The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1913-06-12

making OF the tarlIt Oil Constituteu
the nearest approach to undue In
fluence on members Of congress that
the investigating committee would be
able to find.
Senator Townsends statements In
relation to President Wilson were not
In the form OF charges. He expressly
said he did not charge the president
with using improper methods. but he
insisted that the charges that lobbies
existed and the activity OF the presi'
dent In support Of free wool and free
sugar amounted TO an undue influ.
ence." even though he did not use the
big stick" OF patronage.
Minnesota Wins State Rate Fight.
The power OF the states to fix rea-
sonable intrastate rates on Interstate
railroads until such time as congress
shall choose to regulate these rates
was upheld by the supreme court OF
the United States In the Minnesota
freight and passenger rate cases.
At the same time the court laid
down far.reaching principles govern.
Ing the valuation OF railroad property
for rate-making purposes. and. accord
Ing to these. held that the state OF
Minnesota would confiscate the prop
erty OF the Minneapolis a ST. Louis
railroad company by It's maximum
freight and 2-cent passenger fare law.
II enjoined tho state from enforcing
these laws as to this road for the
present. In the cases OF tho Northern
Pacific and Great Northern. however.
Il held that the roads had failed to
show that the rates were "unreason'
able" or "confiscatory."
The decision. regarded as one OF the
most important ever announced by the
court, had been under consideration
for IL months. Railroad commissions
from eight states and the governors
OF all the states filed briefs In support
OF the state In the cases. recognizing
that the principles involved affected
them all.
Tariff Blow Aimed at Tobacco Trust
In accord with suggestions OF Attor'
ney General McReynolds. Senator
Hitchcock. OF Nebraska. introduced an
antitrust amendment TO the Under
wood tariff bill which would levy a
special additional excise tax on slid
Ing or graduated scale on manufac'
lures OF cigars. tobacco, cigarettes and
snuff. The amendment, coming from
democratic member. will receive
thorough consideration from the fin
ance committee.
The progressive excise tax proposed
would not reach a manufacturer until
he controlled about 25 per cent OF the
total production OF the articles. "a
National Capital srsvltIes.
Nothing that can be construed as an
ultimatum is contained In the Japan
ese rejoinder to Secretary Bryans
reply to the original protest against
the enactment OF anti.alien land hold
ing laws. which was submitted by Am
bassador Chinda TO the state depart
ment. The japanese note was long
and It's nature entirely argumentatiye.
1t has become known az Washington
that neither Standard Oil nor the to-
bacco trust has been actually dis
solved TO meet the requirements OF the
Sherman law, In the opinion OF Attor-
ney General McReynolds. Further ac-
ton against these combinations is
forecasted.
Representative Willis won an old
fashioned spelling bee conducted by
the National Press club OF Washing
ton, after an evening OF merriment In
which the president and many other
official folk engaged. Willis Spelled
down" l6 Washington correspondents,
seven senators and seven members OF
the house. Senator Poindexter was
the runner up"
Strong protests against the nominF
tion OF Rudolph Spreckels as ambassa-
dor to Germany are being made by
German societies In this country. The
administration has already approached
the German government 10 ascertain
whether Mr. spreckels will be accept
able, and no formal reply has been re
ceiyed from the EMPEROR.