Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-12-31

0O0Ab
ers took possession of the seaport. villa
and Zapata united in support Of the.
Gutierrez interests and the prospect OF
peace in the immediate future is far from
encouraging.
On December Is. 5000 United States
troops were sent to Naco to stop continued
firing by the Mexican factions into United
States territory. The struggle between
the combatants in northern Mexico con-
tinues undated.
Longest Congressional Session.
The first regular session of the Sixty
third congress was the longest since that
great law-making body came into exist
ence-from December l. 1918. to October
"a, 1914. After the holiday recess both
branches were addressed by President
Wilson upon the regulation Of corpora
tons. In his address the president recon-
mended the formation of trade commits
sion, the doing away with interlocking d.
rectorates and holding companies. and an
antitrust law. On January "a the senate
passed bill authorizing the government
to construct a railroad in Alaska. On
February Is the house passed the bill.
During this month, also. the admins
tration introduced a measure into both
houses to establish rural credit system
by means Of cooperative banks. On Feb
ruary bill was introduced into both
branches which provided that the govern
ment might mine or lease on royalty
basis certain coal lands in Alaska.
On March the president delivered an
other address to congress in the house
chamber, in which he urged the repeal
of the provision in the Panama Canal act
OF August. 1912, exempting vessels en-
gagged in coastwise trade from the pay
ment Of tolls. With senate amendment
to the effect that the United States re-
linquished no rights under treaties with
Great Britain and with Panama, the tolls
repeal bill became law.
On April 20 the president again adj
dressed congress, giving the facts in the
Tampico affair and asking authority to
use force in compelling settlement Both
houses passed the necessary measures
without delay. On June the three
measures prominent in the presidents an
thrust legislation-the creation of trade
commission. the Clayton bill, and the rail-
road capitalization bill-were passed, but
1t was not until August that the senate
adopted the measure creating federal
trade commission. The Clayton antitrust
bill did not become law until October.
August 4 both houses unanimously
adopted an amendment to the federal re-
serve act, by which the secretary of the
treasury was given power to issue addi-
tional bank currency in such amount as
would be necessary to protect the bust
ness situation and avoid financial panic.
On September the president once more
addressed congress, pointing out the need
OF raising additional revenue to meet the
deficit causd by the decline in imports
due to the European war.
The closing days Of the congress passed
In an active effort conducted by members
from the cotton-growing states to obtain
legislation for the retail Of the growers
of the staple.
On October "a the first regular session
OF the Sixty-third congress came to an
end.
American Government and Politics.
On January Secretary McAdoo and
Secretary Houston began series of
hearings to determine where the new fed
eral reserve banks were to be established.
The federal reserve bank system went in
to effect November 16. On January 10
the Washington authorities and the New
York, New Haven and Hartford railroad
officials came to an agreement by which
the railroad relinquished Its trolley lines.
Its control of the Boston and Maine and
most of Its steamship lines, In order to
avoid further conflict with the Sherman
antitrust law. President Wilson nomi-
mated John Shelton Williams, then assis-
tant secretary Of the treasury, to be
comptroller Of the currency and ex-oflcio
member of the new federal reserve board.
On January q the president signed an
important order which established a per-
manent civil government in the Panama
Canal Zone. to 60 into effect April l. A
few days later he nominated Col George
w. Goethals to be first governor On
February IL the government brought suit
at Salt Lake City to compel the Southern
Pacific railroad to relinquish its control
OF the Central Pacific.
In March government proceedings were
begun against two railroads: The inter-
state commerce commission accused the
Chicago. Milwaukee and st. Paul road
with overstatement Of income and other
financial Irregularities. and suit was
brought against the Lehigh Valley road
under the charge that 1t was monopoliz-
ing the anthracite coal industry through
subsidiary companies. In this month. also,
the department of Justice announced that
plan for breaking up the transportation
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 monopolis-
tic combination. On April 2 the commit
tCo dppoiuICo AOT tHo purpose announced
that it had selected twelve federal re-
serve districts. with their central bank
Ing cities, under the new currency law.
On June 8 the American Thread com.
pany, which was proved to be a combina-
ton 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 commerce 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 in 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 81, 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
commerce commission denied the petition
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