The Washington herald., 1907-02-10
PLANS MANY CHANGES
Mr.. De Almond Suggests
Constructive Reforms.
PROPOSALS ATTRACT NOTICE
No Action on Them Expected This
Session, Idea Being to Pave Way
for Future Consideration - Mis-
sourian's Views Outlined in Series
of Important BiIIs-High Rent.

/ of Important Biiis-High Rent.
David A. De Almond. of Missouri,
known hitherto as a obstructive states
/ man.' and who has been accused Of using
his great abilities to pull down rather than
! build up. has a record in the present ses-
sion OF Congress which his friends think
| will rate him as one of the foremost con
/ structive statesmen" in Congress.
/ Mr.. De Almond, quietly, with little or no
defamation, with his usual reserve and
lmodesty, has advanced "a remarkable
series of legislative proposals this winter.
Ian of them are interesting, important,
/ and in large degree the product of his
Ioriginal thought. Il is true that none Of
Them is of the kind to crystalline into i'm
mediate government action or legislation,
hut there are many men in Congress who
think that De Almond in several partic-
uars. has sounded the initial note of i'm
Iportant steps that VIII be taken before
/ the country grows much older.
Almost every Congressman each year
Introduces bills which lie thereafter in
Everlasting sleep on the shelves of House
land Senate document rooms and in the
lpigeou-hoIes of committees. AS rule
nobody pays much attention to them OF
Their bills But as 10 several measures
lthat DE Almond has sponsored this win
tier there has been wide discussion in the
newspapers and interested talk among
|other Congressman. one who takes the
lpains TO collect tHe series finds d success
sion Of measures. each short, direct and
advancing clear-cut and impressive idea
/ TO begin with. De Almond made q
speech early in the present session in
which he declared himself ga favor If a
constitutional convention, % bee called foI
1.-THE purpose of considering proposed
amendments TO the Federal Constitution
He followed this at Intervals by intro
Iducing the bills referred 10 hereafter. The
Titles Of the respective measures are;
ITO make additional provision for the
iretirement Of judges
ITO declare in limit the jurisdiction oil
lcoUrts as u the question of the consttu
uonallty Of acts Of Congress"
"T0 provide for securing interest UpOI
deposits Of public funds
ITO provide for the manufacture an,
sale by the government of diphtheris
IauutoXin.
ITO provide for the marking OF rate.
.of tariff duty upon manufactured ar
ucIes"
TO authorize the Secretary Of War L.
detail officers OF the army for service IL
the construction of good roads IN th'
several States"
"To authorize and direct the Postnas
Ter General % procure postal cars aue
contract for hauling them
De Almond in Earnest.
The suggestion OF constitutional con
venuon and each Of the above bills in
volye numerous considerations. 1t is
flash or so only. as applied % each o
them. that one gets Do running cha
with SIR. DE Almond. The idea of con
. s,ltuuoual convention is the one Away
. resortsd 20 10y the "wild-eyed" type O
b. radical when confronted with the fac
p that the things hc would DO are impraC
p ucable. 1t is not in such a. spirit tina
de Almond approaches the question.
1.-THE thoughts Of the people in IN
stress of modern conditions says Ml
+ Ue Almond, ARE FAR from the prob
lens OF government, and ] believe that
than any one agency could do To reylF
p a healthy popular interest I'm and und.g
e standing Of the Constitution of the Unite
States and our system of government
The Liss0uriau scouts the idea tha
there is danger in the suggestion, sayi7
F! that. as the votes OF three-fourths of tn
States viii Doe necessary TO adopt a
= amendment. certainly no revolutionary q
sinister proposition could so through. By
he believes that there are numbers q
good amendments which could md wOUl
be adopted He suggests that the iT
} I come tax viii hardly become g. fixture /
the American system until th. Constity
ton is changed. He believes that prov
sious should bee made for initiative an
, referendum favors life insurance by ta
government. advocates putting a lin
upon the exercise by the courts Of Oh
writ of injunction, maintains that sem
way of removing judges besides impeacl
ment should Dee had. and agrees with th
1 almost unanimous opinion that il is
mistake. as now provided in the Const
tuition. that members Of Congress cIecte
in November should not convene unit
/ December Of the next year, thrice
months after election. He would chang
both the date OF Inauguration and the tim
@ OF converting Congress.
Perhaps the most striking in the bewi
, deriEg wealth of IDEAS advanced by NJ
De Almond are those applying TO Fee
eral judges. which appear in two Of h
L bills and in his argument for constitl
r. tOual convention
( De Almond WAS conspicuous fin Il
Swayne impeachment proceedings "
4 years ago. in which Judge Swayne
= the Florida district, was acquitte
Yes" said Mr.. De Almond. my exp,
rience in that case led me TO believe thu
there should be some method besides IN
G parchment of getting rid of those Fec
eral judges ir whose cases il shall appes
] that their continued service is undesir;
o. bic, not to say a disgrace and a menaC
| to Justice"
e Judges Too Secure.
q De Almonds bill on the subject pr
n vides that when the public welfare wi
Z be promoted by the retirement of ar
Judge of the United States, the Presidel
. shall, by and with the advice and COZ
n sent Of the Senate, nominate and appoi1
d q suitable person possessing the quail
o Hcations required by law, to the office
p be vacated by such retirement
"Of course" remarked Mr. De Armon
y the bill as it stands is demonstrations
: ! introduced it merely as a suggestiC
y and to emphasize my belief in the nece
: sity for a means other than impeachue1
to regulate the judiciary and insu
among the Federal judges high standal
of morals and of learning in the law.
No continued the Missouri Repr
sentative Il do NOT think that tho 9th,