Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1910-06-10
Vital Washington News.

OF the government, but the high
est officials are afraid to give
newspaper men information as TO
what is going on. Employees are
made to feel that they owe no fl
deity to the public, but that they
are mere personal servants of the
cOterie of men now in charge of
the government.
As a result of the discharge of
PinchOt, CLAWS, Kerby and other
interior department employees, the
average government worker today
feels that it is worth his position
to discus even matters of public
record with a newspaper man.
The following official order
signed George Otis Smith, direct
Or the United States Geological
survey, gives an idea of the Rus
Slan-lke censorship that has been
established over government in
formation:
"Rule 2. That no interview
shall be granted without securing
from the person soliciting the
same a promise that he will, be-
fore submitting the material to his
publication office, present a copy
CT his manuscript to the director
George Otis Smith) for approval
In 1890 under Cleveland, the to
tai annual appropriation for the
expenses of the national govern
ment was $34O,0O0,0O0, or Sc for
every man, woman and child. In
1900 our expenses had increased
to $6O0,0O0,000, or So for every
man, woman and child. The last
Congress appropriated the colOs-
sal sum of 81, ,O44, ,4O1, 1857, or nearly
$l2 for every man, woman and
child. This Congress threatens to
spend $17,000,000 in excess of last
years appropriations.
Republicans appear reluctant tC
concern themselves much about
government expenditures in rela-
tiOn to the cost of living. But one
sure thing, the government does
lot pick up these hundreds of mil
lions Of dollars in the street. This
money comes out Of somebody's s
pocket. Unlike city and state GOV
ernmentS the national government
has but one way of raising reven-
ue to meet expenses, and that is
by taxing things eaten, worn or
used by the people. Hence it is
that increased cost of living is
marching hand in hand with in
creased Republican extravaganza.
"I am sorry" said Senator
BriStOw of Kansas, while discuss
ing the railroad bill "that the Sen,
atOr from West Virginia (ElkinS)
has deserted the chamber, and |
am sorry the Senator from Rhode
Island (Aldrich) is not here. and
that the Senator from MaSSachu-
sets (LOdge) has also disappear
cd"
A survey of the senate showed
that the railroad senators, after
having outlined the kind of legiS-
latiOn they had decided should be
enacted, fled from the chamber
without waiting to hear those VIII
disagreed from the railroad view
point.
'ThOSe of US who are here
might possibly be instructed, y
suggested a Democratic senator
upon noting BristOw's chagrin
"but if the senator from Kansas
imagines that anything he can sa,
will influence those senators he is
wasting his time and breath.
81 am afraid the senator is
right" answered BristOw. Then
he went on addressing the Dem
ocrats and the empty seats Of the
StandpatterS.
Lest we forget, only nine Of
the 21S Republicans of the nation
81 house of representatives are il
a position to stand before then
constituents and report that they
voted to unseat Cannon as speak
er. Page 1890 of the COngreSsiOr
al Record shows that on March 1
all but nine Republicans vOteC
against the Burleson resolutiO
which would have unseated Spea.
er Cannon and made it possible t
elect a new speaker. Every Dem
ocrat voted to unseat "Uncle Joe
A brief definition of Cannon
ism has been asked for. Cannon
ism means that when the interest
, Of the common people and the in
terests of the steel trust, the suga
trust, lumber trust, the harvest
, er trust and the combination 0