Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-22
mrs oF WASHINGTON LIFE.
some Aspects of Congressional Ora
tory and smooth Work.

some Aspects Of Congressional Ora
tory and smooth Work.
In attempting 10 defend himself and his
committee associates against President
Roosovolt's charge OF purposely Gripping
the secret service. Congressman Tawney
made the assertion. according to his
published speech, that congress last year
appropriated ZS,5Oo,O 20 ito prevent frauds
In the depredations upon the several
branches OF the public service, to project
public lands from fraudulent entry, and
to apprehend and punish other violators
OF the law A washington correspondent
of the New York Tribune in looking up
the record to verify Mr.. Tawney's asser-
ton, develops the fact that the sun men
toned covers the entire cost of the In
ternal revenue service, the two Items
being salaries and expenses OF internal
revenue collectors, etc. &,0IO,OW,' and
" salaries and expenses OF revenue agents.
gaugers, etc, s., 400, 900" this being as fixed
and regular an appropriation as that Tor
the collection OF customs duties. But
the chairman Of the appropriations COM
mittee does not fail to include part of the
cost Of collecting customs duties, for he
cites an item of s2OO,O O for 1.-THE detection
and prevention Of frauds upon the Gus
toms revenue"
In order to make up tins startling total
there are included numerous expenditures
which cannot properly be classed under
the head cited by the chairman of the
appropriations committee, of which the
following are fair examples: For the pre-
vention of obstructive and Injurious de-
posts in New York harbor, $4,000; for
steamboat inspection and the contingent
expenses of the service, $4,000 for the
incidental expenses of the army, including
such items as kilograms, postage, the erec-
ton of barracks, the hire of veterinary
surgeons, shoeing OF horses and mules,
etc, 81, 2OO, OOO.
Mr.. Tawney also put in his table prac-
ticalIy the entire cost of the forest serv-
ice, including such items as the protection
of fish and game, necessary supplies, APP
paratus and office fixtures, electric light,
gas, ice, washing towels and similar in
cidentals, $3,15l 900. Another police Item
which swells the total is $500, 900, which
covers the salaries of the Indian reserva-
ton police, their rations and mounts, while
the entire contingent expense of the Indian
service, amounting to SIS, 600, is included.
Another item as distinct from the detec-
ton and suppression of crime as any
noted is that for Unforeseen emergen-
cies in the diplomatic and consular serv-
ice, $4,000"
OF course, the entire cost OF the meat In
s~pection, which is not for the purpose of
suppressing crime, but of promoting health,
is included, the total being 100000, as
is also the $4,000 for the enforcement of
the pure food act, which covers every
part of the expense, including office rent,
gas, electric light and apparatus for max
ing analyses. Many more items which
nave as little place in the table presented
by Mr.. Tawney as those cited might be
enumerated, but these are, perhaps,
among the most glazing errors.
Some smooth work is being done by rail-
road literary bureaus these days. A dis
patch to the Philadelphia North American
states that senators and members of the
house of representatives are being flooded
with letters all wordAd exactly alike. but
mailed In different towns and signed by
different persons, urging that no legisla-
ton adverse TO railroad interests be en-
acted, because of the damaging effect upon
wage earners throughout the country.
The letters say thHt there has been a
great falling o.. IN The manufacture Of
railroad equipment aud supplies. throwing
a SNCdN biilb puN u iiiSiANs
The purchasing power OF these unemployed
is destroyed, and therefore all forms Of
reteil business are suffering depressing eff
fectS.
The members of &C ngTess are urged to
advocate such an adjustment OF railroad
rates as Will enable the railroads to do
business uron a Iemunerative basis. and
thus restore the Prosperity which Is
languishing in 50 many communities
The letters are obviously all prepared
by the same PERSONS and are being sent to
congressman to create the impression that
there IS Il public demand for such increases
In freight rates as the railroads contem-
plate. The transparency of the scheme
will unquestionably destroy its effect, and
Gauss wonder that greL: railroad corpora
tons should resort to SO flimsy a subter-
fuse in al effort 10 iaf'uCrce legislation.
Honorable William Howard Taft may not
be w On politics, ru' he has turned a
flank Of the grand army of office hunt
ers, acc ording to a Na' hlngton dispatch.
He has ICinted Q way for future presi-
dents-elcct. and all Other statesmen-elect
whereby they can play golf and eat pos
sum with sereI.c mirds, while the pie
hungry patriots do the ~fretting. Until the
Taft discovery it has teen the statesman
elects lob to DO bott,a with insomnia and
nervous rrostratior. The swarming head
hunters killed cid William Henry Harrison.
They aggravated the breakdown which
killed John NJ. Pettison.
Judge Taft adopted a very simple ex-
pediert. His first appointment was Senator
Knox of Pennsylvania foI secretary OF
state. Then the president. elect. picking up
his golf sticks, tackled a sign on the door
which said: