The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-15
WORK ONI. &C. LAW
Interests in Favor Of More Power
for the Commission Are
r X. -.
Busy.
Minority Party in Congress Badly
Disfgured-Money Wasted
- n, on Books.
From The Journal Bureau, Room IS, Post Build
ing, Washington.

From The Journal Bureau, Room IS, Post Build
ing, Washington.
Washington. Dec. 15.-Efforts to secure
an amendment of the interstate commerce
act have begun early this session. The
interests in favor of more power in the
commission have been pushing members
of the house committee, urging them to
report out their bill before the holidays.
This the committee does not intend to do.
F.. p. Bacon Of Milwaukee, president of
the Shippers Association, says a bill has
been evolved which will harmonize all diff
ferences of opinion. 1t IS reported that
the Pennsylvania railroad. which was last
winter not entirely harmonized, is now
lined up with the shippers. The bill
which has the official sanction is one
which. at present bears the name of Rep
resentative Wagner Of Pennsylvania. who
introduced it on the Sd Of this month. 1t
is substantially the same as the Ekins
bill, containing the pooling feature desired
by the railroads, and giving the commits
sion enlarged powers in regulating freight
rates. Members Of the interstate COM
MERGE commission have been asked to
state In writing their individual opinions
on the bill for the enlightenment Of the
congressional committee. These opinions
are now in the possession Of the commit
tee.
Bad Use for the Flag.
The American Flag Associat ton is again
asking the attention of members of con-
GreSs to the use Of the national emblem
an advertisement for houses of i'll repute
in the lnsular possessions, and to other
abuses which are calculated to bring it
into contempt. They ask for q little law
to forbid such. But the appeal is merely
patriotic and sentimental, and in the ears
of congressman representing vested in
terests" and speaking only the language Of
the countingr room, this matter about the
flag seems to make more impression
than SO much Garner monkey talk.
More Wasted Money.
A good example Of the illustrated gov
eminent pamphlet IS one just issued by
the forestry bureau Of the agricultural
department on the eucalyptus as cult
waited in the United States. This is a
book Of 100 printed pages, illustrated with
ninety one full-page halftone illustrations,
printed on heavy sized paper. For any
one making a specially of eucalypti it is
lovely thing.
Dodglng a Razor Affair.
If a United States minister, residing at
foreign capital, becomes involved in a
personal difficulty with his boarding house
keeper. and the disputants have resort to
the arbitrament of razors and pistols, it
Is held by the state department that the
American representative in the affair is
acting in his capacity consul, not as
minister. This is in a case, of course
where the minister is clothed with the
dual function of minister and consul gen
eral. At Monrovia. the capital of Liberia
our diplomatic representative serves il
that dual capacity. Therefore, wher
John A. r. Grassland (colored, Of St
Joseph. Mo- had the razor pistol alterca.
ton with his landlord, J. r. Faulkner
(both emerging with honor and fest
cA Il oS~io Nit,
stant Secretary of State Herbert H. D
Peirce that the affair did not come within
his official knowledge. TO be sure a:
chief Of the consular service Mr.. Peirce
had full charge of consular matters apper.
tanning to the Liberian republic. and hat
authority over Consul General Grassland
The correspondence came to his desk, anC
he issued the orders. But with Minste
Resident Grassland Secretary PIERCE hat
nothing to do and, it being perfectl
manifest that razOr-p pistol affair is en-
tirely diplomatic in its character, he ha,
no scrupes in announcing that he was en-
tirely without knowledge of the trouble
TO inquirlng correspondents his secretar
was instructed to say that this office ha,
to do only with the consul general of Libe
ria, and that there was nothing in tn
performance of his consular duties to war
rant any comment. 1t will be observe,
that Secretary Peirce is not a disciple O
Lie lie" SCHOOL Oh american 0lD1OHaCV,
which is said to be characterized by frank
ness.
Some Sample Roads.
The department Of agriculture has pub
lished a. little book giving a history O
the work done by the good roads train
in the south. This train was made up O
dozen cars carrying the most moder
road making machinery, and experts i
road building, as we'll as a gang of labor
ing The train ho6 NV 1,o
Southern Railway company. 1t travele
through Virginia, North Carolina. Sout
Carolina. Georgia, Alabama and Tennes
see, making a total of 4,O37 miles Sam
pie road beds were constructed and roa
conventions held at eighteen places. Th
sample road built aggregated fifteen mile
The train was out more than five months
The book contains many photograph
showing the roads before and after''
"sIIehtIy Disfigured."
There is no minority party in congress
at present. The pitiful remnant of whs
was once a democratic representation
now without organization, without leader
ship, without principles and without is
sues. One who might inquire what tt
democrats intend to do on any measul
would exhibit ignorance which would sul
1ect him to ridiCule. There are no meas
ures In this session of congress which ca
be designated as party measures, nor
there any opposition which can be Gale
party opposition. Any argument whic
there may be over trust legislation will /
among republicans. If the tariff revisic
were live issue, the debate would be b,
tween disagreeing republicans; it would
a geographical division. SO Of any bill
subject Of legislation which may
named; there is not one where the mino
ity party has an official position or whe
1t would amount to a picayune it it had
w. w. JermaOe
California, via Tourist, Over the Roc