The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-03-25
UNCLE SAM IS HARD UP
This Is What Speaker Tom
Reed Says.
so HE FAvORs RIGID ECONOMY.
hut Some Of tho Members Of His Party
Say His Policy IL Selfish One-Election

Speaker Reed is strainiDg every nerve to
keep the totai appropriations of this SEES
sion of congress below the five hundred
million mark. The chances are about
even that he will succeed. There Is a
great deal of restlessness among members
who want appropriations for their districts,
especially ios river and harbor purposes
and for public buildings. Many members
of congress look to successes of this sort
for their capital in seeking re election, and
1t must not be forgotten that all the repre-
sentatives have To go before their constitu-
ents this year for denomination and re-.
election. Better than any speech, better
than IA free distribution of public docu-
ments, better than "a straight record as a
party man. for this purpose, Is an appro-
priation for the district. This Is the spirit
the speaker has had to contend against,
and SO far he has managed to hold it pretty
well in check. Some of the members of
his own party have contended that the
speakers policy Is a rather selfish one, de-
signed to help him as IA presidential candi-
date regardless of their fate, but they have
not yet succeeded in organizing a revolt.
The odds are that the big speaker will
carry his point, and that the total appro-
priations will be kept within the five hun.
dred million mark. Mr.. Reed does not
want the "billion dollar congress- cry
used against him at this particular juno
ture.
One of the peculiar features of the stu
alton is that the speaker says the govern
ment must be economical because of the
scarcity of money in the treasury. "Uncle
Sam is hard up, says the speaker SIN
the present state of the finances we are not
justified in spending dollar that can be
kept in the treasury" The speaker has
made good use of this argument, but the
facts are against him. The truth is the
treasury is rolling in wealth. 1t has ire
mendous surplus. Taking the official state
ment of the treasury, as it Is made up day
by day, we find this great item, avail
able cash balance including gold reserve
$3.50, 6l3, 23S." That is a lot of money
1t is enough to run the government more
than six months. OF course nearly one
half of it, or 1928, 900, 900, is gold reserve
and, according to tradition, the gold re-
serve should not be touched, but outside
the reserve there is the snug item of $137,-
600, 900 available funds. Thanks to the
president policy of issuing bonds for gold
the treasury is in capital condition, and u
great many people think that as long as
we have go much money on hand, idle and
useless, it would be good policy to make
larger appropriations and put more of it
in circulation among the people At any
rate, this Is what the congressman say who
want river and harbor appropriations and
new public buildings in their districts
The Election of Senators.
There is little prospect that congress
will provide for the adoption by the states
of an amendment to the constitution re-
curing United States senators to be elect
cd by direct vote of the people. The SEN
ate committee on privileges and elections
has ordered favorable report on such a
measure, and an earnest effort is TO be
made TO pass ii through the senate. SEN
ator Mitchell, who Is in charge of the joint
resolution, says he has no doubt major
ity of the senate Is in its favor, but he fears
the necessary two-thirds will be lacking.
In this he hopes he Is mistaken, for a
change of sentiment on this question has
taken place recently. The large number
of contested senatorial elections in legisla-
lures, the vexatious delay, the opportuni-
ties for violence and fraud which such
struggles open, have all tended to bring
about stronger feeling In favor of per-
hitting the people to elect their senators
as they do their governors and congress
men. The house of representatives once
passed joint resolution of this nature by
the necessary two-thirds vote, and it is be-
lieved the house at the present time would
act favorably upon the pending resolution,
should il go through the senate. 1t is well
known that one of the most difficult things
in our system of government Is to change
the constitution, for the constitutional re-
quirenent is that the proposed amendment
must first be proposed by two-thirds of
each branch of congress and must then be
ratified by three fourths of the legislatures
of the states. Men who have given the
subject close attention say the change is
not only very desirable, but that the
stumbling block Is in the senate itself
They believe the legislatures of nearly all
the states would ratify the amendment if
congress were to propose it.
A Prey to Politicians.
There is a prevalent idea that the sena-
tors who are able to win and retain their
seats in congress by means of the use of
money are the ones who oppose the change
While 1t Is not fair to name any particular
senator or senators as belonging TO this
CdteHOTy, lnqulrlts WHICH nave lnaue SaU-
isfy me that this Is not true. The public
men who depend to some extent upon their
bank accounts for their election to the
senate would prefer to have senator's chosen
by direct vote. Their reason Is simple
one. In that event they would have only
to control the state convention of their
party, which would place them in nomi-
nation as their party candidate, and the
remainder would be easy. Under the pres
ent system they have to control not only
the state convention-for If they are not
bosses they cannot in the nature of things
hope to be senators-but they must fix the
legislature as we'll. In other words, they
are now prey to every political striker
whether he he candidate for tho legislature
or member of n convention.
Little Story.
A society woman story TO end with:
One of the most prominent society danes
of Washington went to the grand opera re-
Gently She had simply an admission
ticket, for which she had paid 81 But
seeing vacant seat, she proceeded to oc-
cupy 1t. When the man who had bought
1t came along and presented his check, and
the usher politely asked her to vacate, she
bluntly refused. The head usher was
ko lv..I 3 I.,t