Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-07-01
u. S. LOSES RICH
OIL LAND SUIT
Supreme Court Rules Against
Plea for Land.
VALUED AT s7oo,oOo,oOo
justices Hold That Secretary Of the
Interior Should Have Ascertsined
Value Of Tracts Involved Be-
fore Granting Patents.
SUPREME COURT RULINGS.

SUPREME COURT RULINGS.
OIL LANDs-Ruled for railroads and
against government In contest over
western tracts valued at s7oo,ooo,-
900.
TOBACCO PooL-DeeIared unconsti-
tutionsI kentucky statute legailzin9
farmers combine.
CHURCH voWS-Deeiared vows OF
poverty In Roman Catholic orders
not against public policy.
PIPE LINEs--Aet placing all Inter
state oil pipe limos under Interstate
commerce. commission regulation
held constitutional but not appll-
cable to Uncle Sam Oil company.
LUMBER TRusT-"Biacklistino" Of
certain retail lumber dealers by
Eastern States Retail Lumber Deal
ers' association held violation Of
Sherman law. Government suit up
held.
FREIGHT RATE3-spokane and 9TH
err IntermountaIn cities won fight
against 16 railroads for reduced
freight rate.
HARVESTER coMPANY--Rlght Of
state Of kentucky to prosecute the
international Harvester company 10
upheld, although the company has
no office In that state.
CUBAN suGAR--Effort Of Louisiana
to prevent continued imports Of
Cuban sugar at 20 per cent under
the regular duty, by enJoInlne the
secretary Of the treasury, Is refused.
Washington, June 24.-Transconti
mental railways won their fight for
title 10 about $700,000.00O worth of oil
lands when the Supreme court on
Monday held void the clause In the
patents making the land revert TO the
government IL found to contain miner
ais. Justice Vandevanter announced
the decision.
The court held that the patents
were irregular. but that they could
not be attacked collaterally-by other
claimants-but could be set aside only
by direct attack by the govern
ment.
Justice Nandevanter, for the court.
incidentally emphasized the claim that
the governments time in which 1t
could attack the patents had expired
in 1900 or 1901.
The government has a separate suit.
distinct from this case. to cancel the
patents TO oil lands held by the trans
continental carriers.
The decision was in case brought
by Edmund Burke OF California. who
claimed the right to lands now held
by the Southern Pacific, on the
ground that they should revert TO the
government because oil had been
found after the issue OF the patent
to the railroad.
The government contended that
when II gave the lands TO the railroad
II did not grant minerals not then
known to exist Each patent issued
contained an exception and reserva-
tion reading.
Excluding and excepting all min
eral lands should any such be found
in the tracts aforesaid"
Justice Vandevanter held that
general statute made 1t the duty OF
the secretary OF the interior TO In
qulre whether the lands were of the
class for which a patent could be Is
sued.
Spokane and other intermountain
cities won their long fight against 16
railroads for reduced freight rates by
the Supreme courts decision of the
celebrated 'intermountain rate" or
"long-and-short-hauf case. The court
approved the radical rate reduction on
west-bound freight to western inland
cities ordered by the interstate com
MERGE commission.
The Kentucky statute making II
legal for farmers to pool their tobacco
was annulled as unconstitutional by
| the Supreme court