davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Prescott daily news. (Prescott, Ark.) 1907-1941, 1914-08-07
ARK KANSAS TAX COMMIS-
SION URGES ACTION
Asks Members of Boards of Equali-
zation Who do not Intend to Serve
to Tender Resignation so that
Successors May Qualify.

Little Rock, Aug. THE Arkan-
sas Tax Commission is sending to the
members of the Boards of Equaliza-
tion over the state, urging the men,
bers who do not intend to serve this
year to resign at once in order that
their successors be appointed and qua
lily in time to serve in September
when the work begins. The Com
mission also calls the attention of the
equalization boards to existing condi-
tions in some counties, and asks that
all assessments be placed at 80 per
cent. Special attention is called to
the assessment of merchandise, man
ufacturing plants, moneys, and Gre
dts. The Commission says that the
average stock of merchandise carried
for the year must be assessed, with
a deduction for the amount allowed on
the goods. In assessing notes, not
the face. but the actual value must be
taken, and the amount the owner owes
on the notes may be deducted before
the 30 per cent valuation is determin-
ed. The boards are also requested to
assess improvements made during the
year, and do as much as possible to
equahze assessments on real estate.
nessee or whatever ships are found
necessary for the occasion.
Mr.. Wilmath as disbursing officer,
will have entire charge of the govern
ment relief fund. Under the joint res
olution of the fund it will be used to
cover the entire expenses of citizens
needing relief. The bank funds will
probably disbursed under his .direc-
tions.
=
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01

Into the company came a stranger.
Captain Thomas Moran. OF an American
merchant sloop. who had been in British
custody. and had just been put ashore
from the Families Warmed with a glass
Of good New England rum. he told Of an
incident in the cabin OF the Families
just before he left that vessel
While / was there with Sir Thomas
Hardy" said he. in came Captain Hope
OF the Endymlon and began to praise his
ship. TO the disparagement Of the Ameri-
cans DO you not think, Mr.. Moran
asked he. that your fine United States
there would rather slip out and prey upon
unarmed British merchantmen than lay
herself alongside the Endymion| Before
] could give him a fitting answer sir
Thomas interviewed. Nay, Hore' sara
he, but should like 10 see fair match
between the Statira and the Macedonian
Tor they are sister ships and equal IN
strength Why not. sir? said l. al
which he returned 4 should welcome H.
ana should furnish the men and give
room Tor II; but the challenge must come
( from the American side When ] babe
MN farewell. | told Sir Thomas that t
would not be my fault II he heard no
more Of IL"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01

ton. Since then the Endymion mad oeeh
renovated and specially prepared TO en-
gage any American frigate when she
might meet, and. indeed. had been sent
ont with the express purpose OF seeking
such AN engagement Captain Hopes CON
fdence was therefor not unfounded' ana
il is 10 be presumed that he was really de-
sirous of lighting the United States ana
would have done so had he not been Tor
hidden by his more cautious commander
who saw much TO risk and little 10 gain
in such an undertaking. But whoever was
RESPONSIBLE for the futile outcome, the IN
cident stands memorable. If not Unique IN
the records Of the British navy.
IL was a strange turn OF fate that AL
most exactly year later Decatur. with
the President, end Hope. with the Endy-
mion. met again I'm an engagement which
narrowly escaped being fatal 10 both yes
sells. on the night of January u. lsl5'
after peace had been made between
America and England. but before the
news Of il was known In this country
Decatur. with the frigate President.
strove TO slip out of the blockaded port OF
New York, but near Sandy Hook ran the
vessel aground and damaged her so much
as 20 make fer almost a cripple In sailing.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01

