The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-04-11

rs. The purpose of the journey is the
ng Of the old trail
can form some notion of how much
chance the president has to get all Of
his policies passed at this session.
The Aids inquiry in New York and
a similar investigation going forward
in Ohio are both watched with the
keenest interest in Washington. 1t Is
understood here that in both cases the
president has freely advised that the
probe go to the bottom. This he has
done not as president, fer as such he
would have no right to interfere in
state matters, but as the titular head
of the Republican party. If the idea
gets abroad that the head Of the ma
ton will always exert his influence in
favor Of cleaning house wherever
graft and bribery filth appear it may
have a good effect everywhere.
Recurring to the Aids inquiry. old
timers wonder what would happen In
Washington If similar investiga-
ton were on here Now, as a mat
ter of fact, there have been almost as
many rumors of bribery and graft dy.
ing around the national capital as
there have been around Albany-more,
indeed. since the American congress is
larger body than the New York leg
islature. No session passes that sto-
ries of this sort do not float through
the highways and byways Of the town.
pers. More Of them do not. 1t Is a
rather serious matter for a newspaper
to make specific charge of bribery
without the absolute proof to back it
up, and absolute proof is exceedingly
difficult to get. AS for vague and gen.
eral charges. they carry little or no
weight Yet In the very nature Of the
case they are the only charges pos
sible, even though there may be NOR
al certainty on the part Of every in
formed person that bribery Is going
on. 1t is one thing to feel convinced
In ones own mind that legislation Is
being bought and sold and quite an
other thing to prove it against specific
persons In court Of law.
The bad blood over the high prices
inquiry in the senate may produce eff
fects in the future Senator Elkins is
hardly a man to be trifled with, and
he is not without power. Moreover.
he frankly speaks his mind. When
Lodge was placed at the head of the
high prices investigating committee,
although Elkins was the author of the
resolution which gave the committee
existence. the West Virginia senator
was indignant and openly said so. He
asserted that he had been "buffaloed"
and charged that the move was a
frameup to protect the tariff.
There Is no wild scramble to mend
the hole in the corporation tax law.
Technical objections against doing so
have already been raised. One Is that
it is impossible in an appropriation
bill to empower the secretary Of the
treasury to hire the clerks necessary
to keep corporation returns open for
public inspection. This would require
q separate bill. which would have to be
reported out by the ways and means
committee. Will the ways and means
committee do it? Well, am not
making any rash predictions to that
effect. AS a matter Of fact, the cor
porations have raised such howl
over the publicity clause that some
members Of congress and revenue Of
ficials seem only too willing to creep
out through the hole that has been
discovered. To plug the aperture
might embarrass these gentlemen. 1t
is somewhat amusing the way the big
corporations put forward the little
fellows as buffer on the publicity
feature. II the returns Of the little
chaps were made public. runs the ar
gument, it would enable the big trusts
to gobble them up. The sudden concern
shown for the small dealer is tear COM
pelling. OF course the big trusts have
no objections to telling all about their
affairs and letting the dear public
know how they got the money. Their
whole anxiety is to prevent themselves
from swallowing the small concerns.
Almost any fippant lawyer In the
United States will lose his nerve when
he faces the supreme court. The air
Is full Of dignity, and the bar Of the
court behind which sit the black robed
and venerable jurists is about as in
viting as the tomb to most Of the
young lawyers who appear in their
first case
Not so with a youngster who ap-
peared few days ago. The court ha
a rule which fixes two hours for ora
argument and is reluctant to gran
more time. The novice asked for adj
ditional time for his speech.
How much time does the learned
counsel want?" asked Chief Justice
Fuller In his shrill voice
Just as much time as you folks
will give u.s." answered the lawyer.
leaning forward in a confidential way
Everybody laughed except the black
ROBBED justice.-New York World