61ST CONGRESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. J DOCUMENT 2d Session. No. 972.

LOWER COLORADO RIVER.

MESSAGE

FROM THE

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,

REQUESTING

AN IMMEDIATE APPROPRIATION OF A SUITABLE SUM TO RELIEVE THE SITUATION ON THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER.

JUNE 25, 1910.-Read, referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and ordered to be printed.

To the Senate and House of Representatives:

I am advised that the situation on Lower Colorado River is exceedingly serious and that unless quick relief can be had thousands of people and millions in land values will be jeopardized.

I suggest the passage of a joint resolution putting at my disposal a suitable sum to meet this exigency. This is the same locality in which a break occurred in 1905 and was remedied by Mr. Harriman's acting on the request of my predecessor. It seems likely that immediate steps ought to be taken to prevent great destruction of life and property.

I suggest that the resolution authorize the expenditure of this money on either side of the international boundary and that the President be authorized to secure the permission of the Republic of Mexico. WM. H. TAFT.

THE WHITE HOUSE, June 25, 1910.

61ST CONGRESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. J DOCUMENT 2d Session. No. 980.

ALLEGED AGREEMENTS BETWEEN STEEL COMPANIES.

LETTER

FROM

THE ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL,

TRANSMITTING

A RESPONSE TO THE INQUIRY OF THE HOUSE AS TO ALLEGED AGREEMENTS BETWEEN STEEL COMPANIES.

JUNE 24, 1910.-Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary and ordered to be

printed.

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL,

Washington, D. C., June 23, 1910.

SIR: The Department of Justice has received a copy of the resolution adopted by the House of Representatives on June 16, 1910, which reads as follows:

Resolved, That the Attorney-General be, and he is hereby, directed, if not incompatible with the public interest, to report to the House of Representatives for its information all facts in his possession which show or tend to show whether or not there exists at this time, or heretofore within the last twelve months has existed, a combination, agreement, or conspiracy between the Carnegie Steel Company, the Federal Steel Company, the American Tin Plate Company, the National Tube Company, the American Bridge Company, the American Steel and Wire Company, the American Steel Hoop Company, or any of said companies, and the United States Steel Corporation, or others, in violation of the act of July second, eighteen hundred and ninety, entitled "An act to protect trade and commerce against unlawful restraints and monopolies," or of the interstate-commerce act of eighteen hundred and eighty-seven, and acts amendatory thereof, or other laws of the United States

And all facts in his possession which show or tend to show whether or not the United States Steel Corporation and the other companies, corporations, or copartnerships herein before mentioned, in combination or singly, have, contrary to the laws of the United States in such cases made and provided, interfered or injured, or attempted to interfere with or injure competition in the iron and steel industry in the United States. And all facts in his possession which show or tend to show whether or not said companies, acting together or singly, have, contrary to the laws of the United States in such cases made and provided, conspired to increase the cost of iron and steel to consumers, or to deteriorate the quality thereof, or to increase the hours, or to reduce its wages of labor.

And all facts in his possession which show or tend to show whether or not any coal companies, railway transportation companies, banks, and insurance companies,

or what officers or directors thereof, if any, have, contrary to the laws of the United States in such cases made and provided, conspired and confederated with said United States Steel Corporation and the other companies herein before mentioned, for the purpose of aiding and abetting said United States Steel Corporation and the other said companies engaged in the iron and steel industry in increasing the cost of iron and steel to consumers, or deteriorating the quality thereof, or increasing the hours or decreasing the wage of labor, or the commission of any offenses against the laws of the United States herein before mentioned.

And all other facts in his possession which show or tend to show whether or not there exists such combination between the United States Steel Corporation and the other said companies engaged in the iron and steel industry contrary to the act of July second, eighteen hundred and ninety, entitled "An act to protect trade and commerce against unlawful restraints and monopolies," or other laws of the United States.

Several statements and communications have been made to this department at different times, and data of various kinds have been furnished to or procured by the department, concerning the matters covered by the quoted resolution. Such statements and communications, however, were essentially confidential, even when not so expressly declared. Further investigation at any time would be greatly hampered by publication of the departmental data, and the matters to which the resolution of the House of Representatives relates are closely akin to important litigation already pending in the Supreme Court and now near decision. It is therefore considered that a report at this time, such as the resolution contemplates, would be manifestly incompatible with the public interest, and should be withheld in accordance with the terms of the resolution itself. I have the honor to be,

Very respectfully,

LLOYD W. BOWERS,
Acting Attorney-General.

The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

O

No. 981.

DELAY IN ADJUDICATING CERTAIN MILITARY CLAIMS.

LETTER

FROM

THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY,

TRANSMITTING

REPLY TO THE INQUIRY OF THE HOUSE AS TO ALLEGED DELAY IN THE ADJUDICATION OF CERTAIN MILITARY CLAIMS.

JUNE 25, 1910.-Referred to the Committee on War Claims and ordered to be printed.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY,
Washington, June 25, 1910.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a resolution dated June 23, 1910, calling upon me to report to the House of Representatives the cause or causes of delay in the Auditor's Office of the War Department in the matter of the adjudication of claims filed by veterans of the civil war for back pay, bounty, etc. In reply thereto I have to advise you that under the act of March 4, 1907, beginning about April 1, 1907, there were over 200,000 military claims filed between that date and January 1, 1908, and since that time there have been received about 2,250 claims monthly; that the total number of these claims remaining on file and awaiting settlement at this time is about 28,000. By reorganization of the Military Claims Division settlements have been made more rapidly than ever before in the history of the office. It can not be said that this office is in arrears in the settlement of these claims in any respect whatever. The office is settling at the rate of about 6,000 claims per month.

If the claimants are prompt in furnishing the evidence necessary, all claims now on file relative to soldiers' bounties will be settled within the next six months.

Respectfully,

FRANKLIN MACVEAGH,