catur with a note practically declining
the meeting.
Il have no hesitation whatever" he
wrote. Gin permitting Captain Stackpole
in the Statira TO meet the Macedonian,
as they are sister ships. carrying the same
number of guns and weight of metal. But
as II is my opinion the Endymion Is not
equal to the United States |
must consider ii my duty (though very
contrary to the wishes OF Captain Hope)
TO decline the invitation on his part
To this Decatur replied the next day
10 the effect that since the four vessels
could not be engaged he did not think
himself authorized to permit meeting
Of only two OF them.
The fact was that the Endymion mount
ed 40 guns 2i-pounders. while the United
States mounted only As. OF the same size.
The Statira carried As guns. 1S-pounders'
and the Macedonian A.. These were the
main deck guns Elsewhere the United
states had some carronades heavier than
the Endymion's. giving the former the
heavier total weight OF broadside. De
catur. realizing this. in his eagerness for
guns. so as 10 make the two vessels eX-
actly equal I'm armament bat Coote re-
piled that they did not consider two or
three guns Of any consequence; the DIFF
ference was in the men. the crews were
everything" This ended the episode. 10
the great disappointment OF the Ameri-
cans. which was tempered. however. by
the practical confession that the British
were afraid 10 meet them, man 10 man
Two years before this time the Endy-
mion was commanded by Sir Richard
Baton, and among some captives taken
by IL was Mr.. White. who ~ the time OF
this proposed duel was sailing master Of
the United States. Baton then told
White that he ought 10 feel honored at
being captured by the Endymion, since
she was the only frigate the British had
that was able to cope with the Constitu-
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01
REACTIONARlES OF THE BUSl-
NESS WORLD.

The big rcacuonaries of the business
world and their allies and instruments
among politicians and newspaper editors
took advantaee Of this division Of opin-
ion and especially of the fact that most
Of their opponents were on the wrong
path. and fought to keep matters abso-
Wtely unchanged These men demanded
for themselves an immunity from govern
mental control which. If granted, would
have been rs wicked and as foolish as
immunity 10 the barons of the twelfth
century. Many Of them we're evil men.
Many others We're just as good men as
were some Of these same barons; hut
they were As utterly unable as any
medieval castle owner TO understand what
the public interest really was. There
have been aristocracies which have
played great and benefcent part at
stages I'm the growth of mankind: hut we
had come 10 the stage where for our
people what was needed was a real de-
mocracy. and Of all forms of tyranny the
least attractive and the most vulgar is
the tyranny Of mere wealth, the tyranny
of rlutOCrat
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01
GOVERNMENTAL CONTROL OF
THE EXPLORATIONS.

When ! became President the question
al % the method by which the United
States government was 10 control the
corporations was not Yet important. The
absolutely vital question was whether the
government had power TO control them at
all This question had not yet been de-
cided in favor OF the United States gov
eminent. IL was useless TO discuss meth
DDS OF controlling big business by the
national government until il was definite
ly settled that the national government
had the power to control IT, \ decision
OF the supreme Court had. with seeming
dchniteness. settled that the national gov
eminent had not the power.
This decision ] caused 10 be annulled
by the court that had rendered it, and
the present power Of the national govern
ment TO deal effectively with the trusts
Is due solely 10 the success of the admin
istiatiOn in securing this reversal Of its
former decision by the Supreme Court
The Constitution was formed very large
ly because il had become imperative 10
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01
THE DELICATE POSITION OF SIR
THOMAS HARDY.

Il snail be grateful If you viii assure
Commodore Decatur and Captain Jones
ne said TO Biddle. that ! consider the
offer very liberal one. and that shall
leave accordance or declination or II en-
tirely with Captain Hope and Captain
Stackpole. In doing this | am. however
taking upon myself a great respohslDil'
ity. as YOU will understand. II the con-
test takes place and my frigates are
beaten ! shall unquestionably be broken
and shall be fortunate IL lose no more
than my place in the service. H. on the
other hand. my frigates win, why, they
may make me a bishop.
The same day Stackpole replied in
letter TO Decatur that II Captain Hardy
nermitted IL IL would afford the captain.
officers and crew OF the Statira the
greatest pleasure 10 meet Captain Jones
I'm the Macedonian tomorrow, next day OF
whenever such a meeting may better SUIT
his purpose. let him only be pleased 10
appoint the day and place; say. SIX or ten
leagues south Of Montauk Point or fur-
Their II he pleases. My only object for Sc
lecting this distance from the shore Is To
avoid any interruption. All | request Is
that both ships may quickly meet
Hardy. however. had told Fiddle In
parting that the matter would have 10 De
considered overnight. and an answer
vould he sent the next day. Accordingly
on January 10. he sent Captain Coote' OF
the British sloop-of-war Borer' to De-
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01
OVERTHROWING THE KNIGHT
CASE DECISION.

