Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-12-21
: oRK' DEFEATS
EC0nOMYIDEAS
public Building Trust" to
Oppose Retrsnchment.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

N
Washington, Dec. 81. - [speciai.1-
Congressman are going to have their
pork" even IL 1t interferes with the
economy plans of President Taft. For
several days the message Of the presi-
dent was held pack while the heads
of the different departments cut down
the estimates. Among the estimates
Topped of were those for public build
ings authorized at the last session.
President Taft thought that con-
gressmen should be content with leg
islation authorizing buildings to cost
S32,000,000, and so the estimates pro-
Vided for only about one-third of that
amount. There was at first a low
murmur; then it became a growl;
now 1t is q roar, and there is being
organized a public building trust" or
syndicate of congressman interested
In getting money for the buildings
for which bills were passed last year.
1t bids fair to run away with all
economy plans. If the house appro-
priatlons committee does not provide
for all buildings authorized the mem
bers, with their little trust, viii run
oyer the committee when 1t brings in
the sundry civil bill
Has Found the Way.
B. Williams, a citizen of
Fayetteville, Ark, has found the way
to wipe out the postal deficit, establish
one cent letter postage, extend the free
rural delivery service and maintain the
present n cent a pound rate on peri.
odicals, q rate which President Taft
and Postmaster General Hitchcock are
seeking to have increased. 1t consists
in simply enforcing the law.
There is an old statute, passed In
1916, which gives the ~postofice a mo-
nopoly of all mail matter, including
packets, second class, etc. If all this
matter, now sent by express, were
turned over to the p~ostof1ce for trans
portation 1t would mean a large rev.
n The statute has been a dead let
ter for many years.
Williams has called the attention of
3 department of justice to the law,
and that department agrees with him.
He has seen President Taft and been
sent to Postmaster General Hitchcock
to explain the matter. 1t would GER
tainly be a strange thing IL the solv-
ing of the present postal problems
should be brought about by an obscure
country lawyer from Arkansas.
Burnham Has Advanced.
Many years ago when Senator Burn
ham came to the senate as the sue
cessor of William e. Chandler he earn.
ed the reputation of being "a good lis.
tener.' But he has advanced and
shown a capacity to manage a bin sue
cessfusly.
He faithfully stood by the senate
omnibus claims bill, a measure that
many men want passed, but which al
ways meets opposition on account OF
the ''old soldiers" 1t carries. No claims
bill can have the popularity of an ON
tne@cnhftc buildings bill o. a river
although there are just
ne has oeensugs omnibus bills that pass
Broolisn, 10 time.
hands. ssf Burnham will become chair
mar of the more popular committee
on agriculture and manage the appro-
priation bin for that service.
ovsrman and Clarke.
When Senator Clarke came to Wash
ington al the successor of Senator
Jones of Arkansas there was a dispo-
Eition among Democrats to give him
the cold shoulder because he had
succeeded an old time southerner. For
@ long time Clarke did not seem to
"get in the swim" He did not get sat
isfaetory committee assignments, and
he seemed to be without friends.
There was one exception. Senator
0verman of North Carolina was
Clarke's friend all the time. They
were frequently seen together and
soon became almost inseparable. Now,
since Clarke has had a reelection, he
has been accepted by the senate
that is, he Is no longer on the 'list of
undesirables," The friendship between
himself and Overman continues, al
though Clarke is no longer ~ostracized
by other Democrats.
Couldn't Sec Bevsridae.
An amusing incident happened in the
senate the other day. Vice President
Sherman was absent and Senator Frye
was presiding. Many senators were on
their feet presenting petitions, reports,
bills, etc. Directly in front Of Frye
stood Senator Beyeridge.
"Mr. Presidenti' he called several
times In his sharp. incisive manner,
his voice ringing out over the entire
senate chamber. Frye passed from
side to side, up and down and all
around Beveridge, but V seemed
to see the young man from Indiana.
Finally Beycridge sat down in an
emphatic amer. At least he looked
as If he meant to emphasize the tax
ing of his seat. Still Frye paid no at
tention to him. At last he could not
being ignored longer, and he
dashed down ana made a protest to
the presiding senator. All he got from
the Maine senator was a CLASSY stare.
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