Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-08-29

in a certain period, and in addition au-
thoriZing contracts to be entered into
subject to future appropriations py
Congress, aggregating over ten mllilohS
of dollars. The bill was subject to crit
icIsm in that it still continued the old
PIE ceneal system and appropriated
something for nearly every PROJECT
recommended by the army engineers.
II is hoped and believed that in the
next session and thereafter the engl-
neers will so make their recommends
| lions as to indicate the projects OF
| greater importance, so that adequate
sums may be appropriated for their
| completion within q reasonably short
| time and the piecemeal policy OF eX-
| tending the construction of improve
ments of this kind indefinitely for
years may be abandoned
| OTHER PLEDGES REDEEMED.
The Republican platform promised
| that it would admit to statehood the
| territories of New Mexico and Arizona,
and that promise has been redeemed
with suitable provisions for securing
good and sane constitutions of the
states by requiring their adoption in
/
a nd tEeir submission to Congress for
consideration. and possible rejection at
| one of,its sessions.
All this long list of useful enactments
was promised in the Republican plat
form and has been put through by Re-
publican majorities.
Congress has also enacted into law.
IN accordance with the promise which
do lot
dency, a bill requiring the publication
by the Congressional committees of de-
tailed statements of the money receiv-
ed by them and the money expended
/ by them in the political canvass Of
! each Congressional candidate.
In addition. the present Congress has
| appropriated 100000 to cradle the EX-
ecutive TO investigate and make recon-
mcnGa tons as to the methods by which
the cost of running the government
may be reduced. l regard this last as
one Of the most important parts of the
administrations policy. | am conf
dent that if full opportunity is given,
! and a Republican Congress is elected
to assist, the cutting down of the ma
tional expenditures by the adoption of
modern economic methods in doing the
to point of saving many millions.
| How much the expenses can be cur
tailed it is impossible to approximate
at this time The problem before the
administration is to get full value for
every dollar it disburses.
| The appropriations for the last year
| were more than 500 100000 less than the
appropriations of the year before. and
I hn efI =
00o 900 were saved in the operation Of
tlit rostotfice department, for which
appropriation had already been made.
FUTURE LEGISLATION.
\ nLr,bor of other promises remain
to he kept. ] have already alluded to
the provisions to regulate the issue OF
stocks and bonds by interstate COM
merce railways, to which the Demo-
cratic minority in the Senate gave its
sold opposition on the ground that the
central government has no constitu-
/ tional power to make and enforce such
Il regulation. In addition. there is the
promised procedure to determine how
preliminary injunction shall issue with
ont notice. and when. In substitution
for this the Democratic platform pro
poses an amendment to the existing
/ law which would create privileged
! class of laWlesS workmen and would
seriously impair the power of the courts
Il Ct equity to do justice. Then there
is tire measure to promote the merchant
| marine engaged in foreign service to
| which in previous Congresses the Dem
| ocratic party has always opposed an
| almost solid front. There is the meas
ure fOrbidding the acquisition of stocks
| by one railway company in a compel
/ ing line, and there are also those bills
already referred to, to secure further
safety appliances on railways and to
establish a basis for Workmen's com
pensatioH. There is also the promise
of the Republican platform to make
better provision for securing the health
of the nation. The most tangible and
useful form that this can take would
be the establishment of national bu-
reau Of health to include all the health
agencies Of the government now dis
tributed in different departments.
FINALLY there is the Appalachian for
nst reserve hill which passed the House
by Il Republican majority, is on the
calender of the Senate. and will proba-
bly, pass al the coming session of this
1r view of what the present Republi-
can Congress has done in the fulfilment
Of its promises, and in view of the
standard that it has set in respect to
the .;acredn-ss of party pledges, I have
no hesitation in urging all who are in
favor Of the performance of the remain
ing pledges, who are in favor of pro-
| gress. in favor of practical conser-
walton, in favor of economy in gov
eminent, in favor of the just regulation
of railways and of interstate commerce
! corporations, in favor of a bureau of
health. in favor of a proper limitation
| of the power of equitable Injunction
and who are in favor of measures to
i promote the merchant marine engaged
in foreign service, to vote for the Re-
publican candidates for Congress in or
der that their wish for all this progress
sive legislation may be gratified.
CONCLUSION.
In closing. 1t may not be inappropri-
ate for me to invite your attention. and
that of all those engaged in advocating
the Republican cause in the coming