The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-10-09
SUPREME COURT AGAIN
IN SESSION TO DECIDE
MANY IMPORTANT CASES
Question of Constitutionahty of
Initiative and Referendum
VIII Be Decided.
800 CASES ON DOCKET.
High Tribunal Will Also Decree
How Law Shall Be Applied To
Various Combinations.

WASHINGTON, Oct. s.-The su.
preme court OF the United States.
solution Of which will have a most
important bearing on the political and
economic development Of the nation,
convened at noon today for the octo-
ber term.
Chief Justice White and all OF the
associate justices, except Justice Day,
whose wife is i'll. were present. In
the enclosure reserved for the mem
bers of the bar were the legal forces
OF the department Of Justice under the
leadership of the attorney.general.
There was an array Of attorneys re-
tained as counsel who are prepared to
fight To the finish many important
legal battles.
Because of the absence OF the presi-
dent from the capital, the usual Gus
tom OF adjourning court Immediately
to give the justices an opportunity 10
call upon him was not followed.
The court received motions instead,
and disposed Of a large amount Of the
routine business which has accumu-
lated during the summer vacation.
The hearing OF arguments will not
begin until tomorrow. At that time
the fifst OF the important cases which
have been assigned for hearing before
the call of the regular docket will be
taken up. The question as 70 how
far the state railroad commissions
may exercise control in reducing or
adjusting rates on intra-state COM
nerce without conflicting with the
federal control of interstate CON-
merce; the question of the consu u
dunn method of government, and the
question as to what extent the Sher-
man antitrust Ia wmay be applied TO
various kinds Of combinations are in
cluded in the cases set for early
hearing.
The regulation OF railroads by tie
states, involving the so-called Mime
sofa rate cases in which Governors
Harmon, Aldrich and Hadley were ui-
rected by the house OF governors 70
present a plea on behalf OF the states.
In each of these the constitutionaiity
OF the law creating the state commits.
sions is contested by the RAILROADS ana
specific rate reductions involving fun
damental questions in rate regulation
are the objects Of attack.
The most important OF the pending
trust cases is the suit by the govern
ment to dissolve the so-called anthra-
cite coal trust composed OF NUMBER
of railroads and their subsidiary coal
and independent operators
with whom they have contracts. an
the circuit court the government won
its point on only one Of several counts.
The success or failure Of Its efforts
depends upon the attitude or the su-
preme court. Questions growing OUT
Of the administration OF the antitrust
law are whether railroad terminal as
such as that at st. LOUIS
are combinations In restraint OF trnde
and whether a corner on any COM
modify, such as the cotton corner
by James A. Patten anu
other big operators, are also amen
able to prosecution under this act.
The fate Of the bucket shops cases.
the result of rails in large cities IN
various parts Of the country more
than a year ago; the success or taii-
ure on the part of the government
efforts to prevent the coal lands Oh
Alaska from falling into the hands OF
large corporations, and the Vanolty
Of certain orders of the interstate
commerce commission are all IN
volved together with many other I'M
portant questions. in cases which VIII
he taken up for immediate considera-
ton.
Extraordinary energy on the part OF
the justices will be necessary II the
congestion in the court docket Is not
To become more acute, and 1t Is more
than likely legislation by congress 10
tassen their Iabors will be required In
the near future. The court mas oo'
cases. a record forCthe opening Day