Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 37, Number 217, 17 July 1912 — Page 1

MICHMOMB FA ABIUM AND SUN-TELEGRAM VOL. XXXVII. NO. 217. RICHMOND, IND., WEDNESDAY EVENING. JULY 17, 1912. SINGLE COPY 2 CENTS.

THE

F,

HITCHCOCK

TELLS T G.O.P. FUNDS Over $1,655,000 Was Raised, Former National Chairman Said, During the Campaign of 1908. MOST MONEY GIFTS WERE QUITE SMALL r But Charles Taft, Carnegie, ;CromwelI and a Few Others Came Across for $50,000 or $25,000. (National News Association) . WASHINGTON, July 17. Frank H. (Hitchcock, assistant secretary to the I national Republican committee in the I 1904 campaign and chairman of the national committee in the 1908 committee appeared today before the Clapp senate committee investigating campaign contributions, and told them that the entire collection of the national committee for 1908. amounted to $1,655,518.27. He told the investigators that the executive committee was composed of Senator Borah, Victor Rosewater, Frank Louden, Charles Brooker, Bois Penrose, Coleman Du Pont, E. C. Duncan and William Ward. G. L. Sheldon of New York was treasurer. In reply to questions Hitchcock said that of the entire amount $520,000 was collected by the finance committees of the several states. Mr. Hitchcock said that a record of these financial matters was still in existence, being deposited with the secretary of state of New York and that Treasurer Sheldon has a duplicate set of the books. These books show all contributions made in the campaign of . 1908 excepting certain contributions made to state committees. Mr. Hitchcock said: "I would like to Bay that, we received very few large contributions. If my memory is correct there were not more than twenty or thirty that reached as high as $5,000. 'At the outset of the campaign we received several very generous contributions f before our system of collections had been put into use. Charles P. Taft gave $50,000, William Nelson Cromwell gave $25,000, Mr. and Mrs. Larz Anderson, $25,000, Andrew Carnegie $25,000, William Smith Cochrane, $25,000 and Frank A. Munsey, Whitelaw "Reid, W. J. Bordman and General Corbin $10,000 each." Mr. Hitchcock said that letters requesting $50 contributions were sent to about 4,500 business men and in this way $200,000 or $300,000 was obtained He said that Gen. Pu Pont's offer of 420,000 was refused because the government had a suit against the powder jcompany. WAS THE OPERATOR E (Strange Coincidence Revealed in Investigation of G, B. & Q. Wreck. (National News Association) , CHICAGO. July 17. Investigators )bf the wreck of the Denver Limited ion the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad, at Western Spring, Sunday, have today discovered a strange coincidence which may have a bearing on the probe. Mrs. F. A. Wilcox, signal operator at Western Springs, will ibe the most important witness at the inquest that will begin tomorrow. Investigators have discovered that a Mrs.f Fisk A. Wilcox, former telegraph operator, employed as a station agent t Highwood, near Western Springs, "was sent to the detention hospital at puning as insane and was discharged after a six months treatment. The woman held as insane lived at Lagrange and had separated from her husband, a former railroad employe. The signal operator at Western Springs lives at Lagrange. She has been separated from her husband, formerly a railroad employe and had been employed, she said, for six years as a railroad station agent at Hollywood station, near Western Springs. The demented woman was committed to the asylum in 1908 and her ge was given as forty. Mrs. Wilcox, Ibe signal operator, appears to be bout 45 years old. Persons in Lagrange say that the signal operator's husband was Fisk A. Wilcox. Mrs. Wilcox has been kept in seclusion since the railroad investigation of the accident. Railroad officials refused to affirm or deny that the signal operator and the woman cared for by the county as insane are the same. The wreck at Western Springs occurred on the second night Mrs. Wilcox was on duty. She worked one more pieht but was not on duty last night.

INSAN

WOMAN?

To Resume Military Flights

isV id l -' 14 '- . tSBs. v Vi?","'1

NEW YORK, July 17. George W. Beatty will soon depart for College Park, Md., to continue the trials with the Wright military biplane, which were interrupted by the tragic death of Al Welch and Lieut. Hazelhurst. The craft which he will operate is the exact duplicate of the machine which Welch and Hazelhurst were flying when they were killed.

