The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1911-05-19
WASHINGTON.
Legislative and Gem
eral Topics from
the Capital.
(From Our Regular Correspondent.)
Washington, May IL, 1911.

Washington, May II, 1911.
The national legislative body now in
session in Congress is proving to be an
unruly team. The Republican majority
in the Senate cannot elect President
pro tenn. Ehe lnsurgent Senators have
the balance of power, and led by Sena-
tors La Toilette and Cummins were able
to defeat Senator Gallinger, of New
Hampshire, the caucus nominee The
Democratic House of Representatives
is well organized and aggressive and
with its powerful majority acting as a
unit, is passing much important legsla-
ton. 1t has passed the Canadian Reci-
procity Bill, and the Farmers Free List
Bill, and those measures are now before
the Senate. Delegations of farmers,
who protesting to by representatives
from their sections, a already besieging
the Senate and the President in an effort
to kill the Canadian Reciprocity Bill.
but on the other hand there are dele
cations from the West and the North
west including agricultural representa-
tives much more numerous, urging the
passage by the Senate of the Reciprocity
Act. Chairman Underwood is confident
that a much more important tariff pro-
gram than has yet been presented TO the
Lower House, will be passed by this
body, the majority of whom it appears
are in favor of free wool. The wiser
heads of the Democratic party are in
favor of materially reducing the tariff on
wool, but are opposed to SO drastic a
measure as admitting it duty free. The
wool schedule is an important source of
revenue to the government. and TO ma
terialy reduce the tariff will increase this
revenue and il will at the same time en-
able the millions of wearers of wool gar
ments in the United States to dress more
elegantly and more comfortably The
bill is, of course. Objectionable to Senator
Warren. of Wyoming, whom the late
Senator DoiIlver said was the greatest
shepherd since Abraham, and few
herdsmen in the sparse settlements of
the great Northwest. 1t will also inter
fere with the Massachusetts factory mo-
nopolv. but it will result in great ben
eft to ninety-nine one hundredths OF the
population of the United States
One of the most important investiga
tions ever made by the Inter State Com
merce Commission, is that OF the eX-
press companies OF the United States.
This investigation is now under SWay.
The commission has before il much ma
terial. which it is at the present studying
and arranging 1t is thought that the
outcome will be a complete change in
the express business OF the country
Quite recently was held in Washington
convention relative 20 the much talked
about and written about parcels post.
This was attended by many dstin
guished men from various parts OF the
country. Some OF them have made
thorough study of the express situation.
1t is somewhat remarkable that the reso-
luton was passed by the convention fav
oring the complete absorption or control
of the express companies by the gov
eminent Assuming that half of the
things that are complained against the
express companies are sustained, 1t will
moi be strange il the demand for govern
ment ownership will be urgent after the
Inter. State Commerce Commissions
report has been published In the
States of Iowa. Minnesota and California,
Railway Commissioners have recently
made Investigations into the operations
of these companies. Business interests
throughout the country are urging an
investigation relative to the express COM
panies, insisting that their rates are very
exorbitant and that their practices are un
fair Last fall, two hundred and eight
commercial organizations petitiened the
Interstate Commerce Commission, to
make the inquiry which is now under
way. This commission, let it be under
stood. has full authority over the ex-
press rates, regulations and practices.
II is claimed by those who have thor
oughly studied the subject that there is
no reason whatever for the existence of
express companies independent of the
railroad companies, and it is a II
known fact that the railroad companies
themselves are extensive stock owners,
if they do not acually control the major
itv Of the stock of the express companies
and that they are using these companies
to enormously increase their profits with
the result OF GENEROUSLY expressing the
millions who have to resort to them as
common carriers. The profits in the
case Of some Of The companies it is
known are as high as 200 per cent. and
800 per cent. There is no reason why
the United States should not carry ex-
press packages under the parcels post
system for the benefit of all the people
of the country.