The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-03-17
BACON IS BITTER
Advocates His Amendment to the
Measure-Notes Large Decrease In
American Cotton Trade With
China Since 1905, and Gives Rea-
sons for It-Postofice Appropria-
ton Bill Passes the House.


in the senate today by Senator Ba-
con, of Georgia His criticisms Of the
president, pointed and not veiled In
any manner, were called out during
the last hour Of the session Of the
| senate.
AR. Bacon read a newspaper clip
ping in reference to a conference held
at the White House Wednesday
night at which legislation exempting
labor organizations from the opera
tions of the Sherman antitrust law.
and permitting pooling by railroads,
was said to have been discussed. He
said he was sure the statement was
correct, else it would have been de-
MED in no uncertain terms.
Are we to understand" asked
Mr.. Foraker, interrupting, that
every senator had a right to be IN
vited to such a conference and that
legislation should be framed in the
White House rather than in the halls
Of congress?"
Mr.. Bacon said, without replying to
Mr.. Foraker, that assumption OF
legislative authority had been going
on for years and the right of the
been asserted until senators had been
accustomed to it. and there was no
longer much indignation expressed.
'It is not" he said, simply in the
framing of laws that this applies bat
to the dictation of the law making.
This recalls my visit to another
legislative body where no negative
vote was called for nor taken. | in
quired why the negative vote was
not taken and I was told that it was
not necessary because the president
had sent them the laws to pass. /
was told there was a power that
could defeat any senator or repre-
sentative. l want to say in that
country it, is true that chief execu
tive officer can designate who shall
come to congress and who shall not
come to congress"
What country" inquired Mr.. Till
man.
Il shall not name the country"
replied Mr.. Bacon, but l have been
there and seen things l wish to
know whether that is the fate that
awaits the American people and if it
is true that the president Of the Unit
ed States sends the laws here and
they are to be passed at his bid
ding"
Possibly, added Mr.. Bacon "some
thing 1 have said may be impru-
dent, Notwithstanding it is true
Mr.. Tillman asked whether it was
not also true that the president is
now making peace with the captains
of industry in order to get their sup
port in view of his nomination or
the nomination of his lieutenant"
Mr.. Bacon replied that he had no
night to express an opinion on that
well, you can guess. can't you?
can,' retorted Mr. Tillman.
' Il have been chided," said Mr.. Ba-
con, ''for apologizing for what l said,
but l coupled my statement with the
remark that it was true
why is it imprudent for you to
say what you have?" arked Mr.. Till
man.
TO this remark Mr.. Bacon made no
reply.
Senator Simmons, Of North Carolina
today spoke in support Of his amend
ment to the ocean mail subsidy bill
authorizing the payment of the same
rates to vessels of the second class
that are allowed to those of the first
class for carrying the mails. The
only difference between vessels of the
first class and those of the second
class he said, was the difference be-
tween 20 and 16 knots in speed, and
difference in capacity Of between
1900 and 5000 tons
To-day in the whole world" de-
clared Mr.. Simmons, there are but
q steamships of the first class as de-
fined by the act Of 1891 and every one
of them is owned by the Canadian
Pacific railroad"
Mr. Simmons said that in 1905 the
American cotton trade with China
amounted to S47,000,00O while last
year it was only $3,O00,000.
What does that mean?' he asked.
1T means that when we began to be
troublesome our foreign competitors
regulated their rates SO as to crowd
us OUT
Mr.. Simmons suggested that the
amount Of compensation for mail
transportation in the foreign service
in any year should be limited to the
estimated revenues of the govern
ment for that particular service and
AIR. Gallinger, in charge of the ship
ping bill, said he would be willing to
accept the amendment.
THE HOUSE
Carrying the largest appropriation
in all its history-s222, ,190, ,392-the
postoffice appropriation bill today
, passed the house of representatives
having been under discussion four
teen days. This is s1,425,0 900 more
than as reported by the committe
Chairman Overstreet, when the read
ing of the bill had been concluded.
waged vigorous fight On the propo-
sition to increase the pay of letter
| carriers, which was voted into the
bill last Wednesday, but that action
| was confirmed, 1876 to 126.
The closing debates on the bill
dwelt mainly on the rural delivery
service. the only amendment to get
through being one increasing by 5000,
900 the appropriation therefore. Fol-