Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-12-16
WASHINGTON LETTER.



Washington. d. c.. Dec. 10-The
agitation for an extra session in the
Spring has measuraEly subsidized, but
the tariff revsionists are still insistant
and the proposition now at the front
is that an extra session for its settle
ment shall be held next Fall-say,
from September 1st to the regular time
of meeting in December. This sug
gestion seems likely to take the form
of determination shortly, for it solves
the problem to sthe satisfaction of all
members of the majority party.
1t is also pretty certain that there
will be very little legislation at this
session except the regular appropria-
ton bills. This conclusion is concur.
red in by the men who make the pro-
gram: by MessFs. Allison, Aldrich,
Fairbanks, Lodge and others IN the
Senate, and Cannon. Payne, Hemen.
way, Grosvenor, Ualzell, and others in
the House. Bills alleged to be for the
benefit of the Philippine Islands have
already passed the House and will
probably become laws during this ses-
sion. The bill providing for two new
states may also pass. The appropria
tion committees of both houses are de.
cidedly against general river aud
harbor bill and a large public build
ings bill, though an incesant clamor
for both is kept up by constituents
who helped re elect the present ad-
ministration ami demand some more
barrels of pork" In the House
Speaker Cannon has with much can
dor sounded the alarm of "A beg de-
felt in the Treasury" and he will use
his great influence against tapping it
for hundred miilion.dol!ar apprOpria-
tions. In the Speakers chair and out
of it, with gavel in hand or only with
potent forefinger appraised he calls at
tentiOn to the fact that there has been
an election which decided against ''the
meddlers" and revisionists and the
latter think that he calls attention to
it with 'damable iteration" Their
cries for immediate nourishment will
probably be temporarily quieted by
the promise of chance to tap Uncle
Sam g PactOlian reservoir next autumn,
when the corn is full of kernels and
the colonels full of corn.'
The Presidents annual sermon has
now been thoroughly digested. In
deed, large part of it had been pre-
digested by something like score of
mem bers of Congress. 1t is felt to be
SO chook full of beautiful moral senti-
ment and maxims concerning correct
conduct that it might have been die
tated by Marcus Aurelius and Chester.
field. 1t shows that real goodness is
preferable to real badness and will
convince almost anybody that right
doing Is more credible than wrong do
ing. In these respects it could not be
improved.
Ii all the recommendation of the
message crystalize into law, there will
be much stronger central government
in Washington than ever contemplated
by the trainers of the Constitution.
For long time the drift has been to.
wards centraliZa tion,-the Executive
in the White House controlling nearly
all the great enterprises in which the
people are engaged. Mr.. Roosevelt
would add to the existing list the con-
troll of railroads, banks, trust compa
MES, Insurance companies, factory
conditions, hours of labor on railways,
&c. He would have Federal commits
sioners to inspect all rolling stock; to
decide on all through rates of freight:
to hold inquest on railroad accidents:
to enforce the block signals system and
regulate airbrakes; to enforce sanitary
conditions wherever laboring men are
assembled. AS there are over a MIL
lion and half cars and engines, a.
573, 000l and several times that mum.
Der of wheels to be hammered on and
brakes to be tested, it would obviously
require good many men and a good