University of South Carolina Libraries
WILSON'S PROGRAM REGULATION OF BIO BUSINESS MUST BE PLANNED. ? DISCUSSED BY CABINET President Wishes to Establish Trade Commission Whoso Object Would be to Keep Government and Industry Informed as to the Law's Koquirements. President Wilson Tuesday gave cabinet members his ideas on the government's relation to "big business", the field anti-trust legislation should cover in the present session of congress and tho spirit in which ho believed the task should be approached. A feeling of friendly conciliation rather than of hoslilo antagonism, yet a constructive nroeram that will eliminate uncertainty about the law and stimulate tho growth of legitimate business are tlie fundamentals of the president's plan of action to be embodied in the message he will read at a joint session of congress next week. He presented the document to the cabinet and worked all Tuesday afternoon on minor changes as a result of the meeting. Cabinet members speak of the message as a progressive declaration that would reassure the business world of the sincere intentions of the administration to deal fairly with it. While tho president has not revealed his views on detailed legislation. he hopes his message will he the guilding influence that will keep the scope of activity with a well defined compass, eliminating, so far as possi.blo any congestion of radical hills that might he misinterpreted by the outside world. So far as known tho cardinal features of the president's plan are: 1. Rupplimenting the Sherman anti-trust. law to reduce the debatable aroa around it. 2. The prohibition of interlocking directorates. 3. Location of individual responsibility and the fixing of personal guilt for all violations. 4. Tho creation of an interstate trado commission to perform the functions of a bureau of information and to determine by its investigations whether decrees of dissolution 01 mandates of courts are carried out The president is proceeding on the theory that legislation is necessarv at this time and that there should he no delay in accomplishing those reforms on which public sentiment is agreed. The recent action of J. P Morgan & Co. in voluntarily withdrawing from numerous directorates on account of a "changes in public sentiment" is considered by administration supporters as evidence thai the business world expects interlocking directorates to he dissolved. In this connection President Wilson believes the whole course of public opinion has undergone remarkable change in the last few years From a point where doubt as to the existence of trusts was at first ex pressed, through the period whicl reasonable and unreasonable combi nations in restraint of trade were de bated, he believes thero has develop ed now an acceptance of tlie principle that private monopolies are indefens !ble and that trusts practice certair things which ought to bo prohibited The president is also reiterating tc those with whom lie is discussing th< subject a view expressed in his pre convention speeches two years ago? that, to stop "joy riding", it is nec essary "to arrest the chauffeur ant not the automobile." He is expectec to recommend in his message thai the law with respect to personal guili should bo enforced vigorously am provision made in all legislation foi individual offenses. One of (he most important fea turcs of the anti-trust program is th< interstate trade commission. This organization differs from the kind o: commission which was advocated bj tho national Progressive party during tho last campaign in that it woult not be vested with powers of regula tion, but would bo tho mediurr through which the government wouk keep the business world informer and eliminate "tho twilight zone" ir "big business". There have been repeated requests for Information from business con cerns and the need of an authorita tive reservoir of information alreadj has been demonstrated in the pros ent administration's experience witl tho trust, question. It is Intended tc place the commissioner of corpora tions at tho head of tho interstate trade commission and to include ir its mom Dcrsnp diihiiiush nu-u win would know business methods sufll clontly to conduct the necessary in onirics and furnish the desired in for matlon. With the president's discussion o the whole subject at Tuesday's cnbi net meeting the talk of "slowing up' on the administration program aru postponing trust legislation until tin December session apparently disap peared in executive quarters. Ad ministration supporters in the IIousi and Senate will endeavor to keep tin work of trust reform within certaii limits and to push It