Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, December 9, 1905, Page 2

By C. E. KILEY. GRAND RAPIDS, - MINNESOTA. ” The corn busking liar is up against a crop of nearly 2,800,000,000 bushels this year. The latest fashion decree provides for pockets in women’s dresses. They will never agree. Washington is to have a woman’s hotel—with an electric hair curler, of course, in every room. Every good citizen is opposed to bossism, but very few of them have the nerve to tell wifey so. It would seem cruel to kill a seorch- ng chauffeur without giving him a y moments’ time to repent. istakes are banana peels on life’s highway. They give you a tumble, but you must get up and toddle on. The French cabinet falls to pieces so often anybody would think it had been bought on the installment plan. A Detroit man has erected a monu- ment to Satan. Why didn’t he build it in New York, where Satan could see iso, the tenor, objects to hotels, ing to live alone. An inherit- 2 from his celebrated ancestor, Robinson? one home and try it on your guesser: How cold must it be > be twice as cold as two degrees ove zero? nee is to be congratulated on ming the habit of having crises time the parliament makes a e at the ministry. As to some of the gimcrackeries t to this country from Europe, patently Motoring, it is said, eliminates indi- tion. For the man who happens to zet in the way it often eliminates all other known maladies, also. The experience of Labrador explor- ing parties shows that lovers of ad- venture don’t have to go up to the Arctic regions to lose their lives. Every other day or so now a Rus- sian mob breaks into a vodka shop and proceeds to give the world an t lesson in the cause of temper- Highteen soldiers at a Kentucky fort ieserted when ordered to another te. There is no gainsaying that ntucky girls are handsome.—Roch- ester Post-Express. While out hunting with King Alfon- so, Emperor William shot twenty- three boars, as against the king’s twenty-nine. It wasn’t a very good r boars, either. Japanese government has de- to issue a new foreign loan of $250,000,000 at 4 per cent. War is what Gen. Sherman said it was, for those who have to pay the cost. One-third of the Dominican navy is now at the Norfolk navy yard for re- pairs. It consists of the 600-ton gun- boat Presidente, which hasn’t been »verhauled before for seven years. eis Operas are now given as sacred ts in New York on Sundays. are so old-fashioned in that town that they consider it necessary when hey break the laws to do it under cover. A play is to be brought out in New fork with John D. Rockefeller and da M. Tarbell as two of the principal haracters. Let us hope, in the inter- of propriety, that there may be no vig pulling. New Jersey boasts of a man 72 rears old who can neither read nor write and has seen only one locomo- ‘ive, and that at a distance of half a nile. Only think of boasting of a van like that! King Alfonso ,killed forty-one wild vigs while he was out hunting with he kaiser. This doesn’t mean neces- sarily that he would be willing to help our Yankee farmers with their pig kill- ing if he should come over here. & The amount of letter writing that is jone daily in New York is illustrated oy the fact that 235,000 letters on an average are collected there every day between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. And they aren’t all love letters, either. In order to prove that the eternal feminine does not change with the procession of the centuries, it is only necessary to point out the fact that every time a woman becomes a great genius she marries a millionaire. Walter Vaughan Morgan, the new Lord Mayor of London, being a bach- elor, has selected his niece, Mrs. Horn- by Steer, to be the lady mayoress. In the absence of particulars, we are in-! clined to suppose that Mrs. Steer is, from Texas. There have been 165 accidents among mountain climbers in the Alps! Government Regulation of Railroad Rates Is Strongly Urged—Insur- ance Legislation Needed. The following is a synopsis of the president’s message: “The people of this country continue to enjoy great prosperity,” says the president in his opening paragraph. He then proceeds to give various con- ditions and circumstances which make for or against general prosperity and leads up to the question of corpora- tions, of which he says: “The for- tunes amassed through corporate or- ganization are now so large, and vest such power in those that wield them, as to make it a matter of necessity to give to the sovereign—that is to the government, which represents the peo- ple as a whole—some effective power of supervision over their corporate use. In order to insure a healthy so- cial and industrial life, every hig cpr- poration should be held responsible by, and accountable to, some sovereign strong enough to controi its conduct. I am in no sense hostile to corpora- tions. This is an age of combination, and every effort to prevent all combi- nation will be not only useless, but in the end vicious, because of the con- tempt for law which the failure to en- force law inevitably produces. The corporation has come to stay, just as the trade union has come: to stay. Each can do and has done great good. Each should be favored as long as it does good. But each should be sharp- ly checked where it acts against law and justice.” The president points out the useless- ness of any attempt to secure regula- tion and control of corporations by state action. Such regulation and su- pervision can only be effectively exer- cised by the national government, and the president believes proper power can be secured by enactment of laws by congress; if the Constitution will not permit this action, then the Con- stitution should be amended conferring