TILE OF HOW J.B. GreaF Publisher Recognizes Fighting Ability of Formeff Local Man and Gives Him a Newspaper. Tuesday the Palladium published a Washington dispatch to the effect that the investigation of the Meat Trust would be resumed next winter by the House investigating committee. Previously the same committee had reported that it had found no evidence of a meat monopoly and that the high price of meats was due to the scarcity of live stock. Behind the change in plans of the House committee is the story of how a former Richmond newspaper man, J. Bennett Gordon, played a most important part in influencing the decision of the House committee to resume its investigation. Last April Mr. Gordon went to Washington and became a member of the editorial staff of the Washington Times, one of the papers owned by Frank Munsey, the fighting progressive newspaper proprietor. After the house committee' found that no trust existed in the meat packing industry Mr. Gordon searched the records of the bureau of animal industry of the department of commerce and labor and discovered that more livestock had been shipped to market in April than in any one month since 1907, and that the packers then had more meat stored than at any one time in a decade. What Did The Work. He then proceeded to write one of his typical editorials which was based on the information he had secured and he suggested that either the facts and figures of the great government department, or the facts and figures presented by the packers were in error, and that a rigid investigation should be made by congress to ascertain if the department was at fault. This editorial appeared on the first page of the Times and attracted the notice of congressmen with the result that Congressman Edwards introduced a resolution calling for the kind of an investigation suggested by Gordon. Mr Munsey by this time was keenly watching the work being done by his fighting Indiana editor and after the Edwards resolution he summoned Mr. Gordon to New York and there informed him that he (Munsey) intended to take a European trip and that he wanted to leave his Philadelphia paper, The Times, in charge of a good fighting man, a man who would fight corrupt Pennsylvania politics all the time and neither ask nor give quarter. "And I believe you are the man" concluded Mr. Munsey and so it happens that Mr. Gordon is now managing editor of the Philadelphia Times, despite the protest of theWashington Times, which vigorously objected to his transfer. Mr. Gordon will have control of the Munsey Philadelphia paper until after the; election but he may then be transferred back to Washington.

WON

MUNSEY

IS I FOR MEETING Connersville ... Place Where District G. O. P. Will Gather. Dr. Zimmerman Is a Possible Nominee. (Palladium Special.) CONNERSVILLE, Ind., July 17. At the meeting of the district committee of the Republican party here yesterday afternoon with Linus P. Meredith of Richmond, district chairman, Connersville was named as the place, and Tuesday, August 13, as the date for the holding of the convention to nominate a candidate for congress. The meeting was well attended and much enthusiasm was manifested among the leaders from the various counties in the district. Chairman Meredith urged constant and diligent work on the part of the county leaders and party workers throughout thedistrict. Among those who attended the meeting in addition to Chairman L. P. Meredith, were C. E. Erganbright and Walter Bossert, of Liberty,. Ora Myers of Greenfield, Clay Bebout of Rushville, William Bobbins of Richmond, W. L. Risk, of New Castle, and Elmer Bassett of Shelbyville. , Fred I. Barrows Favored. At the meeting and in the hotel lobby considerable discussion as .to the probable congressional nominee was indulged in and the name of Fred I. Barrows, former mayor of Connersville, and one of the Roosevelt leaders in the district convention last March to select delegates to the national convention was repeatedly heard. Mr. Barrows was generally looked upon with favor and it is believed that he would be a strong candidate. . :- frj . - - Other men mentioned for the nomination were Walter Bossert, the vnnnir T .ihorfv ottnmAv n n r- ur W. Zimmerman, mavnr of RirhmondJ A REPORTJY MAYOR On Street Lighting Question to Be Prepared. Mayor Zimmerman is compiling a report upon the question of whether the city should pay its light bills. The mayor stated this morning that he would set forth his arguments in the report, which he will present to council at its next meeting. . t It is gathered from mayor's statement today that opinion, irajthis matter has been slightly changed. Heretofore he has held that although no improvements are to be made next year It would be impossible for the city to pay for its light bill unless the taxes are raised. Today he stated that it might be possible to appropriate money enough to pay for the cost of the current by the city in its street are lights, parks and public buildings without raising the taxes, in case no improvements were made next year.

RICHMOND

URN D DOWN

COMPROMISE IS REFUSED BY COLONEL

Rejects Van Valkenberg's Suggestion of Placing the Same Electors on Progressive and G. O. P. Tickets. PLAN NOW FAVORED BY A FEW LEADERS T. R. Says It Would Give a Passive Admission that President Taft Was Regularly Nominated. (National News Association OYSTER BAY, July 17. "I reiterate there is to be no compromise" was Col. Roosevelt's reply today to a query concerning the likelihood to his yield ing to the plan of some of his Maryland and Pennsylvania leaders to have the same electors placed upon the Republican progressive tickets in November. The ex-president's attention was drawn to an interview with E. A. Van Valkenberg of the Colonel's Pennsylvania leaders, in which he indicated that William Flinn and others backing the joint electors scheme believed that they were really working for Roosevelt's own interests and that Roosevelt' would be able to get the entire 38 electoral votes from that state if he permitted them to go on both tickets and leave it to the voters. If this were not done, Van Valkenberg pointed out, Roosevelt could not hope for more than thirty electors from Pennsylvania. Is Stoutly Opposed. When this was outlined to Col. Roosevelt he indicated that he was stoutly opposed to any scheme that would give the suggestion that he considered Mr. Taft entitled to one electoral vote in Pennsylvania. He made it clear that he would fight to the end against having the electors that were named for him at the primary put on the Taft ticket. Roosevelt takes the attitude that to enter , apy such deal would give passive admission that Taft was, after all, regularly nominated at Chicago and entitled to as many of the electoral votes as he can manage to control. Roosevelt has the support of many of his leaders, including Senator Dixon, in the stand he has taken. The Roosevelt leaders will thresh the affair out when they get to Chicago, preceding the convention. Roosevelt will be there two days before the convention to take part in the argument. If the majority of the leaders decide against the Colonel he will submit but not until he has put up a tremendous fight. LABOR DEPARTMENT BILL Wltf PASSED Measure Creating a Tenth Cabinet Officer Not Opposed in the House. (National News .Association) WASHINGTON, July 17. The house today unanimously passed the Sulzer bill creating a department of labor. .This bill creates the tenth member of the President's cabinet. It establishes the department of labor and changes the present department of commerce and labor to the department of commerce. A secretary of labor, three assistant secretaries, a solicitor ,a chief clerk, a disbursing clerk and many other minor employes are provided. The commissioner general of immigration, the commissioner of labor and several other high officials now in the department of commerce and labor are shifted over to the new department. The bill gives the department of labor the right to collect and public 8 11 statistics relative to labor and authorizes the secretary to call on any government department for information. It also authorizes the secretary of labor to act as a mediator in questions of industrial dispute and to appoint commissioners of conciliation in labor disputes, thereby giving the influence of the government toward industrial peace. APPOINTMENT NOT YET MADE PUBLIC "I have decided who I will appoint to succeed Homer Hammond, as president of the board of public works, but as yet I am not ready to make public the name of the man," said Mayor Zimmerman this morning. The mayor stated that he would announce the appointment within a short time. THE WEATHER STATE Generally fair tonight, Thursday cooler. LOCAL Fair tonight and Thursday, .' cooler. ..- -'-!, :"