forward to rapit completion so as to cut short th< BIG TRUST YIELDS NEW ENGLAND RAILROAD PROFFERS OLIVE BRANCH. Department of Justice Scores Second Sweeping Anti-Trust Victory for the Present Administration. The New York, Now Haven & Hartford railroad and tho department of justice at Washington Saturday night announced a preliminary agreement designed to effect a reorganization of tho New Haven and to prevent a suit for its dissolution under tho Sherman law. In complianco with department demands, tho New Haven will dispose of its holdings in tho Boston & Maine, cancel its joint agreement controlling the Boston & Albany; give up its trolley lines and several of its steamship lines. The question of its retention of the so-called Sound lines of steamships will bo left to the interstate commerce commission. I'nder tho Panama canal act the road is required to glvo up all steamship holdings by July 1 unless the commission finds their continued oporation by the railroad is to the commercial advantage of the public and not in restraint of competition. It was conceded that the department of justice gained virtually every point demanded. Announcement of i the agreement was made in the fol-' lowing statement issued by Chairman Elliott; "An agreement has been reached net ween tlio department of Justice and the New Haven road. The New Haven in addition to the cancellation of the Hoston & Albany agreement, which becomes effective February 1, will dispose of its holdings in the Hoston & Maine railroad, their trolley systems, their Merchants and Minors Transportation company, the i Eastern Steamship corporation and >. the Maine Steamship company under a plan the details of which will be worked out as promptly as possible with representatives of the depart ment of justice. "Concerning other steamer lines, application has been made under the ; Panama canal act to the interstate commerce commission, and their dis position will bo determined by that body. Until plans are put into effect the management and operation ' of the properties will be continued as i at present." i The conference was between the > attorney general and Special Assist' ant Gregory, Assistant Attorney . General .T. E. Adkins, Assistant J Frank M. Swacker, representing the r department of justice, and Howard > Elliott, Arthur T. Hadley and L. S. Storrs, representing tho New Haven company. Department of justice officials were of tho opinion that the New Haven 5 was as big a victory for tho princi plo of peaceful settlement of antl trust cases as that registered in the case of the American Telephone and Telegraph company. They pointed out that the complexities of tho New Haven were greater than in tho tele phono case and that a auit to separate the New Haven from its greater hold ings might have resulted in disaster on the road itself, and in reflex action upon business that would have been 1 widely felt. They recognized that the New ITaven could not be expected to dis pose of its holdings in a few months 5 and recognized that to force the road to get rid of its interests within a 1 specified time would permit prospec tive buyers to wait until that time > limit expired and then pay their own 5 price. As long as Chairman Elliott and his associates show their intention to carry out the terms of the agreement 1 assurances are given that the depart' ment of justice will not press them t for haste. Although no one in authort ity would predict how long a time ' such a reorganization will require, it generally was believed that final readjustment can not bo reached for " many months and on soino points probably not for years. Negotiations with tho New ITaven [ began more than two months ago, ' shortly after Mr. Elliott came East ' to take netive charge of the opera' tion of the road. There have been " several conferences between tho rail1 road men, tho attorney general and ' his two associates in this case. * This Is not the first time tho New 1 ITaven has escaped the hand of the Sherman act. Sveral years ago the * road was investigated by tho depart" ment of justice and. was sued by the " then Attorney General Tlonaparte. 