upon congress full power to enact ad- equate legislation. He continues: “What is needed is not sweeping prohibition of every arrangement, good or bad, which may tend to re- strict competition, but such adequate supervision and regulation as will pre- vent any restriction of competition from being to the detriment of tne public—as well as prevent other abuses in no way connected with re- striction of competition. Until the national government obtains proper control over big corporations engaged in interstate commerce it will be 1m- possible to deal adequately with the evils. Control of Railroad Rates. “The immediate and most pressing need, so far as legislation is concern- ed, is the enactment into law of some scheme to secure to the agents of the government such supervision and reg- ulation of the rates charged by the railroads of the country engaged in interstate traffic as shall summarily and effectively prevent the imposition of unjust or unreasonable rates. It must include putting a complete stop to rebates in every shape and form. This power to regulate rates, like all similar powers over the business world, should be exercised with mod- eration, caution and self-restraint; but it should exist, so that it can be ef- fectively exercised when the need arises. “The first consideration to be kept in mind is that the power should be affirmative and should be given to some administration body created by congress. I do not believe in the gov- ernment interfering with private busi- ness more than is necessary. I do not believe in the government undertaking any work which can with propriety be left in private hands. But neither do I believe in the government flinching from overseeing any work when it becomes evident that abuses are sure to obtain therein unless there is gov- ernmental supervision. In my judg- ment the most important provision which the law should contain is that conferring upon some competent ad- ministration body the power to decide, upon the case being brought before it, whether a given rate prescribed by a railroad is reasonable and just, and if it is found to be unreasonable and unjust, then, after full investigation of the complaint, to prescribe the limit of rate beyond which it shall not be law- ful to go—the maximum reasonable rate, as It is commonly called—this de- cision to go into effect within a rea- sonable time and to obtain from thence onward, subject to review by the courts. It sometimes happens at present, not that a rate is too high but that a favored shipper is given too low a rate. In such case the com- mission would have the right to fix this already established minimum rate as the maximum; and it would need only one or two such decisions by the commission to cure railroad companies of the practice of giving improper minimum rates. My proposal is not They Understood Each Other. Mark Twain’s first meeting with | Whistler was completing. James McNeill Whistler seems to have been characteristic of both celebri- ties. This is how the famous humorist describes it in some of his recollec- tions: “I was introduced to Mr. Whistler this year, of which sixty-five were fa- in his studio in London. J had heard tal. Lazy people have never been that the painter was ‘an incorrigible able to understand why mountain joker, and I was determined to get the climbers should be willing thus to better of him, if possible. So I at once risk their lives. put on my most hopelessly stupid air, pice Sarena IPP tab aR meee Re SC nc to give the commission power to ini-| tem of naturalizing aliens is strongly tiate or or originate rates generally, but to regulate a rate already fixed or originated by the roads, upon com- plaint and after investigation. A heavy penalty should be enacted from any | PUblic service is urgently recommend- corporation which fails to respect an order of the commission. I regard this power to establish a maximum rate as being essential to any scheme of real | © the condition of the public land reform in the matter of railroad regu- lation.” “I ask this legislation not only in the interest of the public, but in the interest of the honest railroad man and the honest shipper alike, for it is they who are chiefly jeopardized by the practices of their dishonest com- petitors.” x Labor. The president devotes considerable space to the discussion of labor prob- lems. Regarding, the demand for de- priving courts of the power to issue injunctions in labor disputes, he says: “Such special limitation of the equity powers of our courts would be most missioners are doing excellent work; unwise.” The president’s remedy is to regulate the procedure by requiring the judge to give due notice to the adverse parties before granting the writ, the hearing to be ex-parte if the | S¢ticallly and impartially enforced, adverse party does not appear at the time and place ordered. He renews recommendations made in his last message for an investigation by the department of commerce and labor of general labor conditions. Insurance. “Recent events have emphasized the importance of an early and exhaustive consideration of this question, as to whether it is not possible to furnish better safeguards than the several states have been able to furnish against corruption of the flagrant kind which has been exposed. It has been only too clearly shown that certain of the men at the head of these large corporations take but small note of the ethical distinction between hon- esty and dishonesty; they draw the line only this side of what may be called law—honesty, the kind of hon- esty necessary to avoid falling into the clutches of the law. There is need of a far stricter and more uni- form regulation of the vast insurance | Philippine government has necessarily interests of this country. That state supervision has proved inadequate is generally conceded.” The president concludes this subject by urging con- gress to carefully consider whether adequate legislation can be had. The Revenues. “There is more need of stability than of the attempt to attain an ideal perfeetion in the methods of raising revenue; and the shock and strain to the business world certain to attend any serious change in these methods render such change inadvisable un- less for grave reason. In time of peace the revenue must on the aver- age, taking a series of years together, equal the expenditures or gise the rev- enues must be increased.’ Last year there was a deficit. Unless our ex- penditures can be kept within the rey- enues then our revenue laws must be readjusted. The Currency. The president points out the need of the addition of the element of elas- ticity to our currency, so that the cur- rency will contract against spegula- tion, and will expand for the needs of legitimate business. Reforms in Methods. Congress is urged to consider the question of necessary reforms in the business methods of the various de- partments of the government, so as to promote the economy, efficiency ‘and high character of government work. The president repeats former reec- ommendations for the enactment of a law directed against bribery and cor- ruption in federal elections. Hague Conference. Congress is urged to do all in its power to further the movement for another Hague conference and to make the result of its decisions effec- tive. The president hopes that the conference may be able to devise some way to make arbitration between nations the customary way of settling international disputes. Army and Navy. The importance of providing by propriation provision for maneuvers of p’| delay is an appropriation to meet the TO 60 T0 GOVERNOR SAYS THAT HE WILL RESIGN AT END OF PRESENT SESSION. HE URGES CHANGES IN LAWS REVISION OF PRIMARY AND RATE LAWS SUGGESTED — WANTS INVESTIGATION. Recent naval history, according to’ the president, has emphasized the fact that the main strength of the navy lies, and can only lie, in the battle- ships. The important part played in the naval conflict by torpedo boat de- stroyers, submarines, scouts and fast eruisers is also pointed out. The importance of revising our sys- urged, as ‘is also revision of the crim- inal laws of the United States. Legislation providing for suitable punishment for breaches of trust in Public Land Laws. The president again calls attention Jaws. He says that the iniquitous methods by which the monopolizing of the public lands is being brought about under the present laws are be- coming more generally known, but the existing laws do not furnish effec- tive remedies. He says the recom- mendations ‘of the public lands com- mission upon this subject are wise and should be given effect. Civil Service. The president says that any attempt to carry on the great executive depart- ments of the government without the eivil service law would inevitably re- sult in chaos. The civil service com- Madison, Wis., Dec. 6.—Gov. R. M. La Follette, at the close of his mes- sage, formally announced that some time in the course of this special ses- sion, or at least at its close, he would resign as governor and accept the commission as United States senator. The governor’s statement is as fol- lows: “Upon the 25th day of January last you elected me the representative of Wisconsin in the United States sen- ate. I was then, and while I live I shall continue to be profoundly grate- ful for the great honor which “you conferred upon me, but Certain Fixed Obligations bound me to continue as governor, as laws involving millions of dollars were being challenged in the courts and legislation vital to the state was pending. I could not in good con- science offer more than a qualified ac- ceptance. % “The close of the session found the litigation undecided and the new laws untried. Adverse decisions in the circuit court might call promptly for curative legislation and the adminis- tration of the new laws might disclose defects requiring immediate remedies. Every reason made it a plain duty to await the circuit court decision and the contest over the new laws. Justified by Time. “Time has entirely justified this course. The attitude of the railroads in contesting every assessment of taxes as soon aS made, the construc- tion which modifications of this law seem to demand, the amendment needed for the better administration of the railway rate law, the amend- ments of the primary election law and the other important matters for your consideration are all required to round the work of the last and preceding session of the legislature. “During this special session, or at least at its close, I shall transmit to you my resignation as governor and accept your ‘high commission as Uni- ted States senator.” Reads His Message. Goy. La Follette personally read his message to the legislature. He recommends that the law be revised so that the capitol commission may proceed with the work of re- building the capitol unhampered. Four recommendations are made in the message regarding the revision of the railroad rate commission law. Legislation to compel the prompt payment of railroad taxes is recom- mended. Considerable attention to the pri- mary election law is given. The gov- ernor’s principal recommendation is that the voter be enabled to indicate his first and second choice of candi- dates presented for each office. In the event that no candidate had re- ceived a majority of the first choice votes, then the second choice votes should be counted, resulting in a nom- ination by majority vote. Urges Investigation. The investigation of public service