Of the Hepburn
act would have met the case. It pro
hibited railroad being interested In
the traffic II moved, and presumably
would have, on the other hand, prohibiteI
the traffic owning the railroad. But the
commodities clause was destroyed by
the Supreme Court
Therefore between the Supreme
Courts attitude toward the commodities
clause, and the Commerce Courts at
titude toward accessoriaI charges ami
divisions, it is feared that the who'll
code of measures to prevent rebatinG
will break down. That is the real ex-
PLANTATION Of the efforts to secure legis-
lation that will restore the commodities
clause in workable form, and prevent
any court making a decision that will
restore the traffic of the country to thu
cid methods of rebating in favor Of thu
more powerful shippers.
The Washington times., 1911-05-29
Amusements.

National-Aborn English Opera Com
pany, in Lucia di Lammermoor,"
Reia seo-aOld Heidelberg" Sis p. m.
olumbia-"Forty-F Five Minutes From
broadway" Sis p. m.
washington Canoe Club Minstrels,
Sis p. m.
Gayety-"Parisian Widows" 2:15 and
cosmos-Continuou vaudeville. / to
IL p. m
LANA Park-Midway attractions.
L03en Echo-Midway attractions.
The Washington times., 1911-05-29
Heir to AuStria'S
Throne Delays Trip

BUDAPEST, May 2e.-Despite assur-
ances of an improvement in the condi-
ton of Franz Josef, the aged Austrian
Emperor, Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
heir to the throne. Cancelled his con-
templated trip to Brussels, to remain
within immediate call and assume
the reins in the event OF his uacles
death.
The Washington times., 1911-05-29
Legislative Action With
Strong Backing Expect
ed Soon.
SEEMS HOSTILE TO
INTERSTATE BOARD
Judges Said to Have Shown Ignor-
ance of Terms of Law Will,
Which They Deal.
By JUDSoN C. wELLIvER.

Fear that the Court Of Commerce will
find means either to nullify or to clog
enforcement of the most important
features in the interstate commerce
laws has LED members Of Congress TO
enter upon serious consideration OF the
abolition of that court.
II is probable that legislation for this
purpose will be introduced very soon.
1t will cone from such quarters as to
indicate an important backing among
leaders, and unless plans are changed,
will he urged with much insistence.
People who have followed arguments In
cases before the Commerce Court lately
have been impressed that the court Is
disposed TO be distinctly hostile toward
the Interstate Commerce Commission.
This. however, is not the only impress
sion that has been made.
Lawyer Reads
Law to Judge.
Some time ago. in a case involving
charges for refrigeration of California
fruits, the commission ordered the per
car refrigeration charge reduced from
$50 to $50 The Santa Fe road asked
the Commerce Court to suspend the
enforcement Of this order. While argu-
ment was proceeding, judge asked
from the bench:
What has refrigeration to do With
transportation? 1t isn't transporta-
ton"
The learned judge couldn't see what
icing fruit had to do with trausporta-
ton. The lawyer gasped. and then
read FROM section l of the Hepburn act
the definition Of transportation, which
other vehicles . ventilation, re-
frigeration of icing ." etc.
And in another case a Judge, referring
II an order of the Interstate Commerce
Commission, demanded 10 know why
the order of the commission was limited
to two years. He wanted to know IL
conditions would not be just as bad at
:he end-nf that time.
Whereupon the lawyer read the pro-
vision of the law which limits such
orders to two wears.
Courts Innocence
of Law Causes Comment.
Such evidences as these. of the courts
innocence about the terms of the law
with which II must deal, have been the
subject of comments not always indica-
tive of the highest confidence in the
courts equipment to handle subjects
coming before It.
But the impending effort to abolish
the court Is based in the fear that it
will prove a hindrance, rather than an
aid. to prompt and final adjudication OF
Interstate commerce questions. 1t has
been very we'll understood that the Su-
preme Court did not view with favor
The Washington times., 1911-05-29


