The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1914-12-31

with overstatement of income and other
financial irregularities. and suit was
brought against the Lehigh Valley road
Under the charge that II was monopoliz-
ing the anthracite coal industry through
subsidiary companies. In this month, also.
the department of justice announced that
a plan for breaking up the transportation
monopoly practiced by the New York.
New Haven and Hartford had been ar
ranged satisfactory to all parties.
Early in April the government met with
defeat In its attempt TO prove that the
Delaware, ~Lackawanna and Western road
and the coal mining company of the same
name existed as an illegal and m~oRopolis-
tic combination. On April 2 the commit
tee appointed for the purpose announced
that II had selected twelve federal re-
serve districts. with their central bank
ing cities, under the new currency law.
On June s the American Thread COM
pany, which was proved TO be a combina-
tion of manufacturers which practically
controlled the output. forestalled the ac-
ton contemplated by the department OF
justice by dissolving. In June. also. the
United States supreme court affirmed the
power Of the interstate COM
| mission TO fix rates. and held that pipe
lines are common carriers and must carry
products at rates fixed by the commission.
On June Is the president made public
a charge that big business interests had
been trying TO force congress to adjourn.
He declared that he should do everything
in his power to keep congress I'm session
Until the proper business legislation had
been enacted.
In July the commission found that the
| former management Of the New Haven
road was criminally wasteful and negli-
gent. President Wilson directed the at
torney general, July q, to begin civil and
criminal proceedings against the New
York, New Haven and Hartford road, and
two days later the suit was begun in the
United States district court at New York.
On the first day Of August the interstate
| commission denied the petition
of the eastern railroads for a general in
| crease of 5 per cent in freight rates. but
allowed certain increases in the middle
West. On August II the dissolution of the
International Harvester company, desig-
mated as a monopoly in restraint Of trade,
| was ordered by the Lrited States district
court at st. Paul, MINI
The Panama Canal was formally opened
for world traffic on August Is. The steam
er Ancon, belonging TO the panama rail-
road, passed from ocean to ocean In ten
hours. In September the railroad rate
case showed increased activity. The roads
east of the Mississippi and north OF the
Potomac again petitioned the interstate
commerce commission for permission to
advance freight rates 5 per cent, and the
commission consented to eopen the case.
The commission granted the increase.
with certain exceptions. on December IL.
In October the court dismissed all but
one of the governments charges in its
suit to dissolve the Atlantic steamship
trust. Final argument in the suit 10 dis
solve the Steel trust was made at Phila-
delphia, and the discussion of increased
railroad freigh rates was resumed before
the Interstate commission.
At the elections held on November 3 the
Democratic majority in the house Of rep
resentatives was reduced from 17 10 q,
although the Democratic majority In the
senate was increased from 10 to 16. Con-
stitutional amendments giving the suf-
frage to women were carried in Nevada
and Montana and prohibition triumphed
in Washington. Oregon. Arizona, and
Colorado. In Missouri the so-called 'full
crew" law passed by the legislature was
rejected.
Politics In Other Lands.
On January q Michel Oreste. president
OF Haiti. warned OF the approach of a
large body Of revoiutionists abdicated has,
lily and took refuge on a German cruiser
On February s Orestes Zamor was elected
president Of Haiti. and on the same day
Jose Vicente Concha was elected presi-
dent OF Colombia.
On March II. as the finale to a bitter
political and personal controversy. the
wife Of the French minister OF fnance
Mime. C%aillaux. shot and killed the editor
of Figaro, CASTOR Caimette. Her hus,
band resigned his Office at once and 2
new cabinet was formed. The trial OF
Nine. Caillaux resulted in her acquitta
on July %. On March IA a treaty OF peace
between Turkey and Servia was signed a
Constantinople, a sequel to the Balkan
war. On May ! the new Chinese consti
tuition was published. II abolished the
premiership and gave increased power &c
the president. On May 6 Prince Alexan,
der OF Teck. Queen Mary's brother. was
appointed encouragement Of Canada.
On May Is Colonel Benavides. leade,
of the Peruvian faction which expelled
President Biliinghurst. was elected pro,
visional president. Three DAYS later a
group Of senators and deputies declared
Roberto Leguia provisional president. Tht
Peruvian supreme court, however, recog.
nized Benavides. On July 81 Ahmed Mir
"a, sixteen years of age. was crowned
shah of Persia. On August 8 the French
cabinet was reconstructed on a commit.
tee of national defense basis. Rene vi.
viani, Socialist, remained premier.
On September Is the Albanian senate
which had driven its recently elected ruler
II III NlilldIl oI Nltd-Oul O1 tlt
country, chose a Turk for king-Prince
Burhan-Eddin. son of the deposed Abdul
Hamid OF Turkey. The European powers
protested, but their wishes were disre-
garded. On October 4, after four months
exile. Essad Pasha, accompanied by ar
armed force, entered Albania and took
possession of the government. On tho
day following the death of King Charles
of Roumania his nephew, Ferdinand, took
the oath Of office as sovereign.
Industrial Trials and Triumphs.
The Ford Motor company at the begin
ming Of the year adopted a proft-sharing
plan by which $40 800 is to be distrib-
uted annually among the 5000 wage-earn-
ers OF that concern The great South Afri-
can railroad strike came to an end. o
January 10 a strike OF the Delaware and
Hudson railroad men. as a protest against
the discharge OF two employees. was set
tied within sixteen hours by the federal
board OF mediation and conciliation.
Two great labor controversies had been
left over from the preceding year-one In
the Michigan cope mines. which began
July %. 1913. and another In the Colorado
coal fields, where 1900 men had been on
strike since Septeml er % OF the previous
year. Violence ems ned and federal aid
was demanded. On April 20 the striking
miners clashed with the state militia near
Trinidad. Colo, and twenty-five persons
were killed or burna ID to death in a fire
which followed. President Wilson ordered
federal troops TO tie scene. II was not
until September Is that the strikers and
their employers accepted President Will
sons offer for a settlement of their dis
pute, but his plan was rejected. On the