1 Former Attorney General Wickersham did not press proceedings and * tho suit was abandoned. Several ) months nfter Mr. McReynolds assum" ed office he determined the govern* ment would ruo or tho New Haven 1 would reorganize. > t t Mad Dog Ititos Two. An unknown white woman and a small negro boy of Greenville were P bitten Thursday by a dog believed to have been suffering from hydropho. bia. 1 ? Subscribe today for oue of the host county papers in the State. This paper ranks among tho best in the ~ State. ] period of doubt as to what adjustj ments may be in prospect for the rj business of tho country. ASSEMBLES AGAIN CONGRESS STARTS SK(X>NI> LAP OF THIS SESSION. PROBLEMS TO BE FACED Wilson's Message is Exacted to Treat of Trusts and Farm Credits Embodying Recommendations of tho President and Attorney General Congress started Monday on thv second stage of the regular session with tho calendars of botli houses crowded with varied and far-reaching legislation. Refreshed by the first complete relaxation since President Wilson convened tho special tariff currency session last April. Senators and Representatives have returned to Washington keenly interested in the prospective developments of the next few months. Trust legislation, through further corrective and prohibitory legislation. will hold much of tho nttentinn I of both houses from tho tlmo work begins: but other subjects will share the legislative arena. The lirst of tho trust bills to bear any olhcial status are expected to appear during tho first week, with the endorsement of the Democratic membership of the Ilouso judiciary committee, and their scope and terms probably will retlect closely tho views of President Wilson and Attorney General Mclteynolds. The president will reach Washington Tuesday, bringing with him a draft, if not the completed copy, of his message to Congress upon trust legislation. This will be gone over at conferences between tho president and House and Senate trust bill framers before it is submitted to congress. Tho general character of anti-trust bills prepared by Chairman Clayton and his associates oT the House committeo already has been outlined. Rural credits legislation also will receive attention when the president returns. He has had with him the report of tho rural credits commission and an outline of tho general banking bill that will be laid before congress for consideration at this session. Roth of these documents will be made public within a week or two. Rural credits legislation would create a system of country banks, from which farmers and stock raisers could get credit upon special terms of security and time of maturity. It also includes tho creation of credit associations by which farming communities could finance their own operat ions. Scores of other legislative subjects arc pressing for consideration in both houses, and congressional leaders predict tho present session will be crowded with work until woll into f h / % nn ?v\ T/? CC 4 * ? t 1 \ ~ A ? LIICJ niniii!ii;i , 1'JIIUI IH Will IJl! UlilllU LU dispose of the appropriation bills and to push the more important work so it may be completed by Juno. This will ho done so Democratic congressmen can get out into their own states to join in campaigns for tho fall congressional elections. President Wilson has impressed on party leaders his belief that legislation promised by tho Democratic platform should be accomplished as early as possLble, so senators and representatives may take an active part in the defence of tho party in the fall campaign, when the control of congress will again he at stake. Rome of tho problems that will receive early attention from congress are: The tapping of trading in cotton futures to prevent speculation; constitutional amendments greatly suffrage to women and prohibiting the manufacture or salo of liquor; Panama canal legislation, including the fixing of the form of government and the abolishment of the free toll provision for American ships; investigation of the Calumet and Colorado mine troubles; strengthening of the army's organization and the authorization of two new battleships for the navy; construction of government railroads In Alaska; establishment of a literary test for immigrants; extension of Federal aid for road and for instruction in agriculture and trades; regulation of tho employment of seamen. The Alaskan railroad measure has first plaeo on tho calendars of both houses of congress and will come up for consideration Monday. It is believed congress will agree to the financing of government roads to develop the resources of Alaska, and to bring its coal and minerals into commerce. Several new measures relating to monopolies will bo thrown into the arena of anti-trust legislation when congress reassembles. A brief bill designed to strengthen the Sherman law will be introduced by Representative Webb of North Carolina. Representave Hinebaugh of Illinois, Progressive, will Introduce two resolutions. One would direct the attorno\ , general to report to the House on the i legality of relatoins existing between . the Pennsylvania railroad, the Pennsylvania companv and the RaUfmore and Ohio