Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-02-03

to effect the Presidents recommends
tions. although 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 be-
ing reported to the Senate.
That there Is no possibility of rail
way legislation at this session is con.
coded by those familiar with the legis.
lative situation. The Senate leaders
have craftily brought about situation
which precludes the possibility OF any
important legislative enactment before
March 4. To accomplish this end they
once more made tool OF the ever will
ing junior Senator from Indiana, Mr..
Beveridee. Senator Beverage was
told to bring in the Statehood bill and
that the leadersiwould help. him.pass
it, although they never intended SO do.
ing. MIR. Beverage never loath to as
sumo roll which makes him the cen
ter of attraction. gladly responded and
for days and weeks the Statehood bill
has dragged its weary way through
the Senate. Mr.. Beveridge believing
he was making progress, while the
leaders declared that nothing coulo
be done until Statehood was disposed
of land all the while were laughing in
their sleeves. Now it has become evil
don't, even to Mr.. Beveridge that he
cannot pass his bill. but he does not
even now know that he has heen made
the cats. paw of the leaders.
The best policies of the President
have no more spacious friend, no more
covert enemy, than Speaker Cannon
The President recently declared that
any government employee who exerted
influence with members of Congress
to obtain an increase of salary must be
discharged. This did not please Mr.
| Cannon, who is an arrant spokesman
and he Immediately passed the wore
that lump funds" must be abolished
and so they are being. "Lump.funds'
are appropriations made in lump sums
for the several departments. 80 mad
that the respective cabinet officers may
lot their discretion. reward worth!
temployes with increases OF salary. UP
posed to the lump funds'' is the "sta
tutory roll, that is list OF places TO
which Congress fixes the salaries
Clerks in all departments are being
transferred to the statutory roll 8
, that their salaries cannot be increased
except by Congress and those who &C
tually deserve and to whom their chief
would like to give increases, must az
, peal to members -of Congress. or g
} without.
Another instance of Mr.. Cannon
|, efforts to defeat the wishes of tn
. President recently came to the atten
t ton of your correspondent. The Pres
. ident extended the civil service class
:. fication to include some 600 employe
!, appointed as ''laborersn but dom
r clerical work and having served &c,
9 eral years. As long as they we're "ls
: borers" they conld not be paid over VI
a month. Several Secretaries wishe
to promote the more efficient of thsf
employees and to that end asked th
. President to. include them in the class
fed service. He did so and immed
J. ately the House provided that CLERK
4 SO classified should receive maximu
t salary of $75 month, thus defeatiI
:. the intention of the President and d
l. monstrating to. the clerks that thu
h must acquire Influence" with Co
d gress if they ever hoped to better the
d condition.
ei Instances without number could
u cited where Congress has covertly d
T. feated the efforts of the President
,e establish an efficient civil service whe
q merit should gain promotion and pol
% tical influence prove of no avail, whe
g, the faithful, trustworthy employ
Is rather than the political henchma
,r who never fails to 60 out to his distri
p and hustle for the re election of b
., Congressman, should win, recognitio
b. promotion and increased remuneI
ton. Usually these tricks. OF Co
at gress are too obscure and too c0mpl
t, to make it possible to expose them
e, q newspaper article. The public d.
not understand, rarely can be made
N understand and; too often, does L
if care. ''It is mona of my business ar
" way, and it is too deep for me to u
ut derstand. haven't the time, an
or how" says the average good eli
10 zen," and he goes his way entire
Of oolivious of the fact that what
of President is trying to do by means
re civil service reform Is to cheaper t
%, cost of the government to every eli
ID zen of the United States by making
b. an object to the government emple
1t to render the most and the best serv
Id of which he is capable.
20 Against Beef Trust.
us Washington, Jan. 31.-The supre
m court of the United States yesterd
tic decided the case Of the United Sta
VS.. Swift & Co., known as the b