Equal Water Rates for All

Dear Mr. Johnson: I am addressing this letter to you as one of the city's valued assistants in the negotiations now pending about Richmond's water supply and I hope you will read its contents to the board of public works. I would like to appear before your meeting Wednesday to discuss the proposition regarding rates that I will deal with in this letter but political organization work that is demanding my time In the other counties of this district prevents me doing so. As I write I have before me the receipted bill of the Water Works company for water supplied the Palladium. On it is a schedule of rates beginning with domestic consumers at twentyfive cents per thousand gallons and running down to 75,000 gallon consumers at six cents per thousand gallons. Of course this is simply the old business policy of giving the larger purchaser a cheaper price than that accorded the smaller purchaser. Because, however, this policy happens to be very old is no reason why it needs be considered right. As a matter of fact at the end of its business year the Water Works company subtracts from the total amount of money received for the total amount of water it has sold during that time the entire amount of its operating expenses, the remainder representing the sum from which fixed charges bond interest are to be met and profit figured. In other words at the end of its business year the Water Works company finds that it is the average price it has received per gallon that is the determining factor in meeting the average cost of delivering the average gallon of water. If that average cost is six cents per thousand gallons, then those who are paying twenty-five cents per thousand gallons are being charged an exorbitant price. If the cost per thousand gallons and without a doubt it Is is considerably above six cents, then those large consumers who are receiving the latter price, who are buying below the cost of production, are being favored still more at the expense of the smaller consumers. I cannot but contend that it is a grave injustice to the domestic consumers of water In Richmond to carry the policy . of protection to such lengths that they are charged a price high enough to enable the larger consumers of water to receive a price considerably below the cost of production. Suppose in the first place the city would no longer permit this condition to exist. Suppose that the schedule of rates to be bid upon contained as its lowest ratee ten cents per thousand gallons, which we will consider the cost of- production for one thousand gallons. The Water Works company, we will say, will contend that at this minimum rate it will lose the business of a number of large consumers who have been enjoying the six cent rate. Would an impartial judge be able to prove this was a deplorable lost this business that was obtained by celling a thousand gallons of water at 40 under cost? Let me use another illustration. Take the case of Gaar, Scott &. Company and the Robinson Company, both manufacturers of threshing machinery, the one concern employing considerably more labor than the other between four or five times we will say. In this instance consider labor as a commodity just as water is a commodity. Suppose the average wage per man is ten dollars a week. Take that figure as the cost of production per unit of labor. Gaar, Scott & Company is the larger consumer of labor and Robinson &. Company the smaller. Does that mean that Gaar, Scott & Company pays its laborer six dollars per week and Robinson & Company, the smaller consumer, fourteen dollars? No. Both pay the same wage an average wage. Why not apply the same principle to the price that is to be paid in the future for water in Richmond? Why not charge all consumers the same price per thousand gallons and allow no discrimination because one is a large consumer and the other a small one? Take the average cost of production of a thousand gallons of water and base the one rate on that standard, allowing a liberal margin from which to meet fixed charges and pay a fair profit. If there is any difficulty in deciding just what a fair profit is study what Louis Brandeis did for the city of Boston and its gas company. Roughly and only approximately for I have not at hand my data regarding that example, he drew up a franchise that was satisfactory to the citizens and the gas company that settled the question of fair profit in this manner; At $1 per thousand feet the company could pay five per cent dividends from earnings; if through increased consumption and lower production cost the company reduced the price to 90 cents per thousand feet it could pay six per cent, dividends; if this lower price stimulated increased censumptien and efficiency so that the company could reduce its price to 80 cents per thousand feet, then it could pay seven per cent, dividends, and so on. Naturally, under such an arrangement as applied to the Water Works company it would first be necessary to ascertain its true investment so that dividends on "watered" stcck would be out of the question. I believe an equal price for water per thousand gallons for all consumers and a plan similar to the one outlined above governing the profits the company would be entitled to, not only would be eminently satisfactory to our citizens but also, and especially when those financially interested in the Water Works company or who may be the successful bidders realize that it would put an effective stop to (Continued en Pas lht)

WILL LEAD WILSON PRESIDENCY FIGHT

I V William F. McCoombs, the young political strategist, who a few months ago was practical unknown, but who gained national recognition Dy me remarkable generalship he displayed In handling the Wilson forces at the Democratic National Convention, turn ing what seemed to be almost certain defeat into a glorious victory for the New Jersey Governor. His efforts have been rewarded by his election to the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee, as the choice of Governor Wilson, and following the Democratic presidential nominee's wishes he will also have the authority to preside over the campaign commit tee. HAS DRASTIC WAY TO AV01DWRECKS Judge Fox Favors Criminal Action Against the - Re , sponsible Parties. "Legislation should be enacted to compel the railroads to use a greater degree of diligence and care in the operation of their trains, so that catas trophes which have resulted in great loss of life during the past few weeks may be averted in the future" stated Judge Henry C. Fox of the Wayne Circuit court this morning while dis cussing the many wrecks which have occurred during the past several weeks. Judge Fox is of the opinion that when wrecks occur through neg ligence responsible officials should be held criminally liable. Other members of the Wayne County bar agreed with Judge Fox. "Of course the railroads do not purposely cause wrecks but their employes according to the newspaper reports fail to use that degree of care, which prevents the loss of life," stated Judge Fox. "Nearly all the wrecks during the past few days have been the direct result of some careless act on the part of some employe, especially members of the train crews. In no single instance has it been the result of some defect in the machinery, broken ties or rails. It seems to' me that the only and the best way to stop the accidents is to prosecute those who are guilty and see that they are punished to ft the -crime. In this way the railroads will be compelled to use the greatest degree of efficiency in the management of their roads, and this will lead to the elimination of the frequent wrecks." WAITIIIGFOR TRUCK Most Impatiently Is the Local Fire Department. WAITING Does the Robinson company of St. Louis really Intend to ship the combination hose and chemical auto truck which was returned to the company's factory after it was damaged in the North F street accident? This is the question which Fire Chief Ed Miller and city officials are asking. The track was sent to the factory some time ago and Chief Miller has received . notices that the truck was to be shipped and had been shipped. The last notice was received last Thursday, saying the track would be shipped from St. Louis Saturday and would arrive here Monday. The fire chief has been awaiting the arrival of the track bat so far it appears that It is "still coming." When you take your vacation let the Palladium follow you. . Telephone your vacation address to No. 2566.

