The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1912-05-16
NEWS FROM OUR
NATIONAL CAPITAL
Commerce Court is Abolished
by Revolutionary Bill Pass
ed by House.

ais such as have not Deen grOupeu III
any bill passed by the present session
of congress were adopted by the house
in the legislative, executive and judi
eial appropriation bill. The bill pro-
poses:
Abolition of the United States COM
merce court and the restoration to the
interstate commerce commission OF all
railroad regulatory power, subject to
appeal only to United States district
courts.
Creation of a bureau of foreign and
domestic commerce with all the pres
ent powers of the so-called tariff
board, to be under the jurisdiction of
the secretary of commerce and labor
Concentration of the distribution of
public documents, of which millions
annually are sent from Washington in
the government printing office.
The house overturned the committee
in charge of the bill in a number of
instances.
Revision of Patent Laws Urged.
President Taft took a decided step
toward revision of the patent laws
that have remained virtually unchang-
ed since 1870. He sent special mes
sage to congress asking for legislation
to authorize him to appoint a commits
sion to investigate the patent laws and
report what changes were necessary
The president referred to the recent
patent monopoly" decision of the SUI
preme court, through which users of
a certain machine were compelled to
buy from the company which sold the
machine a certain kind of ink for use
with it, and enumerated other reasons
which he said demanded the Lewiston
of the patent laws.
House Refuses to Abolish MINIS.
After a bitter fight the house de-
feated a proposal to abolish the minis
at San Francisco, New Orleans and
Carson Cit and the assay offices at
Boise, Charlotte, N. c., Deadwood, S.
D., Helena, Seattle and Salt Lake City
1t also refused to abolish the position
of deputy commissioner of lighthouse
service.
"Feeder" Rates Restored.
The interstate commerce commits
sion has issued an order requiring
western railroads to put into effect
and maintain for two years from June
IS, 1912, the rates on feeder" cattle
and sheep defined in the report of the
commission on March II, this year. In
effect, this order retains the rates on
stock cattle and sheep which have
been in force for long time, the can
collation. by the railroads of the lower
rates on such livestock being held by
the commission as unreasonable
Archibald Testimony Contradictory
Bewildered and almost lost in a fog
of contradictions from several wit
nesses, the house committee investi-
eating Impeachment charges against
Judge Robert w. Archibald of the
commerce court, ordered new inves-
tigation by the department of justice.
The new tack was provoked by the
contradictory testimony of Edward J.
"Option') Williams, Archbald's al
legged partner in the Erie culm coal
milo and thaf nf L
Scranton, a bookkeeper-prom
Jones riddles Williams testimony re-
garding the $500 note given by Arch
bald
Jones said that the note was in
dorsed by Judge Archibald "out of the
fullness of his heart to help him to
promote the deal; that the jurist never
had an interest in the option and that
he made the judge present of $3.50
later out of a $500 commission he
made in the sale of a culm bank.
National Capital Brevties
The senate has passed the Jones
bill providing for the compulsory ed
ucation of Alaskan children.
Chairman Pujo of the money trust
Investigating committee announced
that banks were responding fully to
the committees inquiries.
Rigid federal regulation of wireless
biography is provided in bill passed
by the senate. The measure gives the
secretary of commerce and labor au-
shority over all wireless stations and
provides for licensing them.
Two hundred and forty-two persons
were killed and 4706 were injured in
train accidents in the United States
during the quarter ended December
81, 1911, according to accident bulletin
| no. AZ, issued by the interstate COM
| cree commission
A personal statement by President
Taft was given out categorically deny
| ing that Major Archibald Butt, the
! presidents military aide, who was lost
On the Titanic, had gone to Rome on