Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1905-11-02
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tlldl dlc VI "
the business world and the public in
general are to be placed squarely be-
fore the legislators for action. The
Presidents attitude ON the railway
rate question has not been modified
since he first directed attention to the
manifest evil that has grown up I'M
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 track 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 that will be recon-
mcnded by the President is bill to
prevent bribery and other forms of
corruption in Federal elections. State
courts have showed in a lamentable
number of instances that they are not
beyond the baneful influence of ward
leaders. and attempts to punish vio-
lators of the sanctity Of the ballot box
have ANONYMOUSLY failed. The alb
solute publication of politics probably
will ever remain an iridescent dream,
but there is little doubt that Fed
eral statute, asking the trial of offend
ers against the ballot out Of the con-
troll of State courts, would be long
step forward in a cOmmendable 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
that 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.
ests shall be protected and safeguard.
ed by Federal control.
The new Anglo-Japanese treaty
differs from the earlier treaty ~
several important particulars. 1t runs
for a period of ten years; it embodies
a recognition on the part of Great
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 commerce OF
all nations to Korea; an1, 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, as in the
earlier treaty, but when it is involved
in any war in defense of its territorial
rights or special interests Gin 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
L. Reynolds, second assistant of tile
United States treasury, who says that
of the 157 custom ports in our country
Ill do not pay expenses. Crisfield,
Md, received S227O in customs last
year and 5000 was paid out for
salaries. Beaufort, n c., took in $1.55
in revenues and the salaries paid to
gather this tiny sum were about ST.
500. All told, these III 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 5S,740, and OF the returns of the
military secretary 6O,139, and calcula-
tons are made up on the latter figures.
There were 1856 admissions to the
sick report during the year, 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 that
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.