The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-05-14
WASHINGTON LETTER.

There is no doubt that prompt effort
will be made to strengthen the com.
modities clause of the railroad rate law.
On Thursday of last week bill was in.
trodpced by Representative Irving P.
Wanger, of Pennsylvania, to correct those
defects in the law made clear by the re-
cent decision of the Supreme Court. Mr..
Wanger is the ranking member of the
interstate Commerce Committee of the
House, and is prominently mentioned as
the successor of Representative Hepburn
as chairman of the committee. He aided
materially in framing the rate law. His
bill provides specifically that railroads
shall be prohibited from owning stock or
securities or interest in any other business
enterprise and from transporting any
commodities, the property of such COM
pany, which are not intended tor their
own use. Mr.. Wanger has little hope of
action on his resolution at the present
session, but it is believed that President
Taft'snext message to Congress will be
SO direct on this point that his bill, or a
similar one, will betaken up Immediately.
~
Representative Murphy of Missouri will
draw up, aud present to Congress before
the close of the present session, formal
charges of impeachment against Judges
Mcpherson and Phillips, of the Western
Circuit OF Missouri. He announced this
intention on Thursday after making
speech on the floor of the House in
answer to dispatch sent to the Attorney
General by Frank Hagernlan, attorney
for number of railroads, accusing Mr..
Murphy of misrepresenting the judges
and the roads. This dispatch was the
outcome of resolution introduced in the
House several days ago by Mr.. Murphy
in which he accused the judges of illegal
conduct in relation to the 2.cent passenger
law and the maximum freight law recent.
ly passed by the Missouri legislature.
The Murphy resolution has been referred
to the Judiciary Committee and any
charges of impeachment will go to that
committee, which will not be appointed
however, until the next session of Con-
gress.
~
The sixteen battleships of the Atlantic
feet will leave the navy yards on June rs
radically changed in outward appearance
and will be in condition for action
which has not heretofore prevailed in
time of peace and when there was no
prospect of war. These important changes
are mainly the result of experience gain
ed during the circumnavigating cruise of
the fleet, which Secretary Meyer says
cost the government $500. 900 above
what would have been the cost of main
tenance and operation had the ships re-
manned in home waters. Naval strategists
look upon this extra expense as
premium paid for the benefit of increased
naval efficiency and as represe nting an
investment most useful in improving the
hitting power ofthe naval arm.
The most conspicuous change which
the civilian observer will recognize is in
the color of the vessels, The hull, small
boats, and indeed, all of the exposed
portions will be of shade. described as
dull gray, without the lustre to reflect the
sun or otherwise add to the conspicuous
ness of the ship. 1t is the color decided
upon by the experts as least likely to
attract attention and as possessing the
greatest degree of invisibility. In carry
ing out this idea all of the brass fittings,
even to the door knobs, have been re.
moved and the bow ornaments and gilt
letters of the ships names have been
abandoned.
~
Another feature which has been tried
out successfully on the warships is the
method of carrying ammunition. Some