New Ulm review., 1913-01-29

Members OF congress generally up
prove Mr.. Wilson's attitude IN the
matter. and II now seems probable
that q public reception will be sub
stituted tor the bail. There are no
| Indications that people win remain
away from Washington this year
because of the abandonment OF this
ltime.honored function. On the con
trary 1t is predicted that the throngs
who will visit the capital city to
witness the Inauguration will exceed
that of other similar occasions by
at least fifty thousand. When it Is
recalled that the inaugural visitors,
numbering several hundred thousand,
leave behind them two or three mil.
lion dollars, it can readily be under
stood that the event means much
In the way Of dollars and cents
to the city OF Washington.
Representatives Anderson. Volstead
and Hammond Of Minnesota, have
interested themselves In the case
Of two or three creameries in their
state. which have recently incurred
the displeasure of the internal rev.
enue division Of the treasury de-
partment. One of the creameries.
which enjoys good reputation for
the quality Of the product it man.
ufactures. operating in southern Min.
nesota. shipped 1.847 pounds OF but
ter to Pittsburgh. Inspectors from
the treasury department seized the
consignment, on the grounds that
it contained more than 16 per cent
of moisture. which under the regu'
lations promulgated by the internal
revenue division would make it an
adulterated product, subject to a
tax and penalty. The creamery has
paid the tax, but has entered OBJ
lection to the special tax of $3.50.
and penalty imposed amounting
to $275.
The Minnesota members of con-
gress, in whose district the creameries
are located. and who have taken the
case up with the department, take
the position that the government has
no right or authority to impose
the special tax and penalty, the
effect of which would be to place
these creameries in the undesirable
class of manufacturers OF adulter-
ated butter. In discussing the case,
Mr. Anderson called attention to the
decision OF the United States cir
cult court of appeals In the Milton
Dairy case, in which it was held
that the departmental regulations in
this respect are void, and that the
tax cannot be levied unless it be
shown that some process was used
in the manufacture of the butter,
or some substance introduced, to
cause an abnormal amount OF mols-
ture to be absorbed. Representa-
tives Anderson, Hammond and VOL
stead are thoroughly aroused at the
action taken by the department in
endeavoring to impose the special
tax and penalty and will make every
effort to secure a recall OF the or
der, which they consider improper
and unfair to the creameries IN
volved. .#.
Considerable interest is being man
iYested by house members as to the
practical result OF the provision In
the last postoffice appropriation bill.
giving each state $4,000. for the
Improvement of certain stretches Of
post roads, on condition that the
local communities double the amount
The secretary of agriculture and the
postmaster general some time ago
directed joint letter to the gov
ernor of each state advising him
Of the proposed federal aid and in
viting him to make a proper selec-
tion. The money is available out
of the federal treasury at once and
must be used before the end OF the
present fiscal year, June 80. Thus
far none of the states have indlcat-
ed selection of highway for i'm
provement. Although the heads o.
the two departments named are
charged with supervising the pro-
ject, with the cooperation of the
states, the details have not as YET
been worked out. 1t is stated that the
$40, 100000 to be raised by the coun- |
ties will be used in reconstructing
the road, while the $4,000 90 from
the government will be employed
for highway maintenance.
The entire subject of the probable
attitude OF congress toward highway
and the part it vii,
play in the future in helpingto solve
this problem, is now under consider
alton. The joint committee OF the
house and senate, consisting of ten
members. is now sitting and lis
tening to the views Of various good
road advocates. Several projects !
are before congress. The Shackel- |
lord bill, which provided for a fed
eral rental to communities for the
Use Of roads over which mail is
carried, passed the house, but was
defeated in the senate. One member
proposes an ocean to ocean high
way. Another scheme provides for
/ trunk line system OF roads, to
,e built at government expense, con.
lecting the several state capitols,
he states supplement the system
~ constructing branch links. Still
mother project is that the govern.
nent shall have at it's disposal
ump sum of money, to be expended