Mr.. Justice White was entirely correct
In this statement. The cases were par
allel. II was necessary 10 reverse the
knight case in the interests of the people
against monopoly and privilege just as
it had been necessary TO reverse the
bred Scott case in the interest of the
people against slavery and privilege; just
as later IL became necessary 10 reverse
the New York bakeshop case in the IN
tercst OF the people against that form OF
monopoistic privilege which puts human
rights below property rights where wage
workers were concerned.
BY vote OF five 10 four the Supreme
Court reversed its decision in the Knight
case and in the Northern Securities case
sustained the government The power TO
deal with industrial monopoly and sup
press it ard TO control and regulate COM
binations OF which the knight case had
deprived the federal government was thus
restored to it by the Northern Securities
cacp,
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01
OOSEVELT RECOUNTS FIGHT TO CONTROL BIG BUSINESS
Recalls Suits Brought
Under His Direction
in Which Govern
ment WasSuc.
cessful.

Securities Company. not long after
became President, on the advice OF the
Attorney General. Mr. Knox. and through
him | ordered proceedings to be insti-
tuted .or the dissolution Of the company.
AS far as could be told by their utter
ances at the time. among all the great
lawyers in the United States Mr.. Knox
was the only one who believed that this
action could be sustained. The defence
was based expressly on the ground that
the Supreme Court In the Knight case
had explicitly sanctioned the formation
OF such a company as the Northern Sc
curties Company. The representatives Of
privilege intimated. and sometimes as
serted outright. that in directing the &C
ton 10 be brought l had shown lack
OF respect for the Supreme Court. which
had already decided the question al issue
by vote Of eight 10 one Mr.. Justice
White then on the court and now Chief
Justice. set forth the position with what
regard as incontrcvertible logic. In CIV
ing the views Of the dissenting minority
on the action | had brought he said:
The parallel between the two cases Tho
Knight case and the Northern Securities
easel is complete. The one corporation
acquired the stock of other and compel
ing corporations in exchange for It's own.
IT was conceded for the purposes OF the
case that i'm doing so monopoly had been
brought about in the refining OF sugar.
that the sugar TO be produced was likely
TO become the subject OF interstate COM
merce. and indeed that part OF IL would
certainly become So But the power Of
Congress was decided not TO extend to
the SIbieNf hpCanSp OWneFohin of
the stock in the corporations was not
itself commerce.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01
a CHALLENGE IN THE AIR, BUT
WHERE?

The only difficulty that appears to be
I'm the way" wrote Decatur. lis from
whom the formal invitation is 10 come.
IT. sir. YOU admit Moran's statement TO
be correct. the difficulty will be removed
and YOU will be pleased TO consider this
as an invitation; at the same time we
beg Won will assure Captains Hope and
stackpole that no personal feeling tow
ard them induces me TO make this COM
munication: they are solicitous to add
IN the renown OF their country We
honor their motives
Meantime the American vessels pre-
nared for the meeting. their crews enter
ing into the business with the greatest
zest Captain Jones made short speech
70 his crew, which he ended by saying
"My lads. our cruise Will be short but'
I trust a very profitable one.
when Riddle reached the kamliiles
Hardy received him courteously. ana
then Immediately sent for Hope or the
tpdvmion. and Stackpole. of the sta
tira. TO come aboard. ON their arriNa'
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01

give 10 some central authority the power
to regulate and control interstate com
merce At that time. when corporations
were in their infancy ard big corporations
unknown. there was no difficulty in eXer-
cising the power granted. In theory the
right of the nation 10 exercise this power
continued unquestioned. But changing
conditions obscured the matter in the
sight of the people as whole and the
conscious and the unconscious advocates
of an unlimited and uncomfortable capi-
talism gradually secured the whiting
away of the national power to exercise
this theoretical right of control until II
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01
CHARLES j. 6ONARARTt

The test case was or the absorption of
the Knight company. (The case is known
in the law books as l.. :. vs. +. {. Knight.
156 L. :. Sept, y. H. The supreme
Court of the United states with but one
dissenting vote held adversely 10 the gov
eminent. The justices took the ground
that the power conferred by the Constitu-
ton to regulate and control interstate COM
merce did not extend 10 the production
or manufacture Of commodities within a
state. and that nothing in the Sherman
antitrust law prohibited corporation
from acquiring all the stock Of other cor
porations through exchange Of its stock
FOR theirs. such exchange not being com
merce" i'm the opinion of the court, even
though by such acquisition the corpora
ton was enabled TO control the entire
production of commodity that was
necessary Of life.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01
ENDYMION IN PURSUIT OFF
LONG ISLAND.

