Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1917-05-11

were represented by counsel who in
tended TO show that railway earnings
have been proportonately high, not
withstanding what Is alleged to be over
capitalization and that at best only
few roads may need increasing
revenues. Eastern railroads stated that
the advance sought would fall $75, OOO,-
600 short Of the S2l3 600, 900 increase of
1917 operating expenses over 1916, Cost
of coal, wages and materials has gone
up so rapidly in the last year or two,
declared the roads, that income from
present rates cannot keep pace, High
rates are necessary to maintain their
credit and to make efficient service pos
sible, they said.
Ransom Merritt and Anthony Stileno
Of Roosevelt, N, Y, both privates in
the recently organized aviation training
corps at Mncola, were killed when their
machine fell from height of over | 600
feet. The accident was witnessed by
many persons. The student aviators
had never ploted an airoplane before
and they are said to have made the
flight without permission. Merritt was
formerly Cornell student.
Tuesday, May 8
Minister Balfour addressed the United
States Senate, declaring victory for
Entente is assured now that United
States has entered the war. England
had overcome one difficulty after
another and he believed she and her
allies would overcome the submarines.
A war revenue bill designated to raise
81 800, 000,00 by taxation during the
coming year was approved finally IN the
House ways and means committee by
unanimous vote. To bring the amount
to be raised up to the desired total the
committee wrote into the bill flat In
crease of 10 per cent in all existing
tariff duties and 10 per cent duties on
all articles now admitted free. In
addition it was decided to make all IN
come tax increases retroactive, be-
ginning with the present calendar year.
Most of the new revenue will come from
the income excess profits and inherl-
lance taxes. Newspapers would be re-
qured to pay per cent on all adver-
Using collections.
The government is investigating the
activities of the steamer ManltoWoc |
and other vessels of the American
Transatlantic Co., which are said to
have carried supplies to German sub !
marines in the Atlantic. The company |
has offices in New York and Boston and |
its ships fly the American flag. Officials
here will not say what had aroused |
their suspicious, but admitted that the |
ships had been held for investigation at
st. Thomas, Virgin islands, by order of
the navy department
In the face of threatened world food
shortage the American winter wheat |
crop shows the lowest condition re-
corded since 1888 and promises a
smaller yield than any other since 1904.
Production of rye is forecast at co.
735. 900 bushels. Rye condition was
SO. S per cent of a normal on May !;
meadow (haN) lands condition, SS.7;
hav stocks on farms, l2,4SS, 600 tons,
or ia per cent of last years crop;
pastures conditions Sl.9; spring blowing
was TIA per cent compIeted; spring
was 58.7 per cent completed.
i O more conferences VII VIZ ""l
army bill failed to bring Senate and
House committee together. The big
point of difference still was the Senate
amendment to permit Col. Roosevelt to
take volunteer expeditionary force to
France.
The conservative and Pan-Germans
have now brought up their heavy ar
, m. ,,,, ., tho bottla AGAINST Chancellor
Won Bethmann-H ollweg and boldly lay
the blame for the long duration of the
war at his door. The conservative
Deutche Tages Zeitung explains that
three or four days delay in German
at the outset of the war
due to the chancelIor's hesitant policy,
caused the loss Of the battle of the
Marine.