railroad. The other would order an investigation of relations between the New York Central railroad system and its subsidiary lines PLAN FOR FARM WORK LEVER AND HOUSTON WORK FOR REORGANIZATION. ? Plun Ls 10 Concentrate in Four or Five Largo Othcct* the Work of Ail ilio liuieaus. Reorganization of the department of u&ricuiiuro uy aOoiisnuig ail 01 me picseni liuieaus ana auDhiiuii1 Li^ lour or livo luigo onices is contemplated in provisions curried in 1110 agricultural uppiopriuuon Lull wlucn 1110 iiouao comuiilteo on agriculture almost lias completed. While details are left to Secretary Houston, ho and Representative Lever, chairman of the committee, have conferred over the plan for readjusting the work of the department to eliminate all lost energy that possibly can ho corrected. Tho only obstacle to tho concentration plan Is the possibility of objection on the ground that tho provision constitutes new legislation that can not bo carried in an appropriation bill. Tho readjustment is expected to include the concentration of divisions into four groups, each under a single ofllcer as follows: Regulatory or quarantine work; dealing with Insecticides, meat inspection, etc. Scientific and research work, to comprehend everything that conies under those general heads. Demonstration or extension work for fanners which is to bo radically expanded. Administration, to handle tho department executive affairs, including tho olfices of the secretary and assistant secretary, chief clerk and disbursing ofilcer and similar ofllclals. The agricultural bill also will carry an appi opriat ion that will reach closo to tlm $104,000 asked by Sonrotary Houston for acquiring and diffusing information on subjects connected with the marketing and distribution of farm products, a project initiated by Chairman Hover. For farm demonstration work the secre| tary asked $378,000 and for farm management $3 82,000, for eradication of hog cholera $38,000. il\<;m.\n aviokts wkkck, Georgia liero, Hurt in Collision Signals Down Fast Train. Three lives were lost and more] than twenty-live persons hurt, six of whom are seriously injured, in a wreck of Passenger Train So. 3 on the (1. S. and F. railroad, sixty miles south of Macon, (la., Friday morning. Trailing in the wake of the wrecked train was tlie famous Dixie Flyer, the Chicago-Jacksonville train, southhound, and a double disaster was only averted by a heroic flagman. The scene of the wreck was on Cum Creek trestle. After the locomotive and baggage cars passed over a broken rail, the day coach appeared to have been lifted skyward, then over the embankment and a heavy Pullman ploughed into tho rear of it. Above the cries of the injured and panic-stricken passengers came the shouts of Flagman Varner, of Macon, himself badly wounded: "Lookout, the Dixie Flyer is right behind lie," ho shouted. "Help me out and I'll stop her." A passenger standing nearby pulled Varner out of tho telescoped day coach and with blood streaming from hip many wounds and one arm crippled, he ran back on the track and placed fuses and stood there with bis lantern to signal tho flyer to stop. He reached tho nlaco inst In tlmo nn<a Isengers pay. ? ? TO GET GOOD JOBS. South Carolina Men Have Support of Both Senators. Tn response to a notification from Commissioner of Internal Revenue Osborn that lie was ready to receive their recommendations for four appointments in South Carolina under the income tax law, Senator Tillman and Smith Tuesday joined In endorsing the following men: L. M. Overstreet of Aiken, to be inspector; W. H. Bass of Walhalla, and J. F. Mcintosh of Lynchburg to ho ofTlco deputies, and S. Frank I'arrott of Gaffney to he field deputy. The senators signified to Commissioner Osborn that tho sooner these appointments wero made the better they would bo pleased. It is possible that Secretary McAdoo will not V. ^ -1 ii- ? * - m: uuuiiu entirety ny me recommendations. In several states appointments worn announced in the internal revenue department, which did not have any senatorial influence hehind them. In the main, however, Mr. McAdoo is expected to follow the senators' endorsements as to these places. ? ? Negroes Kill Negro. Gary Wadley r.nd Wlster Carson, young negro farmers, of Greenville, rode ten miles Monday afternoon that thov might give themselves tip to the sheriff, Wadley having shot to death John Hill, a negro boy of 14 years, in the Sterling neighborhood. and the influence of interlocking stock control upon tho railroad's costs, service and rates. COURTS TO DECIDE FIKIU'K IIATTLK FOK CONTROL OF VANDKHBILT. BIG FIGHT IS NEAR END The Question to b? Decided is