corporations and insurance companies is one of the most important features of the message. He takes the rail- roads to task for maintaining what he calls expensive lobbies and for resist- ing the prompt payment of taxes. He recommends that a legislative committee be appointed to investi- gate railroad, insurance and _ otber public service corporations. and their compensation is inadequate considering the service they perform. Concluding on this subject, he says: “The civil service law is being ener- and in the large majority of cases complaints of violations of either the law or rules are discovered to be un- founded. The question of politics in the appointment and retention of the men engaged in merely ministerial work has been practically eliminated in almost the entire field of govern- ment employment covered by the civil service law.” The Philippines. “During the last year the Philippine islands have been slowly recovering from the series of disasters which, since American occupation, have great- ly reduced the amount of agricultural products below what was produced in Spanish times. The war, the rinder- pest, the locusts, the drought and the cholera have been united as causes to prevent a return of the prosperity much needed in the islands. The most serious is the destruction by the rin- derpest of more than 75 per cent of the draft cattle. The income of the been. reduced by reason of the busi- ness and agricultural depression and the government has been obliged to exercise great economy. The transfer of the friar lands has been effected. “Tranquillity has existed during the past year throughout the archipelago, except in the province of Cavite, the province of Samar, and in the island of Jolo among the Moros. The dis- turbances have all now been suppress- ed. The most encouraging feature of the whole situation has been the very great interest taken by the common people in education. The president earnestly recom- mends that the tariff now imposed by the Dingley bill upon the the products of the Philippine islands be entirely removed, except the tariff on sugar and tobacco, and that that tariff be re- duced to 25 per cent of the present rates; that after July 1, 1909, the tar- #f on sugar and tobacco produced in the Philippine islands be entirely re- moved, and that free trade between the islands and the United States in the products of each country then be provided for by law. In the judgment of the president immediate steps should be taken for the fortification of Hawaii. Admission to Statehood. The president recommends that In- dian Territory and Oklahoma be ad- mitted as one state and that New Mex- ico and Arizona be admitted as one state. The Panama Canal. “The American people is pledged to the speediest possible construction of a canal adequate to meet the demands which the commerce of the world will make upon it, and I appeal most ear- nestly to congress to aid in the ful- fillment -of the pledge. Gratifyin; progress has been made during thi past year, and especially during the past four months. The greater part of the necessary preliminary work has been done. The work of sanitation has been thoroughly accomplished. “What is needed now and without MAN HANGS HIMSELF. Second Desperate Attempt at Self- Destruction Succeeds. Stillwater, Minn., Dec. 6—After he had made two desperate attempts to end his own life, the body of Oscar Martinson, twenty-five years old, was yesterday found in a machinery shed on the farm of Charles Thelander, SENATE OPENING OF NATIONAL LAW MILL ATTENDED BY NO UN- USUAL INCIDENTS. Washington, Dec. 5.— The as- sembling yesterday of the members of the Fifty-ninth congress for their first session was marked by no unustal in- cidents, but it attracted to the capitol crowds of spectators who took a lively interest in the proceedings. In the senate the proceedings were brief, but most of the spectators seemed to find quite as much to inter- est them in observing the senators who remained on the floor after ad- journment as they could have experi- enced had the session continued longer. The house was in session for more than three hours and while the pro- ceedings followed the program thet has marked the Opening of Congress for many years, there was enough of interest to hold an exceptionally large audience during the entire time. One noticeable feature was the ab sence of flowers, which heretofore have been common to both chambers. Senators Allison and Morgan were appointed by Vice President Fair- banks as a committee to notify the president that congress was ready for any communications he desired to make. The senate was in session only twenty minutes. , Senators Aldrich (R. 1), Knox (Pa.), Warner (Md.) and Frazier (Tenn.) took the oath of office and an adjournment was taken as a mark of respect to the late Sena- tor Platt of Connecticut. Cannon Is Re-Elected. The preliminary steps to organize were taken in the house. Joseph G. Cannon of Illinois was re-elected speaker, the members of the house took the oath of office: the officers and floor employes of the body were re-elected; the rules of the last con- gress were adopted, and members went through the formality of drawing for seats. In a brief speech against the adop- tion of the rules the minority leader, Mr. Williams of Mississippi, touched on the interest of the country in tariff legislation, and told of the New Republican “Ideas” which were being “wafted to Washing ton on breezes from every part of the country.” These, he said might be properly legislated for shoulf@ the “minority of the majority” stand with the Democratic members in opposine the adoption of the old rules and forming new ones, which would per- mit consideration of such legislation as popular opinion might