The Penn's Grove record., 1911-01-13

m6u VIII ulC uOW IdihlIS uSlC, VI
many of them, at least, look upon 1t
as a surrender of the power of the
old guard in the Democratic party to
the new members-elect who as yet
have no official standing. They in
quire as to why men who have not
been sworn in, who have never served
in the house, should be summoned to
Washington months in advance of
their actual Inauguration as members
of the house, and permitted to partici-
pate in the selection of a ways and
means committee and to advise as to
the policy of the party on tariff revi-
sion.
There would be a greater meas
ure Of reason In this, except for the
fact that even were the conference not
called these new men after December
next will possess all the powers of ad-
vice and direction with which Champ
Clark is willing to invest them unofi-
cially today. And moreover the OPP
p%ortunity for a long season of work
by even an unofficial ways and means
committee during a vacation which
apparently will extend from the 4th
of March to the first Monday of next
December, ought not to be neglected.
New Members Paid From March 5.
1t seems elementary. but possibly a
good many readers do not understand,
that the salaries of all these new con
gressmen begin on the 9Th of next
March. Not merely their salaries be-
gin, but also their perquisites in the
way of clerk hire, stationery and
everything else except mileage and
their offices In Washington, which can
only be assigned to them after the or.
ganization of the house, whether they
work or loaf. For this reason 1t seems
to be fair and Just that a committee
entrusted with preparing a measure
by which it is intended to reduce tax
alton and at the same time procure
the revenues by which these incoming
statesmen are to be paid, should be in
session during the summer season.
Problems Ahead of Republicans.
What the returning Republicans are
going to encounter Is matter of imme.
date Importance instead Of considera.
ton OF a policy which is to be deferred
for months yet to come. The admins
tration has not yet given up its hope
of enforcing such rigid economy as to
make a record which will be of value
in the next presidential campaign.
But when Mr.. Tawney and Speaker
Cannon sought to suppress the report
on the unpreparedness of the United
States for war presented by Secretary
Dickinson, they made the sort of blum
der that politicians are always max.
ing. :.
Personally / think the report was a
piece of jingoism utterly uncalled for,
But its attempted suppression was OF
course the surest way to give 1t wide
currency and cause it to be the thing
most talked about In political circles,
and 1t has in fact been more generally
discussed here in Washington thar
any document emanating from a fed
eral department In years past.
Call for Pacific Coast Protection.
Out Of this undesired publicity. n
coming a demand for vastly in
creased appropriations for military
and naval purposes. Particularly viii
this demand be made by the represent
atives from the Pacific coast. 1t is moi
fair to ascribe purely mercenary mo
tives to those who represent great
constituencies. AS Edmund Burke
once said: 81 know not how to draw
an Indictment against a whole PEG
pie" And while there may be those
who are willing to sheer at the atti
who are pleading for more battleships
more forts, better harbor defenses and
larger military reserve on their side
of the continent, / am not one Of
them.
Undoubtedly there are some sci
fish, even mercenary interests in
volved in this agitation. There II
much money to be spent in maintain
ing navy yards, building forts and
victualing ~battleships' stationed off the
harbors of San Francisco, Los An
geles or Seattle. But nevertheless
plausible excuse is raised for thest
additional appropriations, and 1t Ii
made more plausible by the "conn
Dental" report of the secretary Of wal
which remained confidential for JUS
about eight hours after 1t was printed
The Economy Issue.
1t seems as curious to find suddenly
the head of the Republican party, thu
president of the United States, an(
the chief leaders Of that party wht
have always bAsn very much inclined
to look with little patience upor
cheese pairing economy become advo
Gates of that policy. Mr.. Tawne!
RACES VI and down the center aisle
of the house of representatives striv
ing to save a little money at every point
On the other hand, the Democrats
with only individual exceptions
they being men not recognized al
national leaders, seem to pay
more attention to progress thar
immediate economies. They be
li0V0, dppdi SutIy, Iudl tnO guy
ernment should be carried on IL
their administration, which In tn.
house of representative. begins just /;
year from now, as II under tn,
Republican administration of thu
house for 16 years. They are inclined
to be cynical about this sudden con
version of the Republicans to econ
omy. They promise to put their oppo
nents on record before this short ses
sion is over as having changed theil
time-honored policy of liberal appro
priations to a policy Of rigid economy
now that the funds are to be handled
by Democrats and disbursed by Demo
cratic officials.
Copyright. 1910. by Joseph B. Bowles.)
In Doubt.
Darn those automobiles" said the
Kansas farmer.
Bother you much?" asked the