Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1906-07-20

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Eighty-two days elapsed from the
dime the railroad rate bill reached the
Senate of the United States to the day
when the question was put from the
chair, "Shall the bill pass?" 1t is an
important fact in the political history
OF the country that Il bill of such a
character should lave been passed al
most unanimously by the Senate, but
that is not the only important thing to
be noted. It has been common, If not
popular, to fling sneers at b Senate,
as a rich mans club, a collection of
plutocrats, an obstruction to legisla-
ton, a usurper of more than it's share
of power in the government; and these
are not the only criticisms the country
has heard or read. But no n can
have studied the discussion and debate
on the great measure of the session
without finding his prejudice against
the Senate disappearing, or else discov-
ering that a previously high opinion Of
the ability Of the body was far too low.
At no previous time since the Senate
was organized in 1850 could there have
been found a larger proportion Of the
members who could discuss a grave
question like that of railroad leSisla-
ton with learning, wisdom, lucidity and
force. No doubt there have been times
when there were giants in the Senate
larger than the greatest who now have
seats in the body. But there are giants
to-day, as the next generation will dis
cover if we do not; and the average
ability Of the Senators who now oc-
cupy seats has never been surpassed.
If we consider the matter, why should
it not be SO? The population is larger
than ever before and the choice wider.
1t is not universally true that the
ablest Senators are reelected and the
less prominent dropped after one term,
but ii is true with EXCEPTIONS; and
there has never been a time when the
average length of service has been so
great as it is now.
Among the important acts OF Con-
gress, one which has received less no.
tice than it deserves is the bill to ell
large the scope of the Census Bureau.
Until the veal 1902, as most persons
know, the census Office was q constant
ly shifting organization. A director
was chosen before the taking Of a cen
sus, but he was continued in office only
sc long as was necessary to perform
the duties pertaining to that particular
census. The entire force of statistic
ians, experts n clerks was discharged
and g new force Of men had to be gath
cred every time. The act Of 1902 made
the ensus Office a permanent Organiza-
tion. The act Just passed has greatly
increased the scope and usefulness Of
its work. By it the director Is author
lied to gather once in every ten years
statistics relating to the defective, de-
pendent and delinquent classes; to
crime, including judicial statistics per-
tanning to it, and covering II matters
as age, SEX, color, race, nativity and
parentage; and information concerning
many Of the great industries, such as
mining, fisheries, q%uarrying, telegraph
and telephone companies, savings banks
and many other things. The enlarge
ment Of the duties of the Census Blu
reau is so important as almost to sug-
agest that the name be changed to the
Statistical Office. In the matter of
crime, especially. and the deficient and
dependent classes, it will now be pos
asible to gather and preserve knowledge
which will be national, where hereto
fore the only available statistics We're
confined to a small number Of States.
The change will be a gain in another
direction. The increased work will now
MAKE it possible to give permanent en-
ployment to the best-equipped men, and
ESQ to retain them, n thus avoid the
NECESSITY of e%ntrusting important duties
to inexperienced statisticians.
George B. Winter, expert tailor for
the British army, arrived at New York
under agreement with the Wal Depart
ment to revise and modify the cutting
patterns of the United States army
huniforms. It is against this work that
k&&he New York association of tailors has
lNnade formal protest. Acting Secretary
szzSrf War Oliver has written the protest
Ing tailors an explanation. He ..on-
tradicts the report that had gone out
to the effect that Winter was to design
and construct a set of uniforms, and
explained that the object was to give
our soldiers and officers a more dis.
-tinctive and military effect.
Former State Senator Green, of
New York, and w. D. Doremus, of
Washington, D. c., were acquitted by
a Washington jury on the charge of
bribery and conspiracy to defraud the