The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-18
Report Of Committee Of InVss-
legation Is to Be Thoroughly
Oiscredited In Advance
SHIVELY GIVES VERY
CAUSTIC COMMENT
Chairman of Committee Has Made An
Elaborate Speech Showing That
Payne-AIdrich Bill Has Not
Raised Prices
BY wArrERsoN srEALEY

BY wATrERsoN sTEALEY
Washington. February 17.--tSpeciai)
The committee selected today by the
Senate to investigate the high cost of
living shows on it's face. that 1t will
bring a report declaring that the tariff
has nothing to do with the high cost
Of living. 1t is framed with no 9TH
er object in view but to furnish ma
terial to meet criticism of the Payne
Aldrich bill. The work of the COM
mittee is to be thoroughly discred-
ted in advance to impress the coun-
try.
"In my judgment, the report this
committee will make will not be seri-
cusly taken by the country" said Sen
ator Shively of Indiana, vice chair
man of the democratic caucus to-
night THAT a majority of the commit
lee should be republicans is natural
enough. But when only two demo-
Gratis were appointed to fiVe repuoli-
cans the purely opera bouHe charac-
ter OF the performance becomes too
palpable to escape notice. The whole
proceeding is purely ex parte. The DEM
ocratic side of the Senate was prac-
tically unconsulted SO far it appears
that aside possibly from the senators
appointed, only one democratic sena-
tor was spoken to about the matter
and he only to the extent of being
offered an appointment which he felt
constrained to decline.
Meanwhile, in my Judgment, the ma
jority OF the committee are ready TO
report tomorrow. The chairman of the
committee reported in a set speech over
two weeks ago. Another member OF
the committee within the last two days
made an elaborate speech to show that
the Payne-Aldrich act is innocent OF
any connection with the Increased cost
of living. The machinery is perfected
to vindicate the doctrine of wealth by
statute and prosperity by taxation from
blame for the very things which every
protective or prohibitive tariff ever
enacted was designed to produce
John J. vertrees who is defending
Secretary Ballinger before the joint
special committee, was in conferences
with the President today. There does
not seem to be made the slightest
effort to conceal the fact that the
President Is doing everything in his
power to help the secretary even go
ing so far as to coach the special
attorney There is good ground for
the belief that Mr.. Vertrees Is not
coming up to the expectations OF the
President and one report is that Sem
was made in selecting him. Mr.. Yer
trees may be a very able lawyer but
IL is very plain at he is no match
for Mr. Brandeis, CLAWS counsel, In
this particular kind of practice.
Mr. Vertrees is said TO have been
selected by Secretary of War Dickin-
son.
Senator Bristow OF Kansas met the
usual fate of the insurgent today when
the President sent to the Senate the
nomination of II. II. Bone for district
attorney of Kansas and II. F. Millikan
as register of the Dodge City land Of
fice. The appointments were made upon
recommendation of Senator Curtis. who
voted for the tariff bin. His colleague,
Senator Bristow. who was one of the
leaders in exposing the unjust rates In
the measure and later voted against
the entire bill, must go without pat
ronage The appointments are deemed
important as showing the attitude of
the President on the western insur-
gents.
The Helm bill to prohibit labor in
constructing buildings, railroads. work
on streets and the hauling of material
on Sundays in the District of Columbia
has met with an adverse report from
the commissioners. They say in their
letter to Chairman Smith OF the Dis
trict House committee: The amount
of work of the kind mentioned in the
bill which is done in the District of
Columbia on Sunday does not appear
to be Objectionable and Is required to
meet some public necessity or extra
ordinary emergency, for which the
workmen usually receive extra COM
pensation.
Senator Bankhead today offered an
amendment intended TO be proposed to
the postoffice appropriation bill, divid-
Ing rural free delivery carriers into
ten classes running from those who
have 24-mide routes to receive $500 per
annum to those who have six miles at
S435 per annum.
The rivers and harbors committee, of
which Senator Bankhead Is a member.
held a short meeting today, adjourning
until Saturday. Daily meetings will be
held for about two weeks before a re-
port can be made to the Senate on the
bill.
Representative Clayton today intro
duced a bill authorizing the Pea River
Power company to construct a steel
and concrete dam in Pea river, four
miles below Ella, Coffee county.
The chief of engineers reports to
Congress that after an Investigation he
believes the Cahaba river in Alabama
from the mouth to Centreville 10 un-
worthy of Improvement.
New Railroad Line Planned
New York. February 17.-It IL stated
here authoritatively that the New York.