AMERICAN SEWS AID NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13811, 26 January 1907, Page 4

AMERICAN SEWS AID NOTES.

CFSOU OUB Ot!H CORWESPOKfaHT.) NEW YORK, December 1. STANDARD OIL COMPANY. A. suit intended to accomplish the dissolution of the Standard Oil'"trust" was started on November 15 at St. Louis by tho United States District Attorney, acting under the direction oE the Attorney-general (Sir Moody.) The action is by petition in equity in" the United Stales Circuit Court against John T). Rockefeller, William Rockefeller, Henry H. Rogers. John D. Archhold, Charles M. Pratt, Henry M. Maglcr, and Oliver 11. Payne as individuals, tho Standard; Oil Company of New Jersey, and. 70 other corporations and partnerships controlled by that company. Tho Attorneygeneral seeks an injunction to restrain the parent company from t'xercieing control over any of the 70 companies am! to restrain the latter from paying dividends to a controlling; company or from entering into any contract in restraint of trade. In a manuscript about as long as the old-time novel, the 35 years' history of tho Standard Oil Company einco it began as an Ohio concern, and tho actions of iho corporations controlled under this head aw reviewed. Various agreements made .with railroad companies aro cited as devices by which competition has been suppressed. It is pointed out that in 14 years, ending , wilh 1885, Mm company paid out in dividends 512,940,08+ dollars on an cnliro property valuation of 69,020,798 dollars. Since ihen an annual dividend of from 33 to 48 per cent, has been paid, and in addition a largo surplus has been accumulated. In tho meantime John D. K-oekcfcller and throe directors of tho Standard Oil Company of Ohio ha-vo been indicted -for violation ot the anti-trust law of that state. The Attorney-gcnoral of Ohio has also begun suits against subsidiary companies of the Standard Oil combination 1o deprive, iheni of all privileges and franchises in Ohio.

PANAMA CANAL. Tho President enjoyed a. busy visit to the Isthmus. Tho Louisiana arrived at Colon 10 hours ahead of the scheduled time, and tile President and Mrs Koosevelt received a call from President Amador, of Panama, on tho evening of tlio 14ih, !>eforc leaving their warship. On the following day the stare was made for Panama. The President and his party stopped at several small plates and were welcomed by bands of school children, who san? American songs. In responding to iin address by President Amador, President Roosevelt said he was glad that Panama was the fust territory over which the United States flag does not fly in which a President of tho United State had ect foot, during his term of office. Ho warned ihe people against revolutions, a.nd then set out for a firet-liand investigation of the Canal. He visited Culebra during a heavy rain, rodo ou a. workmen's train, climbed up on a steam elioYeJi raM in the? inud, and made a

speech to the men in wliicli lie urged thorn to work earnestly, and lo euch purpose that their country would be glad to confer

" patents of nobility" upon them. At La Boca the Pre-idenr had moss with the Canal employees during his slay. ;mcl later made an investigation of their water supply and dwellings at Colon and at Cristobal. The. Presidential party sailed for Porto Rico on the 17th, arriving there, early on the nioriiof tlio 21nt. In spiro. of Iho parly hour the, landing place was crowded by an expectant throng, who. when ho stepped ashore, cheered him, crying, ''A r iva. el l'reeidento!" The President responded with many bows, and was driven to tho city hall in an automobile with Governor Winthrop, Mrs Winthrop, and Mrs Roosevelt following in another car. At the entrance to the nlaza a. hujh arch had been erected, from which littlo girle threw flowers to the guests aa they pa-wed. In responding to an address of welcome at the. city hall the President said: "I shall continuo to use every ctfort to secure- citizenship- for l'orro Ricans. lam confident that this will come in (he end, and all thai. I can personally do to hasten that <h>y I will do. My efforts will ho unceasing to help yon along tho path of trim self-government, which must have for it.s bans union, order, liberty, justice, and honour." In conclusion ho said: "I salute you from the heart sis fellow citizens." Tho reference to citizenship brought out enthusiastie applause from tho people. FOOTBALL. In Iho most exciting football coldest ot tho season Yale ilofeated Harvard by the scorn of 6--0 liefom a throng of 32,000 people; in the .SJiuliunt, at New Haven, on November 24. The game was won l>y I'm , slrategy of Yale. Tho Harvard Eleven .was heralded as the strongest team the Crimsons Itavo sent out in years, and, iu fact, l,I;u-vai-<l was tho stronger in all tho departments of the. gamo iliat usually result in . victory. • Harvard continually pierced Yale's line, and stopped Yale's rushes with certainly for email gains and frequently for losses; and Harvard plainly outkicked Yale. But Yale, by (ho choice of. tho right play just at tho right moment, frequently, extricated herself from difficult positions. Tho scoring came in tho last ilireo minutes of tho first half.