The next morning. of the south coast Of
Long Island. he was pursued by the
Endymlon and was soon overtaken. Des-
perate counsels prevailed. He determined
to fight the Endypion and. II possible.
take her by boarding Then. on that swift
British ship he could escape the other
three British fr.eates which were joining
in the chase. Otherwise, he would destroy
the President rather than have her taken,
and with that desperate purpose he point
ed a heavily loaded carronade down a
hatchway. so that when IL was discharged
il would blow a gaping hole through the
bottom of the ship.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01
THE MULTIPLICATION OF THE
ANTITRUST LAW.

The effect Of this decision was not mere
Is the absolute notification Of the anti
trust law SO far as industrial corpora
lions we're concerned. but was also in eff
feet a declaration that under the Con-
stitution the national government could
pass no law really effective for the de-
struction or control of such combinations.
This decision left the national govern
ment-that is the people of the nation
practically helpless TO deal with the large
combinations of modern business. The
courts IN other cases asserted the power
Of the federal government to enforce the
antitrust law so far as transportation
rates by railways engaged in interstate
commerce were concerned But so long as
the trusts were free to control the produc-
ton Of commodities without interference
from the general government they were
well content to let the transportation or
commodities take care of itselt-espe-
cially as the law against rebates was nj
that time a dead letter; and the court by
its decision in the Knight case had inter
dcted any interference by the President
or by Congress with the production or
commodities. It was on the authority OF
this case that practically all the big trusts
in the United states, excepting those al
ready mentioned. were formed. Usually
they were organized as holding com
panles. each one acquiring control Of It's
constituent corporations by exchanging its
stock for theirs, an operation which the
Supreme Court had thus decided could
not be prohibited, controlled. regulated or
even questioned by the federal govern
ment.
Such was the condition of our laws
when acceded TO the Presidency. Just
before my accession small group OF
hnanciers. desiring TO profit by the gov
ernmental impotence TO which we had
been reduced by the knight decision had
arranged to take control of practically
the entire railway system in the North
west-possbly as the first step toward
controlling the entire railway system 81
the country. This control Of the North
western railway system was 10 be erect
ed by organizing a new holding COM
panv. and exchanging its stock against
the stock % the various corporations en-
gagged in railway transportation through
out that vast territory, exactly as the
sugar trust" had acquired control OF
the Knight company and other concerns.
This company was called the Northern
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01

she was the equal OF any American
frisate. Moreover, Broke, of the Shan
non in his note TO the lamented Law
renee had expressed or had affected sur
prise that Rodgers, in the President. ara
Smith in the Congress, had avoided him
in the Shannon and Parker in the Tene-
dos Now he purposed TO give these Brit
ishers an opportunity to make good their
words
Forthwith Decatur turned to Captains
Jones and R!ddle Of the two American
frigates. and laid the matter before
them. They instantly and with eager
ness accepted the suggestion, and ac-
cordingly on the Monday following Bid
die went off under a flag of truce TO
Hardy. on the Families. with a formal
challenge TO battle OF two frigates
against two.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01

Thls is the story OF a memorable in
cloent IN the War Of 1872 not COM
monty related in the history hooks
In which the Ho,spur Of the American
navy stephen Decatur. called The hum
VI some british officers. and tho chief Of
''e 'a''er Tor rarity almost unioue i'm
history declined the challenge and shrank
from fair contest which ,hey ,ho,n-
serves had boastfully suggested J., vii
'e hit> years next June since the fa,,,o,,s
sea duel Of the Koarsarge a,d 49,
was fought or Cherbourg Roads /, u.as
"a hundred years ago this month TIA, a
on'l between two or two pairs Of tho
finest frigates then I'm the world v,,s
proposed, boz the waters Of Long Island
Sound. and was declined. or forbidden
greatly 10 the chagrln Of the challengers
n not also OF their adyersaries. And 1t
WAS brought about boy a chance story
telling at watcrs.de inn. The incident
involved three OF the most distinguished
officers q the time These were stephen
Decatur. DR., one OF the most dashing and
Triumphant heroes Of the carly American
navy Sir Thomas Hardy. the great Eng
AsA captain who was Nelson's close
friend and c0mrade ana who stood al
Nelson's side when the latter fell al
Trafalgar. and Sir Henry Hope. one oil
mo most distinguished admirals OF the
British navy
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01

