The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-04

important committees Of either branch
OF Congress. Senator Martin Is already
the senior Democrat OF the COMMITTEE
on the District Of Columbia, and or me
Committee on Claims. In case OIL ~
Democratic ajority in the Senate Sena
tor Martin would have his choice OF the
craftsmanship or either of these commits
tees. Senator Martin, on the retirement
#of Senator Berry. will probably remove
his office from the A1atby building to
the room OF the Committee on EnsrosSeI
Bills. which is on the Senate floor OF the
CAPITOL. in the northwest corner and
m,Icl, better quarters than those Senator
Martin has occupied for some years.
Seeming Graft.
Representatives from the States Of
Louisiana and Colorado, have been heard
10 complain or the head lines In the
Denver and New Orleans newspapers last
week. which said in effect: 1,gi Canes of
,Tclllcssec saves the locala.nlint. But
none OF them could give any reason Tor
the complaint, for everybody admitted
that 81 7Whs Gaines series ot#tivc- minute
speeches which prevented the practical
closing OF the mints st Denver ana New
Orleans In favor Of the mint at l'hiadG-
phia
position as a member of the committee
on coinage weights and measures as Il
serious place imposing II particular duty
If there were more members OF the MI
nority who fought the reports from the
committees to which they belong with
his carnestness. the Democrats would
have more influence on legislation.
Tho gag rule adopted by the House TO
put through the legislative. judicial and
l.tI l.Iptyt ~ toll
Mr.. Gaines from winning What WAS one
OF his most spectacular fights.
A Mysterious Fight.
There Is II determined effort to force
the enactment of the compulsory Metric
system bill. In committee, Mr. Gaines
has oppos-l this measure With all his
might. The fight showed on the sur
face tho other day when the appropria-
tons for the Bureau OF Standards was
under consideration. Mr. Gaines showed
that In 1901, five years ago, the Bureau
had fourteen employees. and was con-
Quoted at n cost Of s10,s55 In 1906
the Bureau has increased to eighty
seven employees. and was conducted at
an expense OF 1854. 600 Under the pres
ent appropriation bill. passed by the
Ilousc, the Bu:~au Is to have ninety
emloycs and will cost s177,9+0. Thus
tho expenses of the Bureau have multi
piled seventeen times in seven years
Mr.. Gaines charged that the bureau
was being Increased, fed and fattened, 80
that it might be used when the time comes
to force the use of the metric system
upon the people Of the country.
Tho chairman of the committee. Mr..
Southard. Of Ohio. had declared that the
fees received by the bureau would make
Il almost self-supporting Mr. Gaines
showed by statistics that the fees OF the
bureau We're but little over $4,000 a year.
as one-lnlf tho work done was for the
government. But the wheels We're CREASED
ana the appropriation went through.
From Acres to Hectares.
Mr.. Gaines is going on with his fight
against tho metric system. The oppo-
stion to the compulsory adoption of tho
system Is Eased largely upon the con-
fusion 1t would cause, especially In land
measure. TO change the measure of land
from the acre system to the hectare
system would mean n world Of work
and would Involve the title to every
piece OF real estate In intcrminable It'll
cation. This would be especially true, 1t
Is urged, in tho States which are sur
sveyed under the township and range
system--thnt Is to say all the States Of
tho Union except tho thirteen original
States, Vermont, Kentucky, Tennessee,
Texas and n portion Of Ohio.
The testimony offered In metric
system hearing before the committee will
be printed some time, it is hoped, and
when 1t is, there will be some interest
ing reading.
DR., Stratton, director Of the United
states Bureau of Standards, in his tes-
4timony before that committee declared
T,,,, n nf yCnipht @ nj
measures Is not worth n DAM This
shows what an earnest advocate the
metric system has In tho bureau,
The metric system advocates have a
great deal of money behind them, there
is an energetic press bureau and tons OF
literature. No one knows exactly what
interest is concerned, hut Gaines, of Ten
nessee. is on the trail md when no finds
out about II lie will let the country
know. 8