Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-25
TO CAUCUS TONIGHT
IHouse Republicans Meet to
Frame 8 Postal Bank Bill.
sEXPECT FEW ABSENTEES
Only athe Irreconcilabe Insurgents
Likely to Stay Away.
MANY.PR0P0sED AMENDMENTS
prolonged Discussion Likely to Make
Necessary More Than One Meet
ing Before Agreement.
MANY.PR0P0sED AMENDMENTS

The republicans Of the House will go
into caucus tonight to frame up q
postal savings bank bill and reach an
agreement upon 1t to insure its passage
through the House by republican vote
and to prevent it's being cut to pieces by
the democrats. The signatures to the
call for the caucus indicates that but a.
very few republicans will stay out, and
those only the irreconcilable INSURGENTS
1t is quite possible that more than one
meeting will be necessary on account of
the large numbers of amendments which
Will be proposed and necessarily will pro-
woke discussion. The leaders are hopeful
OF making such progress. however. that
not more than one meeting will be neces-
ary.
The freest discussion and widest latitude
for amendment will be offered the caucus
to be indeed free-for-ali discussion
among republicans in an effort to agree
upon bill which will command solid re-
publican support.
One amendment likely to be offered pro-
poses to change the amount of postal
savings deposits to be invested in gov
eminent bonds from Az per cent to p
per cent This will be vigorously on
posed. and it is likely to cause a great
deal OF discussion.
Interest in Editorial.
some OF the. western members were
very much interested today in an editorial
In yesterdays Chicago Tribune upon this
subject. The editorial urged the caucus
to accept with few if any notifications
the bill az drafted by the committee on
post Offices
There should be no tampering" said
inns eoltorlai. with three features Of
the bill, which make it constitutional
the provision that AN per cent of the
postal deposits shall be invested in gov
eminent bonds. The fact that postal
repositories would benefit those who
know nothing of savings banks. cannot
get at them or do not trust them would
not of itself be sufficient to authorize
their establishment. The authority
must rest on some one of the direct
or implied powers of the national gov
is undisputed. If any. considerable
portion OF the postal savings funds can
be put into bond the government would
have an additional market for its Sc
curities. The postal savings bank sys-
tenn would become one of its fiscal
agents.
Southern and eastern senators made
the Senate bill read that the government
should not use the deposits except in
case OF war or other great emergency.
If the law were framed as they would
have it, it would he unconstitutional.
They should be reasonable 1t is
agreed that the creation of postal de-
positories would be followed by the res
toration to circulation Of money now
Withdrawn from it through the comfy
or issuance of its owners. The House
bill provides that AN per cent of the
deposits shall be placed in local banks
Tha. would give the banks and the
communities they serve the use Of money
now beyond their reach. That AN per
cent should satisfy them.
The House ought to pass it's bill by
solid republican vote and the Sena te
should concur in a measure free from the
faint Of unconstitutionaiity, a real and
not a sham redemption OF q promise made
to the people