ITEMS OF INTEREST June 11, 1910 Issue

ITEMS OF INTEREST

Owing largely to the presence of only seven of the nine members on the bench, thirty cases heard at the term of the United States supreme court just ended must be reargued next term. The fifteen involving the constitutionality of the corporation tax were heard as one case. Two involve the question whether the penalties for violating the twenty-eight-hour law for the transportation of live stock shall be determined by the individual shipments or by the train. Two suits bring up the dissolution of the tobacco corporation. Two more cases involve the validity of indictments for grazing sheep on forest reservations without permission of the Government; two others, the use of the waters of the Walker river in California and Nevada, and two more the enforcement of the Oklahoma prohibition laws in interstate shipments. Others cases to be reargued are the dissolution suit against the Standard Oil Corporation; the case involving the constitutionality of the hours of service law for railroad employees, and that arising out of the use of the water of the upper Gila river in Arizona for irrigation. Six cases argued remained without action when the court adjourned for the summer. Of these the only one of general interest was that involving the rights of forwarding agencies to demand carload rates from railroads.

Governor Hughes of New York has called a special session of the General Assembly to consider the question of direct primaries which failed of enactment before adjournment. Although he failed of securing action on this important matter he was fortunate in obtaining favorable legislation on all his other more important recommendations, which include the state's refusal to endorse the proposed income tax amendment to the federal Constitution; a resolution calling for a general investigation of corrupt practices; the placing of telephone and telegraph companies under supervision of the public service commission, second district; strengthening the laws against racetrack gambling; acceptance by the state of the Harriman park gift; the enactment of a liberal automobile law productive of state revenue; a proposed constitutional amendment looking to the development of water-power within the forest reserves; a law recognizing the principle of an employer's liability for injury to the employee; more stringent measures for the suppression of the white slave traffic; important reforms in the insurance and banking laws.

To obtain greater precision and do away with errors of compass and compass reading, the hydrographic office of the United States navy has adopted a new compass, which is simply a circle divided into three hundred and sixty degrees. On it there is no east, no south, no west, only true north. To avoid confusion in the period of transition, the old-style compass will be used, combined with the new, the letters indicating direction being taken off and the degrees being represented. By this new marking, for example, to steer northeast the order would be given to the man at the helm to make the course forty-five degrees.

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