Does the Methodist Kpiscopul Church, South, Own Vundert)ilt I'niversity or is the Institution Owned hy the Hoard of Trustees. Tho fat? of Vanderbilt university rests in tDo hands of tho highest court of Tennessee. Hoth sides had their last say in tho famous controversy before tho supremo court Wednesday morning, and unless tho federal supreme court is asked to finally pass upon the matter, tho decision of the state court probably within the next threo weeks will bring tho drama to a close. Two of Tennessee's greatest barristers locked horns Wednesday, when Gen. (ins T. Fitzhugh, tho eloquent Memphian, met John J. Vertices, known as one of the south's leading lawyers. Fitzhugh snoko for the church, and Yertreos closed the case for Vanderbilt. The speeches of these two gentlemen were masterpieces, and tho largest crowd that has yet attended the trial was present Wednesday to hear them. "When the rebellious board of trustees began their fight to wrest tho control of Vanderbilt university from the church that had founded ami sustained it, they undertook a full-sized 111 ft 11 * VI if.lv " ?<> c *11.1 I .1 j I fr .1 I.'. 1 ,ii(i , i , , jv/w, uv Oil I VI ?; ll i | lill Hill u Clay O'Rear, tho distinguished Kentucky jurist, during the course of his argument before the supremo court Tuesday morning in behalf of the board of bishops of the Methodist Episcopal church, south. The entiro session of the court Tuesday was taken up with argument by counsel for the church. Mr. Higgs opened for the church at 9:110 o'clock, and his speech of two hours was an exhaustive review of the relations of tho Methodist church to the university since its foundation. He arranged his facts in a logical and forceful manner, and has a clean-cut manner of driving his points home. Mr. Biggs told of how the odiclals of the Methodist church conceived the idea of founding a university in the south as far back as 1858, that tho action of tho Memphis convention, at which its establishment was authorized, was but tho consummation of an intention formed years before. Ho said that at no time during tho deliberations of tho convention at Memphis was any other idea dominant save that of establishment a school entirely under tho control of tho Methodist church. ITo said that conferenco representation had always been recognized from tho very inception of tho idea to found the university. Mr. Biggs told of a conversation that (!ov, Porter, then chief executive of Tennessee had had with Commodore Vanderbilt just after tho donation had .been made relative to tho donees of the gift. "(Jov. Porter,'^ said Mr. Biggs, "was opposed to sectarian schools, and ho told Commodore Vanderbilt that ho regreted that the control of the donation had been given to the Methodist church. To this Commodore Vanderbilt answered: "Well, governor, I have no sort of control ovor mat matter. I might agree with you, but I don't know." "Do you think for a minute," Raid Mr. Biggs, "that Commodoro Vanderhilt would have preferred to have given the control of bin large donation to a body of twenty men constituting the board of trustees than to have given it to the influential and powerful Methodist church? I mean no reflection on the men constituting the original board or trustees of Vanderbilt university. They wero men honored in their cities and state but they wero unknown to Mr. Vanderbilt and it is unthinkable that ho would have entrusted the disposition of his thousands to them instead of a great denomination in which ho could place every confidence." Wednesday morning Gen. Fitzhugh organ the closing arguments for the church. Durinir the coin-He of ro. marks ho alluded to the fact the Methodist church had been criticised in tho brief of the trustees for not giving more funds to the university, lie denied that the church had been niggardly, but ho said he had never witnessed any examples of liberality on the part of the board of trustees. "When did they ever give a penny to this institution?" ho said. Gen. Fitzhugh resented tho attacks made upon Bishop Hoss in the brief of the trustees. He said that these attacks had conio because the bishop had tho courage to take up tho gage of battlo when the rebellion began and to stand like a faithful sentinel for the rights of the church. "When tho persons secured the charter for Vanderbilt universitv they were not acting for themselves but for the whole church," said Mr Fltzhugh. "When Mr. Vanderblh made his organizational donation tc the school it was known as tho cen tral col lego of tho Methodist church and when its charter was amended tc ohnngo tho name to Vanderbilt unl verslty, tho Memphis