8-. f - .-v I

ARRESTS IRE

Ell THE GOTHAM CASE But District Attorney Indi rectly Charges Rosenthal Was Done to Death by Po lice Gang. A THOROUGH PROBE k k IS STARTED TODAY District Attorney Says Ros enthal Was Killed as He Was About to Give Important Testimony. (National News Association) NEW YORK. July 17. With five men either under arrest in connection with the assassination of Herman Rosenthal, the gambler, or detained aa material witnesses. District Attorney Charles S. Whitman, after declaring his belief that the killing was the work of the police department through certain members of it. took steps today to make one of the most searching grand jury investigations in the annals of New York county. Mrs. Herman Rosenthal, widow of the slain gambler, was summoned as the first witnessd to appear before the grand Jury to tell what she knew of a conspiracy against the life of her bus-, band. Mrs. Rosenthal had stated her positive belief that the New York police were responsible for the killing of her husband who waa shot down in the glare of New York's white light district. In front of the Hotel Metropole early yesterday. She based her conclusion upon Information given her by her husband. Rosenthal had been warned she said but refused to heed the warning. Two Searches Begun. The fifth man arrested was locked up in the Mulberry police station at midnight by Detective James Shevlin. The prisoner is an .East Side character named Louis Weber, but better known along the Bowery aa "Bridgie" Weber. He waa held as a suspicious person. Detectives from the Central office worked all night on the case while detectives from the district attorney's office continued their inquiry along a line showing that the police were under strong suspicion. Thus the two currents of search were at counter lines and the two forces were working along entirely separate lines. District Attorney Whitman early today made the indirect charge that the police "system" was connected with the murder of Rosenthal because of revelations which the gambler had made concerning protection tribute. Mr. Whitman said that if Rosenthal had lived six hours longer the district attorney's office today probably would, be in possession of absolute proof that money was paid to the police In various amounts for "protection' in the conduct of their illegal resorts. "I intend to use my entire fore to get at the bottom of this affair." said Mr. Whitman. "It is one of the greatest blocks to the administration of justice this community hat ever known and it was Intended to be Just that aa well as a deterent to others. Other men who had intended to aid in the execution of the law have been slain in the past. The police sometimes went through a most perfnnction effort to find the slayers on the theory that the community was better off without the men who had been killed. Refused a Hearing. "Rosenthal had given me valuable information and was on the. point of giving me more and supplying farther corroboration of what he had already told. He had sought unsuccessfully to be allowed to talk to other city officials in whose hands his complaint had more right to be lodged than in mine, ne naa never neen auowea access to them. "Just as be was about to give Important additional evidence and give the names of eight or ten bbsbb who could and would support nffl statements. Just as he was preparing to come to my bouse with these mattars, so as to avail chnself of privacy; Just as the situation shaped up most dangerously for the police Involved, he is killed and his evidence with i him. There were five policemen within 100 feet of the shooting when it ) took place. Two were Trithln 100 feat five men were able to shoot to pieces I the head of a grand Jury witness, get into an automobile and escape with'out even being seriously inconven ienced and this at 2 o'clock in the morning on a brightly lighted street." A Straight Line Is the Shortest Distance Between Two Points. The Want Ads sre the shortest dls-' tance between seller and buyer, employer and employee, the home and the market, the worker and bis work.

MAD