The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-11-29
Approaching Session Is Likely
To Shine for Inquisitive,
Rather Than for Legislative
Attributes.
NUMBER OF AIRINGS
ARE NOW SCHEDULED
Parsons Charges, the Sugar
Trust Frauds, the Conser-
walton Row and Others Are
To Be Inquired Into.

regular session of the sixty-first con-
gress, which convenes this week, bids
fair to go down in history, if for moth
ing else, as the greatest legislative in
and house are loaded up with question
and each has in view number
of candidates for the rack. Subjects
which promise to undergo congress
sional investigation are:
Charges by Parsons of collusion be-
tween New York republicans and
democrats in election of Speaker Can
non.
Conservation imbroglo between
Ballinger and PinchOt.
Operations of sugar trust in viola
tion of law.
Customs frauds. and responsibility
therefor
Merger of telegraph and telephone
corporations.
Operation of law imposing tax on
oleomargarine and charges of whole
sale evasions Of tax
Charges of laXity in enforcement of
leueEdl CIVIL service law.
Expenditures of executive branch
of government with view to re.
trenchment.
Charges against Judges Mcpherson
and Phillips in connection with Mis-
souri, freight rate litigation.
Expect Little constructixs Work.
AS the day for the convening of con
gress approaches there is less talk OF
constructive legislation and more OF
investigation. A good many leaders
believe the president will be lucky il
he gets his interstate commerce
amendments passed and are sure
nothing else will be done except tc
Iass appropriation bills. The theory
is that the average congressman will
prefer to take no chances on construc
tive legislation before going into his
campaign for denomination next sum
mer
The insurgents are keen for an air
ing of the Parsons charges that Tam
many congressman were induced tC
vote for Cannon for speaker in return
for the killing of election legislation
by republicans in the New York legis
lature. A demand for an investigation
is bound to come from insurgent quar-
ters at no distant day.
Conservation Row Growing.
The conservation row is daily aug
menting. and the demand for a con
gressional inquiry already is insisten
enough to warrant the prediction tha
the matter soon will bob up in eithel
the senate or the house. What make:
it all the more certain is that Balling
er is to ask congress for Legislation
more adequately defining the disposi
| tion and development of the publ,
domain, particularly with regard tt
the conservation of water power anc
mineral resources.
Combinations of capital that are OF
the program for letting in Of thu
| light are the sugar trust and the re
Gently effected merger of telephon,
and telegraph corporations. Man.
| leaders in congress think it is time TO
a grand expose Of the sugar trust
| The telephone and telegraph merge
| is new thing and the suggestion tha
| it is to be investigated is merely TO
the purpose of enlightening congress;
| in regard to the extent to which i
may impair competition.
Investigation of the smuggling scan
| dals at New York is looked upon as
certainty. These exposures hav,
shocked the whole country, and con
gressmen confess they have beel
| hearing a good deal about the matte
! out among their constituents. Inves
| tigation of the civil service alread,
has been broached by Senator Borah
who has pending in the senate com
mittee on audit and control of contin
| gent expenses a resolution providin,
for an inquiry into the reinforcement
and administration OF the civil serv
ice law, rules, and regulations
Seek Secrets Of eutterine.
| An inquiry into the secrets of but
terine is not unlikely as a result O
impending agitation for the remova
of the 10 cent tax on artificially color
ed oleo. The general charge is tha
the collection Of the tax is being pre-;
ty successfully lodged. and Secretar,
of the Treasury MacVeagh admits i
is extremely difficult to enforce tn
law. When the matter comes up a
the capitol congress will want to know
why internal revenue collectors ar
permitting contraband oleo to sli
through their fingers.
| The proposed investigation of tn
Missouri judges is pending in tn
house committee ON rules by virtue @
a resolution introduced by Congres.