The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-19
WH|TEWASH BRUSH IS
 READY FOR SERVICE
James and Rainey Are Good Lawyers and Would Have a Square Inves- tigation if They Were To
 Act For Democrats.
BY wATTERsoN sTEALEY.

WdSHlHBtoHs Jduudly 1o.-N -N9poS'esA't The combined Cannon and Taft influence has been brought to bear upon the in- surgents to vote against Representatives James and Rainey for places on the Bal finger committee and as the situation stands tonight the organization will win. TlIe whole matter is up to the republican caucus tomorrow night, when the ques- tior. will be decided. The republican ma- jority in the House is 50 There are 26 insurgents. The President is sending for these men and telling them that in the question of James and Rainey he wants them to stand with the organization. He assures them that Cannonism is not in- volyed.
 The speaker is not as unrelenting as he has been. Perhaps an insurgent here and there may receive recognition once in while in the future. This combined influence is difficult to withstand. Repre- sentatives Gardner of Massachusetts, Hayes of California and Norris of Ne- nsurgents-conferred with Mr. Clark and Mir. Underwood today over the situation. They said nothing to indi- cate that they will stand by the dem- ocratic caucus nominees. White House influence has told upon them and they are back in the fold.
 Other insurgents of the Murdock of Kansas stripe will vote for the dem- ocrats, but it is feared there are not enough of them. The proposed turn down of Representatives James and Rainey would fully demonstrate that the
 n. vestigation with no thought other than to whitewash the secretary of the in- erior.
 Should the republican caucus tomorrow night reject the Kentucky and Illinois members it had as we'll pass resolution of confidence in MT. Ballinger. The coun- try could not take any other view of it. Messrs. Rainey and James are both good lawyers. They are also fearless and cannot be buldozed into signing any re- port which will be drawn up for them. The question of partisanship does not enter into the equation with Root of New York and Olmstead of Pennsylvania. On the republican side of the committee the argument of politics made againnst Messrs. James and Rainey falls flat If the President and the speaker have their way, the Ballinger committee is dis credited before it holds its first session.
 The House committee on mines and mining has favorably reported the bill establishing in the department of the interior a bureau of mines and it will be passed by the House.
 The bureau will lessen the chances of mining catastrophes and assist in rescue yx al T 1al1la anAu M,- Edwards says the demand for such a bu- reau has steadily grown with the growth of the mining industry of the country and the substantially unanimous testi- mony and appeal from every quarter rec ognzes the necessity of some central governmental bureau where the needs of mining may be studied and promoted
 Much valuable work has been, is being and will be done by the state governments to investigate and foster the local mining interests within their own borders; but many of the states have not the means to do this adequately None of them covers the entire field, nor is any one state interested in all branches and de- partments of the industry.
 The great growth of the mining indus try of the United States in recent years has been attended with 8 disproportionate and appalling loss of life. due to acci- dents and explosions in mines. Tt is in- conceivable that such accidents might not be prevented" says the committee. 'The cause or causes of them are ob- scure as was shown at our hearings, but the danger, whether gas or dust, or both commingled, or whatever the cause, must disclose itself to adequate scientific investigations.
 '.When we recall that these accidents in 1907 sacrificed the lives of more than !, 3200 persons, that this appalling loss of i" life has continued from year to year among the men who in darkness and dan gers courageousy pursue their vacations, the appeal in this regard becomes well nigh imperative"
 q am strongly in favor of an income tax and believe it will be enacted into law before long," said Governor Shaf- roth of Colorado at the Willard T be- lieve all incomes should be taxed and that Congress should choose the, meth cd of collecting it. Nobody believes tax will be imposed on municipal or na- tional bonds. The taxes collected should not be converted to the use of the federal government alone There should be a division between the federal government and the states. l am not prepared to say whether it should be equally divided but the states should get their share I believe President Taft and Congress can be trusted to decide on an equit- able division of the money
 My state Will eject three new con- gressmen next fall or re-elect the men already in Congress from Colorado. l intend calling an extra session of the legislature to have the legislators redeem their pledges. Although there is some opposition do not think there is any doubt but what three solid democrats will be chosen. "
 A tentative agreement has been reached by the rivers and harbors com mttee on the improvement of the lower Mississippi river It constitutes an an- nual appropriation of $5,0O0000. Under this the present project will be com pleted in 20 years at a total cost of e100,00O,O00.