The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1905-02-04

failed to applaud, and even looked
disguised.
Mr.. Williams remarks followed
soon after a caucus of the democrat
ic members of the house. at which it
was determined to support the Pres
ident in his movement for railway
rate control, such action, it having
been argued, being dictated by pat
riotic motives, which should stand
above partisan considerations. 1t
is also true that the democrats in the
Senate will stand solidly in support
of any measure sent over from the
House which carries into effect the
Presidents recommendations, al
though it is entirely possible, even
probable, that Senator Elkins as
chairman of the Senate committee
ON Interstate Commerce, will be
able to prevent any measure Of real
value being reported to the Senate.
That there is no possibility of rail
way legislation at this session is
conceded by those familiar with the
legislative situation. The Senate
leaders have eraftily brought about
a situation which precludes the pos
sibility of any important legislative
enactment before March +. To ac-
complish this end they once more
made a tool of the ever willing Junior
Senator from Indiana, Mr.. Beverage
Senator Beveridge was told to bring
in the Statehood bill, and that the
leaders would help him pass it, al
though they never intended so doing.
Mr.. Beyeridge, never loath to as
sumo a roll which makes him the
center of attraction, gladly respond
ed, and for days and weeks the
Statehood bill has dragged its weary
way through the Senate, Mr.. Bever-
idge believing he was making pro-
gress, while the leaders declared that
nothing could be done until State
hood could be disposed Of" and all
the while were laughing in their
sleeves Now it has become evident,
even to Mr.. Beveridge, that he can
not pass his bill, but he does not ev-
en- now know that he has been made
the catspaw of the leaders.
The best policies of the President
have no more specious friend, no more
covert enemy than Speaker Cannon.
The President recently declared that
any government employe who exert
cd influence with members of con.
gress to obtain an increase of salary
must be discharged. This did not
please Mr.. Cannon, who is an arrant
spokesman, and he Immediately pass
ed the word that lump funds" must
be abolished, and so they are being.
Lump funds" are appropriations
made in lump sums for the several
departments, so made that the res
peetive cabinet officers may, at their
discretion, reward worthy employees
with increase of salaries. Opposed
to the lump fund" is the Statutory
roll, that is a list of places for
which congress fixes the salaries.
Clerks in all departments are being
transferred to the statutory roll, so
that their salaries cannot be increas-
ed except by congress, and those
who actually deserve, and to whom
their chiefs would like to give in
credses, must appeal to members of
congress, or 90 without.
Another instance of Mr.. Cannon's
efforts to defeat the wishes of the
President, recently came to the at
tention of your correspondent. The
President extended the civil service
classification to include some 600
employees appointed as "laborers,"
but doing clerical work, and having
served for several years. AS long as
they were laborers' they could not
be paid over $75 a month, Several
Secretaries wished to promote the
more efficient of these employees, and
to that end asked the President to |
include them in the classified service.
He did so, and Immediately the house
provided that clerks so classified |
receive a maximum salary Of $75 a
month, thus defeating the intention
Of the President, and demonstrating
10 the clerks that they must acquire
influence" with congress il they ever
iope to better their condition.