ifa.l-v,!
APRIL 151904T
The Commoner.
. ,.
17 .r r -
I
gNT TOPICS
IN THE house of commons, March 21 the lib
eral leader, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman
moved his vote of censure presented March 16 to'
the effect that "this house disapproves the cond'uct
of his majesty's government in advising the crown
not -lo disallow the ordinance for the introduction
of Chinese labor in the Transvaal." The Asso
ciated press says: "Sir Henry said nothing the
government had done since the close of the South
African -war had so sorely tried the people of this
country as its sanction of the introduction of Chi
nese labor into South Africa. If the new departure
was not checked, it would be a source of future
weakness, not only to the Transvaal, but to the
people of South Africa. It was impossible to con
ceive a greater departure from the principles by
which Great Britain had hitherto made her way
in the world than the importation of aliens as the
bondmen of mining speculators. The Europ'eans
in South Africa, Sir Henry declared, were by a
large majority opposed to yellow labor, and the
object of his motion -was to stop -the government's
policy in its earliest stage." After a protracted
debate the censure motion was rejected bv a vote
of 299 to 242. y
AN IMPORTANT' decision was rendered
by the United States supreme court April 4
in the case involving the right of the interstate
commerce commission to require the anthracite
coal carrying railroads to produce their books
and papers. The court held that the commission
had the authority to make the investigation and
examine the documents bearing upon the subject.
The opinion was delivered by Justice Day and
concurred in by seven other justices. Justice
Brewer dissented, but did not give his reasons for
the dissent.
TH E opinion, was the result of a case insti
tuted oefore the interstate commerce com
mission by William R. Hearst, the New York edi
tor. On November 5, 1902, Mr. -Hearst filed with
the interstate commerce commission a complaint
against the coal trust. On March 12, 1903, the
commission ordered a public hearing. From April
21 to April 30, hearings were held in New York
city, President Baer and other trust officials be
ing summoned to the stand. During this hearing
several of the coal trust officers refused to answer
certain questions and declined also to produce pa
pers. The commission then called upon Attorney
General Knox asking for a court order requiring
that the questions be answered and the docu
ments be produced. On June 2, 1903, Federal Judge
Lacombe ordered the officers of the coal to show
cause why they should not comply with the com
mission's order. On June 10, Judge Lacombe de
cided that the questions need not be answered and
the papers need not be produced It was there
fore a victory, for the coal trust
THE case was appealed to the supreme couit
and on March 9, 1904, arguments were sub
nutted. On April '4, 1904, the supreme court ren
dered its decision reversing- that of Judge Lacombe
and confirming the right of the interstate com
merce commission to do the things which Judge
Lacombe said they had no authority to do. It
"was contended by the attorneys of the- coal trust
that a private citizen had no authority to bring
these proceedings before the interstate commerce
commission. The court holds, however, that a
private citizen does have that right and therefore
upholds Mr. Hearst's participation in these pro
ceedings. CLARENCE -J. S.HERAN, attorney -for
Mr. Hearst, explains in a public statement
Wnat the supreme court's decision means to the
coal trust Mr. Sheran explains: "It means that -Jho
coal trust -must produce the entire series of
the 14 Temple Iron company contracts. These
contracts convict the railroads of pooling and vio
lating the Sherman anti-trust law. It means that
JQ coal trust must produce the 'coal purchase con
tracts.' These Contracts convict the railroads of
Practicing gross discrimination in freight rates
against independents. It means that Baer, Thomas
and Truesdale .must- telj how the selling price of
coal i3 fixed; It means that the favorite weapon
trusts, in resisting rproseeution interminable
ueiay is no, longer- available, . for, thanks .to,. Mr.
Hearst's fieht. tho 'vnnUH , . .
apply to ovory SuohcmZ it SSTttatmv 'JET
MEMBERS of congress have for several
weeks past devoted considerable enernv in
the effort to locate the responsibility Tor the pub
lication of the Bristow report. It will bo romom
Mr nZt ' tho kuso dcvted special attention to
Mr Bristow and he was bitterly criticised by many
members and in several instances epithets were
applied to the fourth assistant postmaster general
Later. Mr. Bristow appeared before the committee
and said that he was not at all responsible for the
insertion of the congressmen's names in that re
port Then Mr. Overstreet of Indiana, chairman
of the house committee on postofllces, intimated
that the report tame from Postmaster General
Payne. Finally, Mr. Payne, who has been continul
to his room with sickness, denied responsibility
and there seems now to be a disposition to at
tach the blame to Mr. Overstreet himself.
AN INTERESTING conference held re
cently at the Arlington Hotel in Washing
ton city is described by a correspondent for the
Chicago Tribune. It sefems that a special com
mittee of the house which is engaged in investi
gating the origin of the Bristow report, called
upon Postmaster General Payne in his sick room
and listened to Mr. Payne's statement. Mr. Payne
prepared the statement in writing, which he suo
mitted to the committee. He said that he did not
consider the date as originally prepared, proper
for publication, that he therefore sent in the cor
respondence without the names of the congress
men, because he believed in all cases the members
of congress had done nothing more than their duty
to their constituents. Mr. Payne declared posi
tively' that the demand for the names was made
by Mr. Overstreet arid that they were sent InMe
sponse to a specific telephone request in the name
of the postofflce committee.