resolution! READY FOR LEGISLATION I WILSON TAKES VP RURAL (TILED- I ITS AND TRUST BILL, 1 President Him Prepared IIIm Trust I Message and Studied the Farmers* I Problems. i Anti-trust and rural credit legislation are considered of paramount and iminediato importance by President Wilson. Though the influence of the j executive was exerted in behalf of other measures as woll during the present session of congress, ho indicated in a conversation with correspondents aboard his train Monday en routo to Washington from Pass Christian, Miss., that in the immediate future these two subjects would occupy the forum of public attention. Tho president showed clearly that these reforms in particular had been on his mind during his vacation. Ib-sides sketching his trust message, which will be characteristically brief, tho president carefully studied the report of tho commission that went abroad to study rural credits. He ] examined also a bill on the subject prepared by Senator Fletcher, chairman of the commission, and said that he had just written tho Florida senator asking him to confer with him about it at the White I louse when ho got back. Tho president remarked tlint tho hill scorned sound in tho main, though he thought somo addl tions ought to bo made. In giving Ids attention now to tho trust and rural credit questions tho president feels that ho is carrying out, not. only tho promises made in the party platform, hut fulfilling an informal understanding with members of tho Sonato and House, who sought to bring tho subject of rural credits into tho discussion of tho currency bill and to prohibit interlocking directorates and other trust evils by provisions in both the currency and tariff bills. it was only after tho agreement among Democratic leaders that all phases of tlie trust and rural credit problems would bo handled separately that they were then eliminated from consideration. While conferences on theso quesliors have not all been arranged, tho ' president Is planning to devote tho remainder of tho week to consultations with members of bis cabinet and leaders in congress and will read bis trust message to a Joint session next Monday or Tuesday. ? I.OSK Til 101 It IJYKS. I'onr Seamen of llattlcsliip Wyoming (Jo to Their Deaths. The capsizing in Hampton Roads, off Norfolk, Va., Friday of a motor cutter from the battleship Wyoming, flagship of the Atlantic fleet, resulted in tho loss of the lives of four seamen of tho Wyoming's crew. Tho accident occurred near tho spot where a launch from tho battleship Minnesota went down in 1 907, with tho loss of eleven lives, mostly young midshipmen. Another coincidence was that the Wyoming was anchored In tho same place that tho Minnesota was lying six and a half years ago. Tho Wyoming's boat with nineteen* men aboard was carrying wheelbarrows from the flagship to the navy collier Proteus. All tho men were thrown into tho sea, and the weight of the steel wheelbarrows carried the cutter under, leaving nothing for the men to cling to. Small boats wero sent out and af passing tug give assistance In the rescue work. Thirteen of the men got out. None of tho other bodies have been recovered, though boats from tho Wyoming and other battleships were engaged tne remainder of the day in dragging the roadbed for thorn. I ? ? ? 1 Huck Slays Man. With virtually every bono in his body broken and his lungs punctured by tho horns of a largo buck, Patrick Iloran, of Islip, L. 1., was found dead Monday night in an enclosure where deer were kept. i ltobellioiis Are Killed. i Twelve rebellious Mexicon soldiers wore killed at Ensenada, Moxco, as a result of a quickly repressed revolt, i luo to the failure of the Mexican Government to pay off the troop in the i Knsenada garrison. ? Takes Fatal Leap. Herbert Thomas, a negro of Florence, was so badly injured from, lumping from a moving train that ho lio<i Monday, the day after his jump. were not stricken out and the purposes of tho foundation of tho unli versity remained unchanged." "There are but two occasions In i this record,55 ho said, "where tho i board of trustees declared itself solf! perpetuating, and in both of theeo i instances the resolutions wero accom i pnmea Dy acta wmch showed that tho board recognized tho control of the ? church." Mr. Fitzhugh said that tho right . of tho church to control tho affairs . of tho university had been recognized \ from the very beginning until 1905. ) lie cited many decisions of the courts - to support his contention that tho , church had tho authority to control > tho university under tho provisions - of tho charter in which woro onb? 3 bodied tho Memphis dcsolutious.