HERESY TRIAL. A ,caso to which much attention has been directed in religious circles is that growing out of.the heresy trial of the Key. Dr Crapsey, a prominent α-cclor of Iho Episcopal Church at Rochester (N T .Y.).' In an ecclesiastical court of tho dioceso of Western New York he was adjudged guilty of heresy four or live months ago. Ho appealed to Iho Court of Review, which began hearings on tho case, with attendant publicity, in September. Whilo tho text of the Court of Review baa not been made public, the verdict of tho first court wae aflirmed, and Dr Crapsey has therefore, announced his resignation from the ministry. In a loiter explaining his position, Dr Crapsey said in part: "If I am to hold the creed at all I must give to certain, if not all, o( its articles a spiritual rather limn a literal physical interpretation."

MESSAGES TO CONGRESS. Tho unusual number, of special messages from tho White Homo this month has caused so much comment that the President is reported (o be somewhat- piqued on , tho subject. llany special interests havo importuned him to champion some special causo by menns o[ a special message, mul when Iho mailer has seemed important to him he has thought wiso to do so; but ho 'is reported now ,lo have reached tho point where ho believes that a too frequent uso of tho special message weakens Iho eflfceiivenors of tiro executive, appeal. That members of Congress have found fault or rnado merry over ihu filream of public documents from the White House gives the President can.»e to Ihink (hat his efi'oittv aro sometimes beliillcd by tlioso_ who are quickest to importune him for 'support'. in measures in which they aro inlorcslcd, and it, is declared ho will avail himself of this sentiment to riil himself of much work of this character in future. Among the messages sent to Congress since tho regular •.'Message early in tho month have been messages on the Naval Personnel Bill, which contemplates tho more rapid retirement and promotion of tho officers of the navy; a message transmitting Secretary Mctcalf's report on tho alleged discrimination against, the Japanese in San Francisco; a. special massago on Panama and Ilio'canal, illustrated by photographs; a message on the public question; a. message transmitting Secretary fafl.'e report on the Cuban situation, and a reply Io Iho Senate resolution culling; for information regarding Iho discharge without honour of tho soldiers of tho Twenty-fifth lU'gimoiit of Coloured Infantry. The President's regular Mcssajje on the opening of Congress was a document of 50,000 words, written ae much for the benefit of (ho public a-5 for the enlightenment, of Congress.

An important .feature of the Message, was the discussion of luxation and the proposal t-hat, in addition to tlio ravoiuio now derived from imports ami from an internal or excise tux, the Government should impose a graduated' inheritance t.ix, ami if possible a graduated income lax. Tlio President holds thai 'a. ram of great wealth owes a peculiar obligation to the state, teause ho derives Mwcial advantages from tlio were existence of Government, and sliould hear his full and proper share of tlioMiunlen of 'taxation, levied in a spirit of ent-irc justice ami moderation. "I am well aware," said Uio President, "that endi a. subject as this needs long and careful study in orcior that tlm people may 'lieoome familiar with what is proposed to be done, may eloarly see Ilio necessity of proceeding ivith wisdom and self restraint.; while only trained legislators can work out tlio problem in necessary deta.il." 'Wio President's message diee.Hf-ses (.lie need of technical industrial education, and suggests tliat tlio. schools of the District of Columbia ha mado models for tho nation in tlio development of their technical, industrial, scientific, and commercial sides. Next to the necessity of .providing ilius for the needs of tho wage, worker is ilio need of providing educational means as tlio Government can for tho liclp of tho faraier. 'Die fiiibjwt of irrigation and forest preservation was touched upon, and the necessity of a constitutional amendment relegating lo the authority of tho National Congress the question of marriage and divorco was suggested. The wide difference in the state laws on marriage and divorco result in scandals r.hioh \hn President would eliminate, and lie believes that tho subject of polygamy should not bo left to tlio states. Tho President believes tliat a law should be enacted for the encouragement of -American shipping, and at least that provision be made for better communication with South America. Throughout tho messajo the President does not once forget his simplified spelling. No\v that this simplified spelling order is ■rescinded this message will doubtless become one of historical interest as being the chief staio document in which the reform spelling was used. INHERITANCE TAX. .

. Mr Andrew Carnegie has 'had something to say about the proposed inheritance tax. In a speech beforu i-ho Civic Federation lie said flrafc tiro income tax proposed by the President was impossible, and tho "most pernicious act a. ration can perform." Ho Eaitl: "1 believfl with Sir Gladstone, who said that (lie incomo ta-x mado a. nation o[ liars. There is no tax so pernicious, not only from an economic, but from a moral point of view, as a fax that requires the struggling young business man, fearful whether tho bank directors will pass his note for 1000 dollars to-morroir, to b<! compelled to explain all liia private business to some man in the community who may l>o himself a. bank director, or who is connected with tho banks. It penetrates business to tlio core. The nation will never regret anything so much as attempting to collect a tax njou men. engaged La business