The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-01-09
A PARALYzING COMMISSION.

We have had now for two years and
half, but have not heard much from,
National monetary commission. This
bers of the Senate, ''to be appointed
by the presiding officer and nine
members of the House OF Representa-
tives, "to be appointed by the Speak
err There are some vacancies in
the body, but there appears to be some
doubt about filling them, The appar-
ent assumption that the Senators and
Representatives appointed on this com
mission may hold their places upon it
after they cease to be Senators or Rep
foundation in the law creating the COM
mission For if its members are to be
composed of nine Senators and nine
Representatives to be appointed as
stated, there is 70 reason to hold that
persons not Senators or Representa-.
tives are eligible to membership on the
commission. So that after the 4th day
of March next it is very doubtful if
the commi ssion would have quorum
of members, unless the vacancies are
filled and other appointments made in
The meantime to fill vacancies that are
prospective
This commission has been heard from
only in its routine reports, and these
have not been enlightening because
they have not contained any PROPOSE
4. Il
talized into form any wel-deGned idea
Of what our monetary legislation ought
to be, In the meantime, everyone is
waiting TO hear from the monetary com.
mission, and nothing can be done until
il reports. For, whenever any PROPOSE
tion is made, it is buried under the sug-
gestion that it should go to the none
tary commission. and until that commits
sion reports nothing ought to be done
But that commission makes no report
on the main question, and is not likely
to do so. 1t has collected great
amount of testimony and opinion, but
itself has said nothing definite, unless
we except the expressed opinion of Sen
ator Aldrich, chairman of the commits
sion, to the effect that European bank
| ing systems offer no solution of our
| money problem, and no pattern which
we could advantageously follow. This,
however, is merely negative. and helps
| nothing. 1t was supposed that when
this commission was appointed, some.
| thing definite would be reported by the
time that the Aldrich Vrceland law ex-
pired by its own limitation, But that
law is about TO expire, and nothing is
reported, or is likely to be reported at
this session. The commission, there
fore, is not only negatively obstructive,
but it is positively harmful in its tao
tics of reporting nothing and suppress
ing every project that anyone else re-
ports for the bettermcnt' Of our cur
rency situation. 1t would seem as
| though this commission had outlived its
usefulness, had been more of an injury
than a benefit, and that it would he
just as well to abolish il altogether.
There should be commission, but it
should be a commission of monetary
and currency experts. There are few
such in Congress, and of tho eighteen
members of which tho commission was
at first composed. not more than two or
| three at the outside could be even re.
notely considered experts on the ques-
| tions that they were expected TO deal
with. There should be new monetary
| commission, composed not necessarily
nor in large numbers of members of
Congress, but of such members as are
especially competent, together with cit
| izeDs who are eminent students OF
| financial matters. and who understand
| not anI,. hn I1rn finnl hnndlin.r nf rnnn-