practically vanished. After the Civll
War; with the portentous growth OF IN
dustrial combinations in this country
came period Of reactsonary decisions by
the courts which as regards corporations
eliminated in what is known as the
Knight case.
The sherman antitrust law was enact
ed I'm 1890 because the formation OF the
Tobacco Trust and Sugar Trust the only
two great trusts then In the country
aside from the Standard oil Trust whlch
was a gradual GROWTH, had awakened
popular demand for legislation TO destroy
monopoly and curb industrial comolha-
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01
NOTES AND BEAMS.

George AIDE, over cup OF afternoon tea
with a group OF cynical bachelors at the
Chicago Athletic Club. said:
Married men declare that their wives
can't keep a secret. but these men them
selves are just as bad.
"A married man buttonholed me in the
billiard room an hour ago and told me a
frightful scandal.
Don't let this go any further. George,
he ended.
"'No, certainly not said |. But how
did you happen TO hear it?'
"'Oh. the wife. OF course. he answered
She's just like all women-cant keep .
secret
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01
THE LAW COURTS AS AGENTS
OF REACTlON.

THE courts. not urnaturallv. but most
rccrettahly and GO the srave detriment
ot the people and ~ their own standing.
had for quarter Of a century teen, on
The whole the agents " reaction. and
bs conflicting decisions. which, however
3D. their sum were hostile % the inter
est~ OF tho people. had left both the ma
u0u and the several states wellnish
imDoten' 70 deal with tho great business
combinations. Sometimes they forbade
the nation 90 interfere because such i'm
reference trespassed on the rights Of
the states. sometimes they forbade the
states to interfere oand often they We're
wise ID thiel. because 20 do SO would
tresrass on the rights q the nation. but
always. or wellrigh always. their ac-
ZION was negative action against the in
tere>ts Of tic people. ingeniOusly devised
o. limit their power against wrong i'm
stead OF affirmative action giving TO the
people power to right wrong They had
rendered these decisions sometimes "a
urholders of property l.ehts against hui
man rights. being especially Jealous in
soeurlnc the rights Of the very iaen who
wee most competent 20 take care Of
themselves. and sometimes in the name
o. liberty. in the name OF the so-called
"Hew freedom. in reality the old. old
"freed1m which secured 20 the power
f1l tho freedom 90 prey on the poor and
'Fr hrIrfele
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01
The WRONG REMEDIES AND THE
RIGHT REMEDIES.

'ne of the main troubles was the fact
Thar tho men who saw the evils and who
u-ea 20 remedy them attempted 20 work
in TWO wholly different ways. and the
great majority OF them in a wav that
offered little promise Of real better
ment They tried hy the Sherman law
meHoal 20 bolster up an individualism
already proved 20 be both futile and mis-
cheFols 20 remedy by more individual
Ism rho concentration that was the inevi-
table result OF tho already existing indi-
'Ncuaa,m They saw tho evil done by the
's combinations. and sought 70 remedy
uN destroying them and restoring the
country to the economic conditions of the
middle of the nineteenth century This
was hopeless effort. and those who went
INTO 10 although they regarded them
serves as radical p~ogrcssives. really rep
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01

The President and the Endymion
fought 10 a finish" The latter was so
riGdled and shattered that she could not
fire another shot, but lay helpless. The
President was in little better plight, ana
was quite unable TO sail away or to take
possession OF the Endymion. which would
have surrendered at once on the sending
OF boat. There was, therefore, nothing
for Decatur TO do but to surrender 10 the
British frigate Tenedos, which, with two
others, then came up. In this desperate
conflict the honors were equally divided
between Hope and Decatur and both had
cause TO feel satisfied for their disappoint-
ment a year before at New London.