dictate. A committee was appointed to act with the senate in notifying President Roosevelt that the house was ready to transact business; the committee on rules and the committee on mileage were appointed, and the house : journed after a session which lasted three and a half hours, in compliance: with resolutions announcing the dearh of Senator Platt of Connecticut an< Representative Marsh of Illinois. Many Bills in House. A large number of bills and join resolutions were introduced in the house. They cover a large variety of subjects, including Philippine tarifl, statehood, pensions, regulation of the hours of employment in the execu tive departments, merchant marine, increase of salaries of the vice presi- dent and members of the cabinet, re- quiring corporations to make full re- ports of their affairs to the commis- sioner of corporations, increasing the powers of the interstate commerce commission, investigation of campaign funds, of expenditures on the Panania canal, of insyrance companies doin: an interstate business, of cotton re- ports, and of the condition of child labor, provision for a six-year term for the president and the election of seu- ators by a direct vote of the people. Williams Has Some Bills. Representative Williams of Missis- sippi, the leader of the minority in the house, yesterday introduced a number of bills and joint resolutions affectinx the tariff and campaign contributions. These contemplate free trade with the Philippines, a reassembling of the United States and Canadian joint high commission with a view to freer trade relations between the United States and Canada; and minimum tar- iff for the United States. COLORED SOLDIER KILLED. a pyactical kind to- increase the effi- Seer sna spocrning exvenses of the ciency of the army is caenuarty ices emer as recommetged. Increase in the coast In Conclusion. artillery force is also recommended, In conclusion, the president recom- % Of the navy the president says: | mends more adequate provision than ‘We have most wisely continued for a | has been made heretofore for the work number of years to build up our navy, | of the department of state. Neither and it has now reached a fairly high | at home nor abroad is there a suffi- standard of efficiency. This standard | cient working force to do the business of efficiency must not only be auain-| properly. Improvements in the con- tained, but increased.” sular service are recommended, in- The president does not think it nec- cluding classification of the force and esssary to increase the navy beyond ; readjustment of salaries, which the the present number units, but to sub-| president says, are in many cases ut- stitute efficient for inefficient units as | terly inadequate, considering the im- the latter become worn out. He thinks | portance of the service rendered. as I drew near a canvas which Mr. | Big Sale of Coney Island Postcards. To what an extent the postal card souvenir craze has hit the people of this country may be judged by some ““That ain’t bad I said. ‘It ain't bad; only here in. this corner’—ane I made as if to rub out a cloud effect with my finger—t1’d do awhy with that cloud if I were you.’ : “Whistler cried, nervously: “Gad, sir, be careful, there. Don’t you see the paint is not dry?” “Oh, that ddu’t matter,’saidI. [ve got my gloves on.’ “After that,” adds Mr. Clemens, “we got on very well together.” « lyn gave the other day in speaking of ment, Through the vacation months ter mail was made up of these cards, ‘and there were mailed at the Coney Island station alone in one week 40,000 souvenir cards—New York Press. statistics a postoffice official in Brook. ‘ that present-day plague of the depart-' in Brooklyn fully half the regular let, hanging by a rope around the neck. The man’s clothing was saturated with blood, and there were wounds on his throat and breast over the heart. Monday night Martinson jumped from the Chicago limited train on the Wis- consin Central road while it was run- ning at a high rate of speed. Martin- son leaped through the inner and out- er windows of a coach. Railroad men made a thorough search for Martin-, son, but were unable to find any trace of him. During the night he walked several miles to the place where his body was found. STOP WORK ON CAPITOL. Foundation Nearly Completed When Cold Ties Up Operations. Pierre, S. D., Dec. 6—At a meeting of the state capitol commission with Architect Bell and Contractor Lepper, it was decided to stop and further work on the foundation of the capitol building for the winter. It would have taken about a week more of good weather to complete the work, but on account of the extreme cold it was| breaking through while pla: considered inadvisable to go farther until next spring. nf Early Morning Tragedy in Heliena’s Redlight District. Helena, Mont., Dec. 6. — Corpora! William Cyrus, colored, of Company A, Twenty-fourth infantry, at Fort Harrison, was shot and killed in a re- sort on Clore street, the Redlight dis- ttrict of Helena, early yesterday morn- ing by a negress named Nora Menzle. She is in jail and claims self-defense, alleging the deceased _ attacked her. She sent two shots into Cyrus’ head. He died in two hours. He was a na- tive of Virginia, aged thirty-five, and had seen thirteen years’ service in Cuba and the Philippines. The state authorities will prosecute the womaz. Chinese Still Hostile. Singapore, Dec. 6.—Over a thousand Chinese who are merchants in a small way here attended a meeting at which a considerable sum was collected for the purpose of continuing the boycott on American goods. ° Two Go Through Ice. Jackson, Mich., Dec. 6.—Alexander Crepka, aged nine, and Ella Crepka, six, were drowned yesterday by to- pond. t gether on the thin ice om the ee