Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1912-12-05

coffee to the American consumer, and
thereby laying a heavy tax upon him,
has developed what the attorney
general regards as a defect in the still
operative section of the Wilson tariff
law dealing with combinations.
Pointing to the fact that the gov
ernment was unable to secure a tenn
porary injunction restraining the ex-
portation of 925.000.000 bags of coffee,
said to be stored in New York eityunder
the valorization scheme. the attorney
general recommends the enactment of
an amendment to the Wilson law,
authorizing the seizure by the gov
ernment in the State of entry of mer-
chand'se imported for the purposes of
unlawful combination. At present
such commodities must be in the
course of interstate transportation to
justify seizure.
Competition Restored.
The voluntary dissolution of the
National Packing Company following
the acquittal at Chicago of the beef
packers of criminal violation of the
Sherman law has accomplished. in the
belief of the attorney general "a SUBJ
stantia1 restoration of competitive
conditions in a very large industry
which have not for a long time here
tofore existed
Objections to the Commerce Court
in the judgment of Mr.. Wickersham
would be met by legislation requiring
the Interstate Commerce Commission
to state in it's report, as basis for
its order. the findings OF fact and the
reasons on which the order is based;
providing that all finding of fact and
conclusions of policy appearing in ths
report shall be final and conclusive
and limiting court review exclusively
to questions of law arising upon the
commissions report.
AS a result of the decision of the
Supreme Court, holding that the Com.
merce Court has no power to review
so-calied negative" orders of the In
terstate Commerce Commission, the
attorney general recommends thai
the law be amended SO that the Com
merce Court will have jurisdiction tc
review all errors of law in respect &c
orders of the commission which deny
relief to shippers OF others, just ai
the court now has power to review
orders granting relief. The practica
result of the present situation, he
adds. is that relief against errors oi
law by the commission is limited tc
the railroads and denied TO the ship
pers.
Lehlgh Suit to Come Up Soon.
In connection with the suit against
the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company
under the commodities clause of the
interstate commerce act, because Of
It's alleged ownership aud transporta.
tion of the coal of the Leh.gh Goa
Company, the attorney general says
that the subsequent action Of the
railroad company in organizing the
Lehigh Valley Coal Sales Company
will be submitted to the court soor
to determine whether the situation
now satisfies the demands of the
law as interpreted by the Supreme
Court.
The Encouragement announces his
intention of soon filing suits in equity
against the Southern Pacific Railroad
Company and others for the recovery
of vast areas of petroleum-bearine
lands in California, said to be worth
more than s50O.000,00O. The Legislation
under which the patent5 were granted
to the railroad company. he says, ex
cepted mineral lands other than iror
or coal lands. The railroad company
contends, according to the attorney
general, that the exceptions in th'
patents are void.