The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-01-05

in previous messages, although not
referred to i'll his last, one that
would contribute materially to the
economical administration of the
Nations affairs, is the enactment
of law providing a modern and
efficient method of arriving at the
weight of the mails carried by the
various railroads. That the present
law is totally inadequate was point
ed out by the Auditor for the Post
| office, Henry A. Castle who show
ed, year ago, how the Govern
ment might be and probably was,
mulcted of thousands of dollars an
nually by the present antiquated
system. OF course there is no like
lihood that such legislation will be
enacted, despite the President re-
commentator and Mr.. Cannon's
determination to promote economy.
The reason why is plain. The rail-
roads prefer the present system and
Representative Overstreet of Indi-
ana, now chairman of the House
committee on Postoffices and Post
roads. will permit no bill to be re-
ported from that committee which
will effect an improvement over the
present method. Equally of course
it is highly improper to mention
those little secrets of the House
above whisper, despite the fact
that they are true. If Mr.. Over
street, whose testimony before the
Mccall committee of last session
varied so startlingly from the facts,
were asked why no new method of
paying the railroads was provided
he would blandly explain that his
committee had no time to 60 into
the subject.
Xxx
Much as opinions may vary re.
garding the advisability of further
increases in the United States navy,
probably few people appreciate the
true reason why the recommenda-
tions of expert naval officers are re-
jected when new vessels are author
lied and plans for battleships which
the naval experts regard as proper
size are rejected and those for small
er ships authorized. At the head
of the Senate committee on Naval
affairs sits the most determined and,
in some instances the most potent
of Senators. He is Mr.. Eugene
| Hsle of Maine. Unfortunately for
the navy there are two ship yards
in Maine and, still more unfortun-
ately, they cannot build large battle
ships. Therefore, each Congress
must always provide for few small
ships for the construction of which
these small shipyards can compete,
in so far as there is any competition
among the builders of battleships,
despite the recommended ons of the
naval experts and their insistence
that there is no room for the small
bottleship in modern warfare.
XXX
Seldom has a more deplorable
spectacle been presented to the
American people than that exhibit
| ed by the great State of New York
which will next month have foisted
upon it as United States Senator
either the representative of the New
York Central railroad, Chauncey M.
Depew, who has for six years played
the "netoo" part to tom" Platt,
the EASY Boss" as perfectly as Mr.
Platt played it to Roscoe Conklin,
or the creature of Governor Benja.
mine P. Odell, whose administra-
tion has been stencil in nostrils
of New Workers to such an extent
that Mr.. Odell's candidate for gov
ernor ran o,ooo votes behind his
ticket and would have inevitably
been defeated but for the great
Roosevelt landslide. With such
men sent to the Senate from the
greatest State in the Union is it sur
prising that the Senate stands in
the way of all legislation which
might really benefit the people?