for the Interstate Commerce Commission, its extension of common carriers to include express companies and pipe lines, it marks a long step forward in the right direction, and will always stand as a distinguishing mark of President Roosevelt's judgment and influence. Just how far it must be modified and corrected by future. legislation is a matter for the courts to decide, but as it stands it extends the control of the federal government decidedly and will establish a precedent which ought to make subsequent legislation of a similar nature more intelligent and effective. The bills providing for meat inspection and pure food are also of great importance and ought to prove of decided advantage not only to the country at large, but to the industries which they affect. These bills give new importance to the department of agriculture, as well as to the department of justice. They also indicate very plainly the trend everywhere

observable throughout the country toward increasing the powers of the central government in preference to miscellaneous legislation by various states on matters which affect the nation as a whole. The day is long past when we said the United States are rather than is!

Other Bills

Other bills were passed, which although possibly not of equal importance, would have given distinction to any other session. Among them are to be noticed that removing the tax on denatured alcohol, which ought to result in a decided help to many industries; the new consular bill. which is certain to insure larger efficiency and dignity for the consular service of the United States; that making the Panama Canal a lock level rather than sea level canal, with an appropriation of $39,000,000 a year for that purpose; that authorizing the creation of the new State of

Oklahoma from the territory of that name and Indian Territory, and of a second state from Arizona and New Mexico, providing the majority of the citizens of each shall so vote; and such bills as that which clearly limited the immunity to be enjoyed by witnesses before government tribunals, and that which looks to the preservation of the beauty of Niagara.

also the Algeciras treaty. The latter is likely to be confirmed next session. Congress refused also to create an educational test for foreign immigrants, although it did forbid the naturalization of any one who could not speak the English language, and established a new bureau of immigration and naturalization. Under the new law duplicate certificates and petitions are to be very carefully drawn and filed, thus forestalling the counterfeit naturalization papers which, it is alleged, have been issued in certain quarters numerously. Immigration is a subject which is very difficult to handle because of its relations to labor organiza

tions as well as to those nationalities now represented among our citizens. An echo of this difficulty is also to be heard in the laws providing for the establishment of the new State of Oklahoma,

FRANCIS W. PARKER, STATE SENATOR FROM ILLINOIS Who is the reform candidate against Congressman Mann which is likely to have a direct bearing on the rights of the Indians of the Indian Territory, and the other legislation providing for the establishment of the new state composed of Arizona and New Mexico. Here the question of Mexican immigrants is one of importance, and there is no likelihood that the citizens of Arizona will favor admission to statehood under the conditions set by the bill.

The Senate is rapidly becoming the organ of the new public opinion. With

The Senate the House, it has yielded Shows Con- to the demand for constructive Zeal structive legislation, and what is better, we begin to see the lines along which such legislation is to run. In a word it is the increase of the functions of the federal government. Gov

ernmental control of trusts is to-day something more than a fine-sounding phrase. Corporations themselves are recognizing the fact that reasonable control is not only inevitable but desirable as a protec tion against more radical action. The Senate has become the leader in the new work. The severe criticism to which it has been exposed has had effect. It is the Senate that has dealt best with pure-food legislation, the railway rates, the inspection of the slaughtering and packing processes, denatured alcohol, employers' liability. In our opinion it would have improved certain of these actions by accepting some of the amendments it rejected, but on the whole, the last session has done much to remove the stigma resting upon it because of its former attitude toward public sentiment.

for Congressional nominations as important as any is that being made by State Senator Parker of Illinois for the seat now held by Congressman Mann. The latter's championship of the mileage grab, his subserviency to corporate interests and his relation to the discredited Lorimer-Jamieson organization from which Illinois Republicans are being emancipated, make this contest a phase in the general movement for new and better political ideals. Mr. Parker is an aggressive champion of practical idealism in politics, just as Mr. Mann is the representative of machine politics of the ordinary sort and of corporate interests more afraid of reform than of campaign expenses.

Alcohol

Fuel

On January 1, 1907, the United States should find itself enjoying a new and reasonably cheap fuel in the shape of alcohol. Not the alcohol that makes men drunk, but an alcohol rendered beneficently poisonous by the addition of some ingredient. Congress in removing the tax on such alcohol has made it of commercial importance. It can be used in motor engines in the place of gasoline, and also in many processes like the production of shellacs, varnishes, artificial silk, smokeless powder. Wherever it can be used it should lead to economies which in turn should lead to reduction in prices. But by no means the least of its promised blessings will be the reduction of the

L. W. WACHENHEIMER

The Prosecuting Attorney in the Toledo ice case

odor of gasoline, which bids fair to become a national nuisance.

Law and the Trusts

The downright determination of the country to regulate the trusts has been evident for the past nine months. Each week now is marked by some procedure in the way of prosecuting individual members of corporations under the charge of violating state legislation against preventing competition. In such states as Arkansas the laws are such that it is difficult for any large corporation to escape at least technical guilt, and the International Harvester Company of America has already found itself in a position where it is obliged to pay a fine of $20,000, although at the same time it denies that it is more than technically guilty. Arkansas is engaged now in pushing elaborate suits against the oil companies, claiming enormous damages. The violation of the Ohio trust law has

JUSTICE IN LEADING STRINGS
Not so blind as some would like her to be
Thorndyke, in the Philadelphia Press

also been proved against the ice compa

nies of Toledo and several of their direc

tors have been sentenced to a fine of $2,500 and a short term of imprisonment in the Toledo workhouse. Somewhat similar convictions of the officers of ice companies may also be made in Indianapolis and Philadelphia. Ohio is also proceeding against the officials of the Standard Oil Company. Attorney-General Moody seems to have become aroused to the fact that there is a federal statute requiring railroads to install safety appliances, and has brought suits against eighteen companies for violating this law. The Medical Society of St. Louis is proceeding against the newspapers which publish objectionable medical advertising. The Alton Railroad and two of its officials have been sentenced to fines amounting to $60,000 for granting rebates. Altogether the future bids fair to demonstrate that the government of the United States belongs to the people.

of Representatives, is an out-and-out party man. At the same time it is to be hoped that his oratory will not sway very many votes. The independent citizens of Pennsylvania are doing the best they can to break clear from the last survival of the Quay machine and have founded the Lincoln party which, at Philadelphia on May 31, nominated a full ticket with Louis Emery, Jr., a Republican, as its candidate for governor. On June 27 the Democratic convention at Harrisburg also nominated Emery for governor with a full list of Democrats for the other offices. On July 10 the Lincoln party reconvened in convention at Philadelphia and completed the fusion by substituting the full Democratic ticket for its own. This may be good politics, but it certainly complicates matters, for the Harrisburg convention named Bryan as the next nominee of the Democratic party. At the same time it is not likely that this will confuse matters in the coming state elecDemocratic platform like that of the Lintions. The issue is very simple. The reform in all particulars, especially in the coln party calls for thorough-going matter of the control of corporations. The Republican machine is therefore now fighting for its life on an issue that very likely forecasts that of the next Presidential campaign. Last year the fusion