The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1910-09-29


whole Republican party in Congress,
and that party is entitled to credit
for it's passage. The whole Demo-
cratic strength was exhibited against
II in both Houses. It was perform
ance Of a pledge of the platform. and
only needs time to vindicate the wis
dom of it's enactment.
Postal Savings Bank.
The postal savings bank bill has
similar history. 1t Is one OF the
great Congressional enactments. 1t
creates an epoch. 1t Institutes sys-
tenn which will work effectively to
promote thrift among the poor, by
providing a depository for their saw
ings which they properly may con-
slider absolutely safe, and will also
turn into the channels of trade and
commerce a large volume OF money
which otherwise would be boarded.
BY specific provision it will stimulate
the investment of savings in Govern
ment bonds of small denominations,
for which the bill provides. Like the
tariff bill and the railroad bill, this
was put through each House or Con-
gress by a Republican majority, and
was signed by a Republican Pres1-
dent.
The legislation of Congress ia re-
spect to the Navy Department Is
full compliance with thep romises OF
the Republican platform. In spite
Of a proper desire to keep down ap-
propriations, Congress saw the neces-
sity for a continuance Of our present
naval policy and a regular strength
enfng of the Navy by the addition OF
two more battleships. More than
this, it has enabled the Secretary or
the Navy to carry out a reform IN
the business management of the De-
partment and a reorganization of the
bureaus and staff of the Navy so as to
contribute materially to its effective
ness as one of the military arms of
the Government Although the DEM
Ocratic national platform apparently
favored the increase in the Navy,
large majority of the Democrats, both
in the House and the Senate, opposed
the policy when presented in the
form Of concrete legislation.
Labor Legislation.
The Republican party at the last
session of Congress again exhibited
its deep and sincere interest in the
general welfare of the working men
and women of the country by adding
important enactments to its already
long record of legislation on this SUBJ
ject. Practically all classes of en-
ployees, especially those engaged in
occupations more or less hazardous,
are the benefciaries of laws which
should operate to tighten the bur-
dens which naturally fall upon the
shoulders of man. The Republican
party recognized the necessity OF re-
ducing the dangers under which hun
dreds of thousands of miners work
by creating the Bureau of Mines. This
bill was passed for the purpose OF
establishing an efficient governmental
instrument for investigation, exami-
nation and reports to the world or
the kind of safety appliances that
will prevent the awful losses of life
in the operation of mines, and espe-
cially of coal mines. A second pur-
pose of the Bureau is to perform the
same Office in respect to the great in
dustry of mining that the Depart
ment of Agriculture performs in re-
spect to the farming interests of the
country; that is, by experiment and
investigation to determine the most
effective methods of mining and the
best means of avoiding the deplorable
waste that now obtains in the present
mining methods.
No more important legislation in
the interest of human life has ever
been enacted by Congress than the
laws OF the recent session giving to
the Interstate Commerce Commission
ampler powers to define the needed
safety appliances for the prevention
or accidents to employees and passen-
gers, and, after hearing, to re-
qulre their adoption by interstate
railways. Other legislation, with re-
spect to the inspection of locomotive
boilers and the removal Of dangerous
overhead Instructions, awaits the
consideration of the next session of
THIS congress, and I hope that it
may speedily be passed. The employ
eFs liability act was perfected by
needed amendment so as to enable