The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-04-27

Washington. April 24.-[Special.]-
Senator Root of New York is chair
man Of the committee on expenditures
In the state department. Those who
do not know anything about the rela-
tive Importance of committees would
be apt to say right off that he was put
there because he was formerly secre
tary of state and that he is the very
man who ought to be able to fill the
place with signal ability. AS matter
Of fact that is an insignificant commit
tee which seldom has meeting. 1t is
one of about thirty which We're Gre
ated simply to give senator chair
manship With Craftsmanship goes
also a clerk and a, messenger. in addi
ton to private secretary. All the
Republican senators have a chairman
ship. and there are ten little commit
tees which do practically nothing that
have Democratic senators for chair
men. The only really important COM
mittee on which Mr.. Root is serving is
that Of foreign relations.
Uncle Joe's Remarkable vigor.
On the 7th of next month Speaker
Cannon will have reached the seventy
third milestone of life. Uncle Joe is
now in the thirty-fifth year of service
as a member of the house. He had a
break in his public career by failing to
be elected to the Fifty-second congress.
That was the year QS9O Of the pas
sage Of the Mckinley tariff bill. Even
the author of that measure went down
to dedDat in his district, but that was
largely due to the fact that the Ohio
legislature was Democratic. then aud
carved out a district into which sew
eral strong Democratic counties had
been added so that the apostle Of pro-
lection could he vanquished. Few
men who have had the knocks that
Speaker Cannon has had look as well
as he at his time of life.
Favor Reduction Of Appropriations.
= As the tariff discussion progresses in
the senate probably some better idea
may be formed as to whether or not
the new rates .of duty will produce
sufficient revenue to meet the expenses
Of the government. Many of the OPP
ponents of the measure have been in
sisting ever since 1t was amended by
the senate finance committee that there
would be less revenue than the Payne
eddy some of the advocates Of high
protection do not care how short it will
fall. They are known to be working
up Il sentiment in favor of heavily re-
ducing the appropriations. Their ar
gunent is that IL the treasury gets in
tight place 1t is easy enough to issue
bonds. which will be readily taken up
by the people. who would be glad Of
the opportunity to make safe invest
mcnts. and that under the emergency
currency bill passed by the last con-
gress the government is now author
lied tn issue $25O.OOO.OOO in certificates.
which would he ample to prevent any
threatened panic il the banks got
pinched for money.
Manufacturers Want Free Coal.
Coal mine owners who have been in
Washington this spring are much dis
appointed because there is feeling
among senators and representatives
generally tlrat the black diamond
should be placed on the free list. They
admit that they aave been having an
uphill fight to induce the lawmakers
to give them eve,s u moderate amount
of protection. The reason for this
they declare, is that pretty nearly all
of New England wants free coal on
account Of the manufacturing indus
tries Of that section. 1t is the same
way in the middle states, for even pro-
lection Pennsylvania, they complain,
shuts her eyes when it comes to put
ting coal on the free list. Mantfac-
turers want free coal. and their in
huence Is 50 great they are mighty
apt to get it. About 100000 a year
IL now realized from the duty on coal.
This rate was fixed primarily to shut
out Nova Scotia coal. Consular reports
published show that the lar
gest deposits Of coal in this hemis-
phere are In the British northwest
indiana Senator Recovering Health.
Senator Beveridge of Indiana is re-
covering slowly from an illness that
some months ago seriously threatened
him. 1t was necessary for him to go
to Baltimore and submit to an opera
ton. 1t seems to have been success
ful. for the young Hoosier statesman
D beginning to pick up in flesh and
spirits, but his physician has warned
him that he must take better care of
himself for the next six months.
President contsmpiatss Extended Trip.
President Taft expects to be able to
make an extended trip during the sun,
mer months. He probably will so rs
far as the Pacific slope ana may kces,
On to Alaska, as there are SONG mai
tiers up In that territory he is said IL,
be specially anxious to look into. A.
to how far be- will 60 depends npaa
the length Of the present session OF.
congress II Il ends by Jlae / -:
WI 3 much pleased. and thai Is the
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