The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-10-17
WASHINGTON
From our Regular Correspondent.

YON6IulllculSj Dul ~ 10 iathSi " Nh
ferent matter to get them actually
established 1t was long time
and after much talk that the De
partment of Commerce and Labor
was added to the cabinet There
has been even longer talk and much
less in the way OF results i'll the
effort to establish a Department OF
Public Health. But an effort will
be made this winter to add another
officer to the cabinet in the person
of a Secretary Of Transportation.
Whether this will be accomplished
1t is difficult to say, but the chauces
favor it. The work of the Inter
state Commerce Commission has
entirely outgrown the physical
powers of the commission to cope
with it even since the enlargement
of the commission itself last winter,
1t may not be generally known
outside Of Washington, but the
Interstate Commerce Commission
is one of the few and the only im-
portant bureau Of the government
that is independent Of any depart
ment The Commission was es-
tablishe1 about fifteen years ago
almost as a sop to the shippers of
the country, Little was expected
of it and little was accomplished
after the decision of the courts that
it had not the power to enforce its
rulings. But with the develop
ment Of the rate law, the enlarge
ment of the commission and the
increasing demand for the govern
ment supervision of transportation,
the commission has Increased in
importance. It has had 50 much
to do in the line of special investi-
cations ordered by Congress and
the President that it has not been
able to keep up with what IS sup
posed to be its work of adjusting
railway rates. 1t has had court
trials, cases aud hearings all over
the United States and constantly
increasing demands on its services.
It's failure to attend to everything
at once has tended to discredit it
with the general public. II the
work of the commission keeps up,
as there is every indication it will,
there will be abundant employ
ment for a regularly organized de-
partment and this in turn will be
able to cope with the transporta-
ton problem, as the commission
would never be able to do so.
***
The first meeting Of the head
officers of the Republican National
Committee was held in Washing
ton this week. 1t was an informal
meeting of Harry S. New and El-
mer Dover, president and secretary
respectively, Of the committee.
They have selected headquarters
for the committee in one of the
big Office buildings and the pros
pect is that the committee will be
regularly organized about the time
that Congress gets together. There
are so many pre- 81 d II a |
possihilities and Responsibilities
in the field that any move of the
committee heads is naturally
watched with the keenest interest.
President Roosevelt is not only the
nominal but the very real head CT
the party and there was some COM
ment that the work of the commit.
tee should have been inaugurated
while he was away from Washing
ton. But both Dover and New are
two of his young men," and
close personal friends. They had
thorough understanding with
him before he went away and it is
a safe assumption that whatever is
done will be thoroughly in accord
ance with the Presidents wishes.
Some Of the opponents of the Taft
candidacy are inclined to take the
preliminary action Of the commit
tee as a slight upon his position in
the party councils, but this is not
the case and it is generally expect
ed that the committee will take
action for a Taft reception on his
return that will be striking testi-
monial to the Secretary of War.
*4*
The Navy Department which is
busy Quitting the battleship squad,
ron for its long trip to the Pacific,
has been up against the problem Of
increase in the price of breadstuffs
There will be about 6,ooo, ,ooe
pounds of eatables and drinkable.
needed by the fleet for the voyage
II is not necessary to go into de
tails as to just what this immens,
store consists of, though the prin
cipal item is fresh meat Buyin,