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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 10, 1907)
THE 1WC3KIVIJNO OKEGOIAN, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1907. FACTS AGAINST LUMBER TRUST Garfield Laid Foundation for Prosecution During Tour of the West. BRING OFFICERS TO COURT AVeyerhaeuser and Ills Satellites Will Have Light Turned on Op erations and May Lose Much Valuable Timber Land. OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU. Wash InKton, Sept. 9. The Pacific Northwest la again to be dragged Into the limelight, according to Secretary Garfield, who is credited with the statement that the Government Intends to prosecute the lum ber trust. The Secretary deferred this announcement until he reached his home In Ohio, and even then he declined to give any details In regard to the pro gramme mapped out by the Bureau of Corporations, which will have charge of the prosecution. But the fact that the Secretary said Individual officials of the trust would be prosecuted, and the fur ther fact that he named Frederick Wey erhaeuser. Is sufficient to convey the in telligence that Oregon, Washington and Idaho . will again become the scenes of Federal activity. Mr. Garfield made his announcement just after his conference with the Presi dent at Oyster Bay. and only a few days " after his return from the West. It Is recalled that the Secretary had confer ences with various United States Dis trict Attorneys while on his tour, and It Is now believed that during those con ferences he gathered material which will be used by the Government In making up Its case against the lumber trust. The work of prosecuting the lumber trust does not belong to the Interior Department, though that department Is in possession of many facts that 'will be utilized In court, for it was through that depart ment that the trust obtained title to the greater portion of its land, and the .spe cial agents of that department, in fer reting out land frauds, ran down many trails that ended In the offices of the lumber trust. In other words, many acres ot Government timber land that were fraudulently patented eventually found their way into the possession of the trust. Knox Smith Gels Evidence. Prior to his promotion to a Cabinet of fice Mr. Garfield was chief of the Bureau 3.-f Corporations and, had he remained in (that position, would today be in charge f the work of collecting evidence against he lumber trust. Because of his famil- iarlty with that work, the Secretary was able to 3ather much important informa tion while traveling in those states where the trust is strongest, but the case 'now rests in the hands of Herbert Knox Smith, who succeeded Mr. Garfield as head of the Bureau of Corporations. The actual prosecution w'lll be conducted by the Department of Justice, through the District Attorneys of the various states in which it is alleged the trust has un lawfully operated. Just what condition the case Is In ,ts unknown, for definite information on the subject Is not obtainable in Washington. In the absence of the higher officials. It Is improbable, however, that any prose cutions will be begun In the immediate future, unless it should be In the State of Washington, for the District Attor neys of Oregon and Idaho have their s. hands full with land fraud cases that have long awaited trial, and it would not likely be the policy of the Department further to defer the land trials In order to hasten the prosecution of the lumber trust. If the prosecutions are begun im mediately. It is quite likely that special attorneys will be assigned to the work, so as to relieve the District Attorneys, whose hands are full. Prosecute Trust and Officials. It is understood in Washington that the lumber trust will be prosecuted mainly on the ground that it is a cor poration operating In restraint of trade; in other words, because of its system atic efforts to crush out individual lum ber companies, in order that it may dic tate the price of lumber, not alone in the West, but all over the United States. This suit, if successful, would probably have the effect of forcing down the price of lumber. But there will undouhedly be prose cutions of another sort In which the of ficials of the trust will figure. From the time land frauds were first discov ered the opinion lias prevailed in the minds of many that much of the fraud was attributable to the trust. Agents of the trust would let it be known that they would pay a certain price per acre for timber land of a specified value. Some agents are supposed to have gone further and made actual contracts with Individuals, under which they hound themselves to buy certain tracts of land at an agreed price, it the individual would acquire title from the Govern ment. But whether by contract or by implied contract, the belief is general that the trust inspired many unfortu nate individuals to make speculative timber entries In violation of the law, while up to the present time the entry men have been the only ones to Buffer, although In many instances they were less guitly than the agents who in spired the crime. Sue to Recover