New-York tribune., 1910-01-10
THE DA WIN WASHINGTON

bors. The Secretary of State will appear
before the Foreign Affairs Committee to-
morrow to furnish the information needed
Tor the framing of the diplomatic and con-
sular Dill. Representative Hamilton, chair
man of the Committee ON Territories ex-
poets his committee to take favorable ac-
ton on the statehood bill on Tuesday,
that it may be ready for consideration at
the pleasure of the House leaders This
bill will, of course. grant separate state
hood to Arizona and New Mexico, in &C
cordance with the pledge of the Republican
national platform and the recommendation
in the Presidents annual message
The difficulty experienced by the Secre-
tary of the Navy in convincing the House
Committee on Naval Affairs that the sew
eral navy yards should be conducted pri-
marily as adiuncts TO the fleet instead of
as independent manufacturing plants, is the
occasion of no little surprise to the Presi-
dent and to many experts naval mat
ters. Those who have given most study to
the welfare and development of the navy
seized the consistent determination to
make all things promotive of the efficiency
of the fleet as the strongest feature of the
Meyer-Swift plan of reorganization. Ex-
Secretary Newberry found himself con-
where bureaucracy had been developed to
its highest dimensions. and in his effort
to correct this evil he naturally went some
what to the opposite extreme. The Meyer
Swift plan retains all that was good in the
Newberry reorganization, and rejects only
enough to bring 1t into harmony with the
fundamental purpose of promoting the eff1-
cheney Of the feet. That it should require
any protracted argument to convince mem
bers of Congress assumed TO be familiar
with naval conditions that such central pur-
pose is highly desirable is regarded by Mr..
Taft, and by naval experts generally, as
ireXplicable.
Advices from Berlin received here to-
day through unofficial channels, strikingly
confirm the announcement made in this
column several days ago that the greatest
obstacle to harmonious tariff relations
with that empire is the insistence by the
agrarians on undue discrimination against
American meats. In this respect the For
eign Office finds itself confronted by DEL
icate, not to say awkward, situation. I'm
able to command popular support for di-
rect tariff on imports Of this character, the
government has not hesitated to inculcate
wholly erroneous ideas regarding the
healthfulness Of American meats and meat
products, and now that it is confronted by
an insistent demand from the United
States for a removal of these unjust dis
examinations it finds itself face to face
with the alternative Of stultifying its for
ner declarations or outraging what may
be termed the hygienic sense of its citi-
zens, and of course. mourning the grave
displeasure OF the agrarians. The Ger
man Ambassador in Washington is doing
his utmost TO obviate conflict, and has
handled the situation with marked ability
and justice, but his efforts are seriously
hampered by the conditions in Berlin.
Secretary Ballinger, when he returned
from his long tour Of inspection, announced
his purpose to correct certain graveievils he
had discovered on the Indian reservations.
He has now taken the first step in that d.
rection by suspending John D. Benedict,
superintendent Of Schools for the Five Civil
zed Tribes and number of his assistants,
pending further investigation. Judge Bal
linger charges that Mr.. Benedict has per-
mitted the schools to fall into disgrace
full condition. that he has sustained busi-
ness relationships in Oklahoma incompat-
ibe with his service as superintendent. and
that certain supervisors have seriously
neglected their duty in the enforcement OF
school contracts. Mr.. Ballinger has at
tackled these evils with characteristic de-
termination, and it is a safe prediction that
vastly improved conditions will obtain in
the Indian service before his adnninistra-
ton is many months older.
The American Civic Association, which
was largely instrumental in securing legis-
lative limitation on the amount Of water
which may be taken from the Niagara
River for commercial purposes. and which
recently moved its headquarters to Wash
ington, has determined to devote a share of
its energies to securing legislation creating
a national park at Niagara Falls. AS Sec
retary Taft put the seal Of his approval on
this movement before he was elected Presf-
dent. and as he is still heartily in favor
Of it. the association maintains that this
may be regarded an integral part of
1.-The Taft policies" G. G. H.