Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1911-02-10

motives were pound 10 De mlSuEoSf~
stood. Now another eruption has
come from this volcano OF subsidy. II
is case OF another charge of attempt
ed bribery and. like similar matters
which have gone before. 1t is being
| made the subject OF an inquiry.
For Monument to Hamilton.
Secretary of the Treasury Mae
Veagh has been elected chairman OF
commission which is to select a site
for the monument to Alexander HAM
ilton. Hamilton is generally accredit-
ed with having been the greatest an-
thority on finance which the United
States has known. webster's famous
words concerning Washington's secre-
tary of the treasury are known to
every school boy. and in effect they
were that Hamilton had touched the
corpse of the public credit and 1t had
stood upon Its feet.
II Is a curious thing. perhaps, that
the spirit of the opposition to Hamil.
ton which showed itself In his own
time is still living. There are mem
bers of congress in both houses today
who think that II is mistake to honor
with public monument in the capital
the memory OF the great secretary of
the treasury. l heard member OF
congress once say that the best act OF
Aaron Burr's life was his killing o.
Alexander Hamilton. 1t might be said.
however. that most of the opposition
to the monument plan Is kept under
cover The memorial will be erected
and there VIII be men TO speak who.
although antagonistic to most OF Ham
ilton's views of government. are en-.
tirely sympathetic with the thought
that he did great work for the q.
nances of young and struggling 70
public.
An effort Is to be made in the SEN
ate Ito restore to government en-
ployes the right of free speech" This
is the way that the effort In congress
is framed into words by those who arr
In favor of the measure. When Theo-
dore Roosevelt was president he is-
sued an executive order forbidding all
civil service employees to discuss po-
litical questions and to make COM
ment on the conduct OF the affairs OF
government The presidents idea was
simply to keep political discussions
and criticisms OF department officials
out OF the Offices during the days
work. Other constructions. however.
were put on the order and 1t was even
not to be allowed TO say word on
politics in Office or out of office.
II does not make any difference ut
all what Mr.. Roosevelts intention was.
as far as the present movement is con-
cerned, for the senate has taken cogni'
zance of 1t, has put its own construc-
ton on 1t. and II may be that the mat
age OF bill which shall declare With
all solemnity that men who work for
Uncle Sam may have the right to say
what they want TO on political ques
lions and to criticise the acts OF their
superior officers.
House Dodges Nations Debts.
The omnibus claims bill has been
laid on the table of the house. The
opponents of the measure stole q
march on the proponents. who were
absent at critical moment, and sue
ceeded In putting the bill where IL
cannot be touched for some time.
This measure contains claims
against the government growing out
of French spoliations. overtime claims
for work in navy yards. and claims
for reimbursement for property taken
by troops during the Civil war. The
court of claims has passed on every.
thing that the bill contains and has
said that the United States owes the
money and has asked congress to pay
IL. The chances are that the claim
ants must wait yet awhile before they
get their money.
President Taft recently urged in
his annual message the passage OF
the bill and all the items contained
therein. 1t must not be understood
that the court approved all the claims
which were la4d before It, for as a
matter of fact IL rejected about So
per cent OF the applications, but
those which we're approved amounted
to about s3.500.0O0 in value.
All Watching Roosevelt
Every member Of the house and
senate and all other officials and poll
ticians in Washington. too. for that
matter, are wondering whether
Colonel Roosevelt will touch on poll
tics In his forthcoming southern and
western trip. There are these wso
believe that the colonel will eon1ne
! himself wholly to business matters
and to the general moralities. but
there are others who think that he
will have good deal to say about
the progressive movement which re-
Gently has been crystalized into an
organization by members OF the Re.
publican party.
The colonel Is going into the south.