TH E scene about the sick bed of the postmas
ter general is described by the correspon
uent as being very dramatic. This corresponaent
says: ' Tne postmaster general submitted two a
letters from Mr. Overstreet in which the latter
requested information as to allowances and re
duction in allowances for clerk hire in postoffice3
of the third and fourth classes. The information
was sent and Mr. Payne said he later received
word from tut committee that the list as sent
was not satisfactory. Mr. Payne's statement con
tinues: 'As I did not esteem it to be just nor
right to submit a list of these offices as shown in
that schedule with nothings but the names of
members of congress and others appended, with
out further explanation, I had an interview wi'li
Mr. Overstreet, at which it was agreed that the
circumstances surrounding each case should bb
briefly set forth. On Sunday, January. 31, the
chairman called at my residence. About 40 per
cent of the matter desired had been prepared and
we went over it carefully. The chairman ex
pressed himself as entirely satisfied with its form
and substance. This list V personally returned to
the department the next morning and I did not,
nor did any one else to my knowledge, submit
these lists nor any other matter called for and
now being inquired into to any person outside
the department, except to Mr Overstreet on the
occasion mentioned. The complete list was trans
mitted under date of February 5. Under date cf
February 10 and March 2 certain additional in
formation regarding leases of premises for poai
offltfes and allowances for rent, fuel, and light was
transmitted to the committee The .testimony fa
the case will disclose the fact that the department
was being urged to furnish this information at
the earliest possible moment, and an extra tone
of men was employed who worked nights and
Sundays in its preparation. The information was
the department cognizant with the various suu
jects referred to.'"
A "NT rNTERESTING chapter in the Drey
fus case is contributed by Labori, famous.as
the attorney for Dreyfus in the great trial, ; For
iS'".., '"B "'"Uk. SAv
h -. fi, , w- . -f3y-.;iZT''iT Jl'Lttf rtll
" -n - drMm'"'i,.'.ij . -w A fr,ii .r m ubtj a
s f - - "MEr
somo tirao it has been roported that a coldness
existed between Dreyfus and his formor attornej.
The Paris correspondent for tho Chicago Tri
bune says: "As a mattor of fact, Dreyfus has
proved himself a monster of ingratitude towaros
those who were most instrumental in bringing him
back from his prison in the Devil's island. Even
Labori s fee has never boon paid and Labori has
beon shocked, as poor Zola was shocked, at tho
lack of courage and dignity Dreyfus has mani
fested, his willingness to effect compromises at
any cost, and his absolute disregard for ovon
thing save rehabilitation at any price."
IT IS further pointed out by this same author
ity that Labori was Zola's attorney and that
alter Labori's defense of tho great writor, the
Dreyfus family demanded his services. It is stattd
that Labori accepted the task even though ho
Knew it would cost him hfs practice. Tho Tribune
correspondent says: "During the trial at Konues
ho was tho terror of tho military judges, owing to
his pertinent questions so much so that tho
Dreyfus family was approached by government
representatives and asked to prevent Labori from
pleading, promising -other advantages. When
Mathion Dreyfus first broached the subject to i.a-.-
bori his anger knew no bounds. 'What!' he ex
claimed, 'you will traffic with the enemy when tho
cause is just!' But tho family stood firm, and
Labori finally renounced pleading, which at ilie
time caused a great sensation. Dreylus was con
demned, but again tho government officials ap
proached the family and declared tnat the 'affair
would be arranged.' The arrangement was soon
known. Tho minister of war offered to paruon
Dreyfus if he would ask for grace.'
ACCORDING to the French custom, when,
a prisoner asks for pardon ho must sign a
stalement to 'the effect tbot he has been jusliy
sentenced and that he demands a pardon, 'ifco
Tribune correspondent says that Labori protested
against Dreyfus signing such a document. "Go
to prison for ten years," he said, "but never dis
honor yourself by acknowledging that you have
been justly sentenced thus you admir your guilt. '
But Dreyfus wanted to be free at any price, and,
despite Labori, and despite P , and Zola, who
all declared it was dishonor to traffic if he was .an
innocent man, Dreyfus asked for grace, signing
the fatal admission. Again the government prom
ised that it would make it up to him, and it has
kept its promise in commanding the revision, but
for Labori, P , and Zola all the sublime ele
ments in the case were overshadowed the day
Dreyfus declarod over his signature that he had
been justly condemned but demanded pardon. Out .
of, this grew the troubles between Labori and his .
client, which found their epilogue m Labori's re?
fusal to allow himself to be associated in any
praise of Dreyfus. "I have in no way changed my
opinion of the cause' Labori said to raer "but" I
was unwilling to belisod as a. witness to certain-,
assertions I could not confirm." There is no,
doubt Dreyfus will be rehabilitated, and thus will
close one of the most celebrated "causes de jus
tice" in history.
TH E Cuban republic is going through the em
barrassments unavoidable in the self-govern-rnunt
experiment In fact, the reports of a ses
sion of the Cuban house of representatives oh.
April 24 read like the reports of some of our state
legislatures. Describing this scene, a Chicago
Chronicle correspondent says: "The scene in tno
house of representatives was one of wild disorder.
As a matter of fact, there was no formal opening
of the house, owing to the inability to mustei a
quorum for the reason that every nationalist mem
ber refused to enter the chamber, tin nationalists
Tearing that if the question of contested seats
arose they would be outvoted by the coalition
lately arranged between the republicans and modi
crate liberals. The nationalists, however, came
into the building, accompanied by several lusu-
dred local followers, who crowded into the au
dience' part of the chamber and into the halls ad
streets adjoining, shouting 'vivas' for the nation
alist party. Tho republicans and moderate lib
erals, for the most part, remained'ln their, seats.
During the confusion the vice speaker, of. -the "
house, the speaker, a nationalist?" hoi being pres-
r
J:
r
, JaAjXjkt.
