The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-01-29
The CITY OF CONGREsSr' ,
SOME THINGS THAT AZ
PYING ATTENT.
National COnservatiOn-Thc cost and
Also the Wastefulness OF Our Food.
stufs-Waste of Time by Congress.
And the Evil Effects of Too Much
MilliOnareism.

washington, Jan. 26.-During the
past week Washington has had more
than its usual complement of con-
crosses, for besides the chronic con-
gress or the one we always have
with us on the Hill, there has been
mere a Congress of Governors Of the
States and the Civic Federation Con-
gress. Inasmuch as one Of these con-
crosses was composed of the Cover
nors Of the States it is not necessary
TO add that it was distinguished
gathering, but the Congress of Civic
Federation was also composed of dis
tinguished men whose names are ia
miliar to readers throughout the Uni
tod States. Both of them were ad-
dressed by the President and by Sen
ator Root and other distinguished
men while members and senators at
tended their meetings. They were en-
tertained at the White House, at clubs
and by residents of the city. When
President Taft appeared on the stage
at the first meeting of the Congress
of Civic Federation, he was received
with enthusiastic applause and made
a happy extemporaneous address.
But the most significant incident of
the meeting was on the following day
when Mr.. Clifford Pinchot was an
| nounced to address the Federation on
the subject Of conservation. There
can be no doubt that in this disting-
uished representative assemblage, he
and the cause he represents, is the
one nearest the heart of the people
at the present time. His address was
admirable in that it was free from
per: nalities. He said in substance:
"A plague on both our houses. For
get Investigations, or at least put
them aside for the present and let us
pass legislation to prevent the piracy
Of national resources and to enable
us to secure them for all the people
"a slis sss asslSSlla ssf 3
Irrational sovernment and congress
have been Impressed with the. force
and the Importance OF the wide
spread movement to reduce the cost
Of the necessaries Of life. This is. i'm
deed. a vital question and It appears
Ito be permeatins every nook and, corr
Iner Of the sountry.a There wiil be I'M
ysstis isations BY the Secretary s1f Agri-
lcplture Sand his many held sxperts,
1 oy congress and by learned and uksl
Ilearned throughout the coiinksy, and
after investigation has done its per-
Etect work i will probably be folnda
that everybody knew In tks basin
Ming the real causes Of the rise IN
cost Of food stuffs. Neanwhiia II 81 q
Ipeopie Of the country have nerve
lenough to continue the boycott pti
lmeats. the price Of this almost mn
necessary article Of diet VIII mAa
Ndown while there will be crest. and
In some instances. astonishihg irt1-
provement in health and sfelief from
rheumatism and other uric acid dis
leases. There Is no doubt whatever
that the people of this country are
the most wasteful of all peoples In,
the matters Of food. They eat too
much, they throw away what would
support an equal number OF people of
India. China or Japan and there is,
not the least exaggeration in the
statement that the cost Of what the
| average man in America eats In one
day. would keep an inhabitant of
China or India in food for two weeks.
| This is a temperate statement. r
know it to be true from personal OBJ
servation on the spot. e
Whether one favors or disapproves
female suffrage there can scarcely be
but one answer to the question OF a
vociferous. suffragette who points 70
congress and asks, "Could any body
of. women waste mere time I'M
words?" Congress with more work
laid out than could be accomplished
in a whole year,ef daily sessions, has
as yet not even begun on one OF the
important items of it's lengthy pro-
gramme. Everything waits while. the
insurgents surge end Speaker Cannon
smokes and sits tight in the chair.
from which they would : pry aim
loose. The Ballinger- Pinchot case
which was to be investigated has
not had a preliminary airing and
knowing congress. it is safe to predict
that when 1t is introduced we will
have, repetition OF the Brownsville
investigation, the taking oe endless
testimony. the examination of innu-