Mucli Land. If prosecutions of this character are un dertaken and carried to successful conclu sion, they will be followed by suits brought by the Government to recover title to land erroneously patented and ac quired by the trust. It is only by this means that the Government can recover any part of the enormous area of tim ber land now controlled by Mr. Weyer haeuser and other lumber barons, and at best only a small portion of the holdings is likely to find its way back into the pos session of the Government. The Forest Service, like the Interior Department, is anlxous that uits of this nature should be instituted and is also in possession of many facts that will be used In court If I the trust Is brought to book. The greater portion of the holdings of the lumber trust was acquired by legal ' methods under the lieu and land law. This was nothing more than legalized graft, but all such land is now properly in the hands of the trust, and there Is no hope of recovering any part of If. That was a case where Congress locked the door after the horse had been stolen, for the lieu land law was not repeated until the cream of the timbered public domain had been gobbled up by the rich corporations. The prosecutipn of the lumber trust will afford a lifetime opportunity for some man to make a reputation. ' It is a case of the utmost magnitude, and It is quite certain the Government has fortified it self with overwhelming evidence; other wise Mr. Garfield would not have public ly announced that the Government was about ready to undertake the prosecution. The case Is fully as important as any P'osecution yet undertaken under the Forced Out of Our Warehouse and at a time when we most need space. At any other time of the year we could have moved with very little trouble, but now with our warehouse full of the purchases made by our Mr. Pow ers while in the market we are "up against it." We have spent the last ten days in trying to find a suitable place to store these goods but have not succeeded. msmsmii 1 W fc. if KITCHEN TREASURES We have just purchased the bankrupt stock of the Dormer Manufacturing Company, of iSellwood, and have on hand 110 full-size Kitchen Treasures, which we will CO QC sell as long as they last at. -OiOu .fPORT-ND BRANCH -r- I Jf. A. CUSHINC Portland, Oregon, ThelPowera" Furniture Co., Portlandoregon. Gentlemen: Referring to your3 'of recent 'date; areTooliged to advise you' that' itwill be impossible" for us to "renew your lease on warehouse at Front. and Salmon' Sts. , J which expires; Sept 25th.7 owing to" other arrange- ments madeforlthis" property . This must he final. Verytruly yours, - THE CHAS."H.iVty CO. Per : : T Now Is Your Opportunity to furnish your home at a great saving, and at the same time secure the latest cre ations from the best factories in the world. It is not odds and ends that we are selling at such great reductions, but a warehouse full of brand new pat terns just received from the market. Never before have such prices been quoted in Portland. Come in and be convinced. Terms on specials are strictly cash. A " '" '"frl A BUFFET IN Select quartered oak, exactly like cut ; finished golden or weathered; regular value $36. pyl Forced Sale price $23. SO 56 Iron Beds, regular $ 4.50 values, now , 32 Iron Beds, regular $ 5.50 values, now 16 Iron Beds, regular $ 8.00 values, now. . . , 21 Iron Beds, regular $12.50 values, now. . . , 14 Iron Beds, regular $15.00 values, now. . . . Iron Beds 385. Iron Beds, exact ly like cut ; full three quarter size; regular val ue $3.50. The forced sale price $1.85 3.00 3.75 5.25 8.75 ....$10.50 i . ft. YUM YUM SPRINGS Just like picture; 2-ply weave; three rows of coil sprir.gs in center, supported by five heavy cables; reg. C1 QQ ular $3.50 values. Forced Sale price... OlivJO This jarsr t e Arm Rocker With cobbler leather seat, $3.50 value. Forced (M QC Sale price ,0 I liJO Furnish Your Home on Our Easy Payment Flan J' . jgB tags 17 Princess Dressers, oak, mahog any or birdseye maple; $30.00 values; now $21.75 15 Dresserl, oak, ' mahogany or birdseye maple, $33.50 values; now S24.0G 10 Dressers, - oak, mahogany or birdseye maple, $40.00 ' values ; now $28.00 4 Dressers, oak and mahogany, J $68.50 values; now. $43.50 2 Dressers, oak and mahoganv, $85.00 values; now $54.00 Turkish Leather Rocker A roomy Rocker, in genuine leather; p only best oil-tempered steel springs used in its construction. Regular $45 value. Forced Sale pric $19.75 I : 9 H9 031- y-:. 