Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1905-11-03
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OF congress Wnen IL next
Questions that are Of great moment to
the business world and the public in
general are to be placed squarely be-
fore the Legislators for action. The
Presidents attitude on h railway
rate question has not been modified
since he first directed attention to the
manifest evil that has grown up un-
der the insidious system of rebates.
Mr.. Roosevelt strikes the keynote
when he says the highways must be
kept open to all on equal terms. The
abuses Of the private car line and the
private terminal tract and private
side switch system must be stopped,
the President says. There is little
doubt that the majority Of the people
echo his sentiments in this regard. If
the President has his way, power to
revise and regulate rates will be in
vested in the Interstate Commerce
Commission. Another measure of
great importance shat will be recon-
mcndcd by the President is a bill to
prevent bribery and other forms of
corruption in Federal elections. State
courts have showed in a ~lamcntable
number Of instances that they are not
beyond the baneful influence of ward
leaders, NJ attempts to punish VIC
lators of the sanctity of the ballot box
have ignOminiously failed. The alb
solute publication of politics probably
will ever remain an iridescent dream,
but there is little doubt that Il Fed
eral statute, asking the trial Of offend
erS against the ballot out Of the con-
troll of State courts, would be a long
step forward in a c~ommendable eff
fort to free the ballot box of fraud.
Federal control of insurance is another
question that will be discussed in the
Presidents message. The disclosures
hat are being made in the investiga-
ton in New York have aroused a
storm Of indignant protest from policy
holders who demand that their inter-
csts shall be protected and safeguard
ed by Federal control.
The new Anglo-Japanese treaty
differs from the earlier treaty IN
several important particulars. 1t runs
for a period of ten years; it embodies
q 4CNOSA1lloA oh NlS paw VI "lS"S
Britain of the paramount political,
military and economic interests of
Japan in Korea, and on the part Of
Japan of the right of Great Britain to
take such measures as she may find
necessary for safeguarding her Indian
possessions; it applies the principle Of
1.-The open door" for the Of
all nations to Korea; and, most i'm
portant of all, it pledges each power
to come to the assistance of the other
in war, not merely when its ally is
attacked by two powers. a. in the
earlier treaty, but when it is involved
in any war in defense of it's territorial
rights or special interests Sin the re
gions of eastern Asia and India"
The folly Of maintaining custom
houses to serve the interests of poll
ticians is clearly outlined By James
r. Reynolds, SECOND assistant of tile
United States treasury, who says that
Of the 157 custom ports in our country
Ill do not pay expenses. Crisiield,
Md, received $22.7O in customs last
ear and So, 700 was paid out for
salaries. Beaufort, N. c., took in $1.55
in revenues and the salaries paid to
gather this tiny sun were about ST.
500. ALI told, these Ill Offices, where
the receipts fall behind the expenses,
cost the government nearly 100000
every year.
Surgeon General r. NJ. O'Reilly of
the army has submitted an exhaustive
annual report on health conditions to
Secretary Taft. The report says that
the enlisted strength of the army, as
shown upon the monthly sick report,
was IS $40, and on the returns of the
military secretary 60, 139, and ~calcula-
tons are made up on the latter figures.
There were 79,5S6 admissions to the
sick report during the ear. 4o6
deaths from all causes and 1877 dis
charges for disability. The figures,
DR.. O'Reilly says, show a steady and
progressive improvement in the health
of the army.
When the Civil War closed the
Union army had an enrolment Of a
little more than a million. In June
of this year the report of the Commits
sioner of Pensions showed more than
six hundred and eighty thousand sur
vivors on the pension rolls. There
are probably many veterans who do
not appear on the pension rolls, so hi
the number Of survivors is remark
ably large. Certainly the sentimental
cartoon which the newspapers print
each Memorial day of the thin blue
line'' and decimated ranks does not
represent the facts.
Because of the loss Of submarine
boats in Europe, the Secretary of the
Navy has ordered that no American
submarine be allowed to go down I'M
less accompanied by a convoy equip
ped with hosting apparatus for use
in case OF accident. Every mother
whose son goes aboard a submarine
vessel will be glad that this order has
been issued. And when the President
went down in the Plunger at Oyster
Bay in August, the nation rejoiced
that tho copvov was at hand