The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1909-04-01
IN WASHINGTON
Taft Carrying Out Roosevelt's Poll
cies-Merit System to Govern Fed
eral Appointments in South-Brsd-
ley and "Pie"-Tariff Work Slow.
Washington, ID. c.
March 20, '09.

Washington, d. c.
March 20, 90.
President Taft intends to give the
Southerners a square deal, il not even
little better treatment than thy are
entitled to. This week he decided
that Federal appointments in the
South should be made upon the re-
commentator of the best men in
each state,-Democrat or Republican,
and not of the Republican bosses
only. John @. Capers, who is at
the head OF the United States Inter-
nal Revenue Service, has been in the
habit for several years of saying what
men should be appointed TO Govern
ment places in his native state of
South Carolina. This week 1t APP
pears that he is soon going to lose
his position. And Mr.. Taft actually
consulted a Democratic Senator from
South Carolina, Hon. Edley ID, Smith,
about the selection of some import
ant postmasters.
At the banquet of Republican clubs
held here last night the Keynote of
the whole entertainment was the
statement, which seems to be believed
everywhere, that the so-called solid
South" is soon to become partially
Republican.
AFTER BIG CORPORATIONS.
1t is becoming evident that the
thing Mr.. Taft ceres most about is
the controlling of big corporations.
He is creating a new Bureau under
the Department of Commerce and
Labor, which win exist for the sole
purpose of prosecuting unlawful and
harmful trusts and monopolies. He
has selected two strong men to take
charge of this matter. The man who
will be the immediate head of the
Bureau is Wade II. Ellis OF Ohio, who
could have been made Solicitor Cen
eral if Mr.. Taft had not thought that
the new job was so important that
1t must be undertaken by a first
class lawyer such as Ellis. Ellis is
the man who chose the wording of
the Republican Platform during the
recent campaign. The other legal
giant whom the President has chosen
to fight the trusts or "octopi" is
named Ormsby McHarg. He is a
,, Chicago lawyer with a reputation for
!, strength and tact. He will be Assis-
tant Secretary of the Department OF
, Commerce and Labor.
These men will have a new law
E to apply against the monopolies un-
r less something slips. Taft is taking
3 up in grim earnest the old Roosevelt
5 proposition that all corporations do
] ing business in more than one state
, shall have a United States license. And
: this license is not to be granted un-
less they can prove that they are
not parts of a monopoly. and that
they have not undertaken to borrow
money on the security of equipment
r which they do not actually own? In
D case they deal in food they will have
] to show that their products comply
! with the pure food laws. In this way
5 the United States will have a grin
on the big corporations such as she
has tried in vain for many years to
secure. 1t means purer food, lower
prices for products which might be
controlled by a single big combina-
ton, and no stock watering.
NOT WITHOUT DANGER.
= But there is danger in 1t, too. The
] Supreme Court has defined the term
, commerce between the several states,
r under which Congress is given
J power in the Constitution to make
laws on such matters,-as consisting
of the transportation of goods, pas
sengers, or news" II under this
right Congress can say what sort of
kOOuS iluol OC hdhdiChs ~ Nnh 49,
y say what kind of passengers must be
/ handled. If 1t can prevent transport
alton Of food which is not made right
J 1t can prevent the transportation of
people who have not fulfilled It's
conditions,-for inctance, of people
who had not been divorced in
accordance with United States law
instead of a State law as at present.
Thus Congress could assume great
many duties which have always been
attended to by the States.
FOLLOWING ROOSEVELT.
There is going to be a National
Bureau of Public Health. This is an
E other Roosevelt idea. Mr.. Taft has
asked Surgeon General Walter H.
wyman to draw up a plan for getting
under a single management all of the
Government agencies for the promo