this fraction Of mile OF track; no cars,
engines, or other equipment.
Paper Concern
Pure and Simple.
The Hutchinson and Arkansas River
Railroad Company was a paper concern,
officered by the people who were also
officers of the salt company. Three
trunk line railroads connected with this
side track that called itself q railroad
and switched cars to and from the salt
works over It.
Now comes the rebate story. For the
use of this bit of trackage the trunk
lines granted, on salt destined to Mis-
souri, river points, . Ter cent OF the
through rate, up to 80 cents per ton.
That was equivalent to granting that
particular salt company a rate Of %
cent lower than competing concerns
could get; and its practical effect was
to force competing salt concerns in
Hutchinson 10 drop out of bulk salt
business to Missouri river points.
Plainly Illegal" was what the in
terstate commission called this division.
Yet 1t is pointed out that this allowance
was parallel. in all substance and eff
feet, to the lighterage allowance which
the Sugar trust gets at New York, and
which the Commerce Court has en-
joined the commission not to prohibit.
Scheme to Obtain
Concession In Rate.
The commission. discussing this Hutch
inson side-track railroad case, o.
served that it seemed to be purely a
scheme to obtain a concession in the
rate. 1t owns no equipment, issues no
bills of lading, performs no service. Its
sole function is to absorb . per cent
of the entire rate"
The language of that decision by the
commission gave the Industrial railroad
manipulators a tip. Many of those toy
railroads now issue their own bills Of
Iading. Some of them have engines
of their own. They lease cars from the
railroads at g cents day: that is,
they pay 50 cents for the day a car
stands on their siding being loaded or
unloaded. This gives color to the claim
that they lease" equipment-in fact.
that they are real rauroads. Yet these
performances Of the functions of real
The Washington times., 1911-05-29

With the coming of 1-cent postage
what happens to the postcard? Is the
country postmaster to be robbed Of that
source of information?
The Washington times., 1911-05-29

Evidently a fellow feeling does not
make everybody wondrous kind. since
Mayor Plant refuses to let the Mt.
Rainier citizens work their onions on
Sunday.
The Washington times., 1911-05-29

The locusts are still bearing down
upon Washington, but we hear nothing
of a side dish of wild honey.
The Washington times., 1911-05-29

The net total circulation Of The Washington
Times Sunday during the month Of April
was 07,905. all copies left over and returned
by agents being eliminated. This number,
when divided by 8, the number Of Sundays
during April, shows the net Sunday average
for April to have been Il, 5S1.
The Washington times., 1911-05-29
Hang out your flags early.

All the other religious denominations
might do well to hold their services for
a while in the open air.
The Washington times., 1911-05-29
Sunday.

The number Of complete and perfect copies
OF The Washington Times printed Sundays
during the month OF April was as follows:
April 2..........47,Il0 April 2s..........I'!O
April is.....:::..l5,54S ,''
The Washington times., 1911-05-29

The net total circulation of The Washington
Times daily during the month OF April
was LIS, 662. all copies left over and re-
turned being eliminated. This number when
divided by 25, the number of days Of publ
cation, shows the net daily average for April
20 have been s7.146.
The Washington times., 1911-05-29
Concert Today
By the q. S. Soldiers Home Band,
Bandstand, at 4 p. m.

JOHN S. NJ. ZIMMERMANN,
Director.
PROGRAM.
March, "Marche Militaire" Schubert
Overture, "Mignon" ........ Thomas
Idyl, after Sunset. Pryor
Grand Selection, "La Boheme"
Puccini
Characteristic, "Lucinda's Ser
enade" .................... Witmark
Excerpts from "A Trip to Japan"
Klein
Waltz Suite. -sourire d'AvriP'
Depret
Finale. "on Mobile Bay" wenrich
The Washington times., 1911-05-29

Unless that Darktown poker player,
who ran away with the kitty" is
apprehended it will become the duty of
the police to break W and suppress
these little diversions entirely.
The Washington times., 1911-05-29

In each issue of The Times the circulation
figures for the previous day plainly
printed at the head of the first page at the
left OF the date line.
The Washington times., 1911-05-29

Entered at the Postorfce at Washington,
D. c.. as second class matter.
The Washington times., 1911-05-29
APRIL CIRCULATION.
nafIV

The number OF complete and perfect copies
Of The Washington Times printed daily dur
ing the month OF April was as follows.
The Washington times., 1911-05-29
What's on the Program in
Washington Today.

1.-THE Times will be pleased to an
nounce meetings and entertainments
in this column
The Washington times., 1911-05-29

The sound common sense which di-
reefs the efforts Of the Y. N. G. A. and
The Washington times., 1911-05-29

Total for month. 1885, 1879
Daily average for month............. bS,44S
The Washington times., 1911-05-29

There's another method by which the
unmuzzled dog problem can be solved
besides clamoring for the dog catcher
to do his duty. The same results would
be obtained if all owners of dogs would
put muzzles on them voluntarily, without
waiting for an officer of the law to
force them to observe the muzzle pre-
caution.
The Washington times., 1911-05-29

With the bodies of the four McCul-
Tough brothers resting side by side at
Arlington the family name takes its
place by the side of Bixby, rendered
Immortal by the tenderest letter Lincoln
ever wrote.
The Washington times., 1911-05-29

Hon. Hannis Taylor's new book, The
Origin and Growth of the American
Constitution" which is just from the
press, credits Peletiah Webster as being
the real author of our organic law. The
former minister to Spain, who is one Of
Washington's most distinguished citi-
Gems, always writes Interestingly and
Authoritatively.