The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-02-05
NOTESFROM WASHINGTON
Especial Correspondence.)

ways and means committee will consid-
! commission, as suggested by Presi-
dent-elect Taft. Chairman Payne and
| other members are known to be OPP
posed TO a commission which would
have the power to make rates, while
some members claim that a commits
sion for the purpose of gathering in
formation is unnecessary in view OF
the numerous sources of information
through the government departments.
Against Postal Savings BiIl-Senator
/ Cummins OF Iowa few days ago de-
livered his maiden speech in opposi-
ton TO the postal savings bank bill
In the form in which it had been re.
ported TO the senate by the commit
tee on postoffices and post roads. lie
declared that Iowa has more banking
institutions than any other state OF
the union and spoke in favor OF his
amendment, which authorizes the de.
posit of postal savings funds i'm any
bank whether organized under nation.
al, state. or territorial laws. The bill
was laid aside in order that an eXecu-
tive session might be held.
Retirement Roll in Navy-Senator
Gallinger has undertaken to provide
for all the surviving officers of the
navy or marine corps of the Civil war;
with a provision that each shall re-
ceive three-fourths of the pay allowed
him for the highest rank held by him,
and has introduced bill TO that ef-
feet. Each person entered upon the
roll shall have served with credit as
an officer not less than year in the
Civil war, and shall have been honor
ably discharged or shall have resigned
from office, and it is intended that
the salaries paid under this law shall
be in lieu Of regular pensions after
the age of 62 years.
Lincoln Anniversary Holiday
Representative S. w. Mccall recently
called up in the house and had passed
by unanimous consent a resolution re-
Gently reported from the committee
on library making Lincoln's birthday a
legal holiday in the district of Colum.
bia and the territory. preventative
Mann of Illinois inquired what kind OF
a memorial was going to be erected
to Lincoln. Mr. Mccall replied that
there was a difference of opinion on
that point Referring to the multi.
tude of protests, socalled," that have
been made against various memorial
plans, he said: There is a great ad.
vantage in not knowing anything about
a subject because then one is not ham.
pered by facts, but can give free rein
to his imagination. And these various
protests that have been printed by
architects throughout the country are
not directed at anything pending in
the house of representatives"
Chief Wilkie Questioned-What is
described as one of the most spirited
hearings of this session took place
last week in the rooms of the house
committee os appropriations, when the
subcommittee in charge of the drafting
of the sundry civil appropriation bill
had Chief Wilkie of the secret SER
vice on the witness stand to furnish
information concerning the conduct Of
his Office. He was freely questioned
by the members whose names have
fifured in the secret service Contruver-
sy with the President Mr.. Wilkie OBJ
iected to the limitation of his activi-
ties to the detection of counterfeiting,
but il is believed that the committee
will recommend feature i'm the forth
coming bill similar to that of last year.
For more than three hours Mr.. WillIie
was piled with questions i'm regard TO
the secret service. The significant
fact was brought out at the hearing
that although the limitation placed
upon the expenditure of the money
for secret service last year in the
appropriation bill reduced the number
of men employed by the secret ser
vicevice by nine, those same nine men
were placed on the rolls of the depart.
ment of justice.
Inspection Is Costly-The founda.
tions have been laid for beginning
very thorough inquiry about the eyes
and ears" OF the federal government.
That, in a broad sense, is the task put
before the house special Investigating
committee, appointed soon after the
house voted rebuke to the President.
Few people are aware that thousands
of government men" in one capacity
or another. as inspectors or detectives
or attorneys or searchers after evil
dence. are daily going up and down the
states OF the Union. II is no exag-
geration that in each of the larger and
more populous states, this force OF
employees. looking and listening to
prevent violations Of the law and for
the purpose of Furnishing offenders,
numbers hundreds, who have a perma-
nent residence and are employed 800
IL not 365 days of every year. The
public is somewhat familiar with the
little army of customs inspectors. who