Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-03-25
From our regular correspondent.

!
ton Bill, Followed to a Logical Conclusion
Shows Its Absurdity.
From our regular correspondent.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Mrach II.
The red-hot fire in Congress now
shoulders, blt is not extinct. A lurid
cloud hangs over the House, which
emitted sundry lightning flashes yes
terday when it became obvious tn at
the Mccall Investigating committee
would not carry bucket of whitewash
and would exonerate from the hate
full charges not much more than half
Of the Republican members. OF the
sixty or seventy charged with official
improprieties, several are leading men,
bers of the House, and the fact that
half dozen are Democrats does not
seem to assuage the pain or allay the
wrath. 1t looks as if there would be
another volcanic eruption when the
report is formally laid before the
House.
Two prominent demands are being
formulated; one, that rules shall be
adopted defining the relation which a
mem Der OF Congress bears to the ex.
ecutive departm ents of the govern
ment-a sort Of code of official ethics
second, that a general investigation
into the executive departments shall
be had to ascertain what they do with
the money that is given them. The
Treasury Department, under Mr.. Shaw
and the Interior Department, under
Mr.. Hitchcock, are the ones against
which the gravest allegations are
made. Both are charged with having
recklessly used the money appropriated
for them without reference to the COM
mands OF Congress, and in deliberate
violation of law. Millions of dollars
appropriated for specific purposes have
been diverted to other uses, and
scores Of clerks have been appointed in
violation of law who never passed
any examination whatever. This, in
official nomenclature, is called getting
clerks by the underground route"
Both the Cabinet officers named, in
addition to the Postmaster. General,
will have to defend themselves before
the committee.
1t is just revealed that John w.
Petit has been carried on the Balti-
more post.office payroll for four years
without rendering any service for his
salary of 81 600 year. He was ap-
pointed by Ferry S. Heath, First AS
sistant Postmaster-G General, and Sec
rotary of the Republican National
Committee.
Congressman Cochran OF Missouri
said on Tuesday that the postal scan.
dals served the usual purpose OF point
ing out defects in the American sys.
tenn OF administration. In all depart
ments of the government shocking
abuses have arisen. Why should such
abuses not arise he asked when the
President of the United States finds it
necessary to inappropriate public
money in using government vessels as
his private yachts?-the Maytlower
and the Sylph, the latter fitted out
anew at an expense of 100000
with this irresponsible use of public
money before them as an example, is
there any reason why the understrap.
pers in the departments should not
feel authorized to overstep the boun.
daryl"
Congress is very sore indeed over the
Bristow report. and, though the con-
sternation and havoc which it caused
do not seem to diminish, the members
will probably vote to investigate the
department for the purpose of divert
ing public attention, if for no other
reason.
The long waited for decision of the
Supreme Court in the Northern Secur.
tiles case rendered en- Monday, is the
one topic OF discussion. The prohi-
bition OF the Merger is received with
lively satisfaction at the White House,
and versatile minds are busy with
propositions how to make politics for
the coming campaign out of the yer.
dict. Senator Elkins says ultimate
ly Congress will have to take cogniz-
ance of the fact that railroads are
commanded to maintain rates on the
one hand and enjoined from combin-
ing to maintain them on the other
hand-a solecism which must be cor
rected."
There are those who intimate that
the President is to be as gentle as
lamb concerning antitrust legislation.
1t is even limited that the Merger de.
cisiOn has reconciled the Rockfellers
to their unfortunate position and that
they will contribute handsomely to
the Roosevelt campaign fund. "There
is no help for what has been done,
only don't do so any more"
Are the people to support the gov.
eminent, or is the government TO sup.
port the people? This question is
being earnestly handed around for dis
cussion in both Houses of Congress.
Is it the business OF the government
to protect the people from quacks and
frauds? The House has just passed
an anti.food adulteration bill which
authorizes and instructs the Secretary
of Agriculture to employ an army OF
inspectors to roam over the country
and sample prepared foods. preserves,
canned goods, drugs. chemicals, ETC.,
and to prosecute cases of adultera.
ton. The Wool Growers Association
wants an army Of wool inspectors, and
compulsory labelling. A law has been
passed to prevent the sale OF seeds,
trees, plants, vines. clover, ETC., sold
under false names. Well, what 10 to
be the end OF this meddlingg Are the
farmers OF the United States to be pro.
tec'cd from lightning.rod men, patent
churns that will not make butter,
patent bee.hives that swarm will not
enter, book-agents whose eloquent
promises are not justified by the re.
suit, and the vendors of fruit trees
which bear the wrong kind of fruit?
ls Congress henceforth to protect
the people against merchants who sell
wooden goods that contain Gotten and
ailR fohrscc that oo~tn:- MI