The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1909-12-24
NOT EXCITED
over NICARAGUA
Congress Regards zeIaya as
Small Potatoes.
.DUT READY TO BACK UP KNOX

Anxious to Keep Good Will of Latin
American RepubIics-Secretary NageI
Wants to Pay UndercIerks More
MOney-Taft Getting Ready His Rail-
road Message.
Washington, Dec. 1S.-From mere
surface indications there has not been
as much excitement in Washington
about the Nicaraguan affair as over the
country generally. Beneath the sur
face, however has been much anxious
discussion. Nor has this been confined
to the state department and the cabi-
net. Members of congress have been
keenly interested and ready to act if
action became necessary. While there
has been hearty unanimity in sup
porting Secretary Knox and the gov
ernment!s attitude, one note of con-
Germ is heard in the discussion, and
that is the anxiety to keep the good
will of the Latin American republics.
The work done by Secretaries Blaine
and Root to foster pan-American SEN
timent throughout the two continents
has been too valuable to permit any
thing to mar it now. Outside the fiery
speech of Senator Rayner little has
been said publicly in congress on the
situation, and this desire to avoid
alarming other Central and South
American states has had much to do
with the silence. Everybody admits
the scoundrelism of Zelaya, nor is it a
whit less black than painted by Sena-
tor Rayner, but the general opinion
here is that the Nicaraguan dictator is
not big enough to get excited about.
He is an unpleasant incident, but
should not be dignifed by calling him
an event
Where a Salary Raise Is Needed.
One Of the recommendation of Sec
rotary Nagel that has stirred up more
interest here than it will elsewhere is
his advocacy Of the abolition of all
salaries under 5000 per year and the
establishment of a retirement fund, a
sort or old age pension, for superan-
nuated clerks. He argues that eff
cient clerks cannot be procured for
5000 and even If they could it is i'm
possible for a man to keep a family in
Washington on that amount. 1t would
seem that while congress is raising
the salaries of the president, the
judges. the cabinet and the members
of the senate and house it could af-
ford to do little raising for these
underpaid department clerks. True,
there is an idea in the country at large
that most government clerks are not
but the same thing is true
Of some Of the higher priced men in
Washington. For example, congress
is not killing itself with work these
days.
Taft Demands Criminal Clause.
The presidents railroad bill and spe-
cial message are being rapidly put into
shape and will probably go in imme-
diately after the holidays. Besides In
sisting on a commerce court Of five
Mr.. Taft will advocate
strong criminal law against stock in
nation and juggling and against OBJ
tanning stock In competitive lines. He
will also advocate that shippers have
the right to choose what line their
goods shall go over and to have access
to freight schedules, which shall be
the same for all. Telegraph and tele-
phone lines doing an interstate bust
ness shall come under the provisions
Of the act. There may be harmonious
fixing of rates by connecting lines. No
stocks or bonds shall issue except
for fair value paid In. In the main
these are believed to be the provisions
that the president will recommend.
Senator Cummins, whose bill is al
'eady introduced, goes further. He not
only insists that stocks and bonds
shall represent fair value" but that
hey shall be held rigidly to the origi-
lal investment and shall not be in
,reased by unearned increment or I'M
divided surplus. Either unearned in |
,rement or undivided surplus will be |
AIKEN as evidence that rates are too |
nigh. While it is not believed that the |
Cummins bill has the slightest posi- |
Iility of passing, it may indirectly aid |
he presidents measure. In other |
words, the railroad men will take Taft |
II order to escape Cummins.
The Celestial Envoy.
William James Calhoun, the new |
minister designate TO China in place Of
yharles L. Crane, who was bounced for
he same reason that the parrot lost its
is expected in Washington
bout the holidays TO receive his in
from the president and Sec
etary Knox. There is one thing GER
ain about Calhoun. He does not pro-
,ose to talk too much. While he is
awyer. the new envoy TO the Celestial
Kingdom has had wide experience in
hings diplomatic, having been de-
iCnated by President Mckinley to in
-estigate conditions in Cuba prior to
he war with Spain and by President
Roosevelt to look into the Venezuelan
ituatiOn. Calhoun has been near the
eats Of the mighty, as he was boy
.ood chum of William Mckinley and
alter practiced law in Danville, the