1 - JEWEL RANGE ,$1.00 DOWN $1.00 WEEK Why Pay Retail Prices When You Can Buy Goods at Less Than Wholesale Mail Orders Promptly Filled Mail Orders Promptly Filled DRESSER THIS DRESSER is made of thoroughly seasoned mate rial, has shaped top and top drawers, oval French- bevel mirror and finished golden; regular $12.00 value. Forced Sale QGi price .... Pt70 antt-trust law and as far-reaching in its effects, and the course of the administra tion Is sure to meet with general ap proval, for the country has long felt the oppression resulting from the workings of this trust, and Is today paying unpre cedented prices for all kinds of lumber. Trust's Probable Defense. It is to be expected that the trust will defend Its prices on the ground that the cost of labor has advanced and the cost of transportation has kept pace with the price of labor. It can not be shown, however, that either the cost of labor or the cost of transportation has advanced as rapidly as the price of lumber, and therein will lie the strength of the Gov ernment's case. In this contest, as in all trust cases, the Government attorneys will be brought face to face with the best legal talent that monej- oan afford, and the moderate salaried Government attorneys will have to measure swords with attorneys draw ing princely salaries from the trust, flow ever, experience has demonstrated that the Government can get good legai talent, even for the comparatively small salares It is allowed to pay, and these attorneys, armed with the law and the facts, have heretofore been able to make headway against the high-priced attorneys of the corporations. They will be expected to do as well against the lumber trust. Northwestern I'eople in Xew York. NEW YORK, Sept. 9. (Special.) Northwestern people registered at New York hotels today as follows: From Portland Miss V. E. Good nough, at the Martha Washington; P. M. Swift, at- the Hotel Astor; Mlsa A. Shogren. at the Wolcottj M. J. HIckey, at the Sinclair. From Seattle J. Davis, at the Wood stock; E. H. Cherrlngton and wife, at the Cadillac; T. M. Fisher, Jr., at the Breslln. THERE'S A BOHTUNB I.V IT. x Irrigated lands in Snake River Val ley of Southern Idaho produce the largest and best crops. The warm south slope on the North Side Tract is ideal for orchards. 150,000 acres will be open to entry October 1st, 1937. Write today for particulars. Twin Falls North Side Land & Water Company, Milner. Idaho. E no one will want to stand out on the platform." CAN'T GET CARS IS HIS CRY extra engine and crew were sent out from Portland to take them out. COURT CANCELS LAND LEASES REFUSES TO OBEY ORDER TO GO INSIDE THE CARS. Taeoma's Executive Says Street Railway Company Must Furnish Seats for Passengers. TACOMA, Wash., Sept. 9. (Special.) Mayor Wright last night refused to leave the rear- platform of a streetcar and go Inside according to the new rule. The conductor threatened to stop the car, but the Mayor was obdurate and said: "I never have to be driven when there are seats, but I did not intend to go In and stand up In the hot. impure air. That order Is all foolishness. I intend to take the matter up with Superintendent Boutelle and see about it. If they will furnish enough cars to carry the people, Independence- Shipper Makes-Com- I'inds That State Obtained Posses- plaint to Commission. SALEM. Or., Sept. 9. (Special. ) George E. Brey, an Independence shipper, complains to the Railroad Commission of the alleged laxity of the Southern Pacific Company in the delivery of cars for load ing, and asks assistance of that body in securing cars for htm. The basis of his complaint Is that he ordered a boxcar for delivery at Suver. on the West Side di vision, for the shipment of a carload of oats to San Francisco, August 27. but that, up to the date of writing, Septem ber 7. he had received none. He also says he took the matter up with the di vision superintendent of the Southern Pa cific, but got no satisfaction. He com plains the company permits cars to accu mulate at that point for a period of ten days, and that early last week there were 40 or 60 loaded cars standing on 'the side track, and they were not moved until an sion of Property Through Fraud. OLYMPIA, Wash., Sept. 9. (Special.) In the local Superior Court today. Judge Linn decided in favor ot the state in a suit to cancel the leases of Ocean Beach water front in Pacific County. In 1900 the state held an auction and leased these lands for five years at purely nominal rentals. When the leases were written they were made for a period of 30 years. Suit was brought alleging this fraud, and the court ordered the leases canceled. Police Close the Theater. HOQUIAM. Wash., Sept. 9. (Special.) , Deputy Sheriff Young tonight closed the Star Theater, a resort in the red light district. The writ of attachment was served Just as the evening's per formance began, and caused consider able consternation among the habitues of the resort. TACOMA ' MESSENGERS QUIT Companies Consider Possibility ol Girls and Young Women. TACOMA, Wash.. Sept. 9. (Special.) Messenger boys of the Western Union Telegraph Company and Pacific Mes senger Company have refused to work and there is a possibility that girls and young women may take the place of the boys in the near future. Not one of the twelve boys employed by the Pacific Messenger reported for work yesterday, and today but two were on hand. Of the fifteen boys employed by the Western Union but two appeared for work. One of the boys said this afternoon that he quit on account of the operators' strike. There were some 3igns that the striking operators might have influenced some of the boys to quit, but an operator said there was nothing to such a story. Hood's Sarsaparnia cures scrofula, salt rheum and all other troubles caused by imDure blood.