Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-02-11
.HAR'S(HANGH
7 IN AMERICAN
Government
Some of Memorable Events of
1918 in Affairs of the
United States
COMPLETION OF THE
g., PANAMA CANAL
important and Radical LegisIa-
ton Following Rise of De-
moCracy to Power
fly Latest MALL


| NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. months OF
1913 wrought changes in the Ameri-
can government-politic economical,
/ fnancial-probably more far reaching
than any other year of the last quar-
| ter century. This was apparent today
in a backward glance over the me-
morable events of the last year in
all branches of governmental activity.
A Democratic administration in ma
tional affairs came to power In this
12-months, with a Democratic presi-
his back, for the FIRST time since, Gro
yer Cleveland occupied the White
house The first constitutional amend
ments since 1870 were perfected, pro-
viding two radical changes in the
fundamentals of goYernmente--an in
come tax and the direct election OF
United States senators.
A national bank and currency sys.
TEN, designed TO float the debt of the
Civil war and which has operated ever
since, was reorganized into a federal
reserve system in which the central
bank. plan, the dominant system OF Eu-
rope, was rejected and a financial re-
organization perfected.
Tariff Law and Parcel Post.
A Democratic tariff law became eff.
feetiEe, the first since the Wilson bill
of 1893, and one OF the most compre-
sive tariff measures ever enacted.
A parcel post system was brought
into successful opereation, and some
of it's rates were later reduced, while
certain limitations were extended.
The interstate commerce commits!
sion began a physical valuation Of
railways project which will cost
millions and take years to complete,
but which is expected to intimately
provide basis of rate making. d.
Meanwhile the 50 great eastern rail-
way systems renewed applications at
once for 5 per cent general increase
in freight rates and the commission
directed regulations in express rates,
which are expected to save the public
approximately $50 900, 900 year. ).
Last steps in building the Panama
canal were taken with the probability
that the greatest engineering feat of
the age will be in operation in the
new year. = + IT..
Practical control Of the PHILIPPINE
government was delivered to the
natives of the islands by President
Wilson's appointment of native ma,
,ority of the Philippine Commission.
What promised new era in rela.
tons of the Government with grna;
corporations in the enforcement of the
Sherman anti trust law was brought
shout by. the ''bloodless" dissolution of
the American Telephoneand Telegraph
cempany's relations with the Western
Union. President Wilson'S open declai
ration that the Administration desired
to cooperate with ttbig business in a
peaceful administration of the law was
received in business and financial cir
cleS with evidences OF optimism.
The Supreme Court laid down sew
eral declarations of deep-rooted i'm
nortanee. 1t denied that owners OF
copyrights and patents may not con-
troll the price at which retail dealers
:esell their products to the consumer
Z sustained the validity OF the Sher.
nan law as criminal measure for
the first time in the turpentine trust
In the cotton corner case it laid
down the principle that a Corner" in
-nnyi community was violation of the
antitrust laws. In the state rate cases
It decided that states through their
railroad commissions have contro'
CNer the rates Of lines within, their
bar6ers, irrespective CT the Interstate
Some excitement was caused by the
t'trcevprv nf q feasible railway routo