Catoctin clarion., 1911-05-18
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(FRoM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT.
WASHINGTON, D. c.. MAY Is

w A6hlNuAONs ~ o's Z A'A'
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 TEN. The insurgent
Senators have the balance of power
and led by Senators La Toilette and
Cummins were able to defeat Senator
Gallinger Of New Hampshire, the
caucus nominee. The Democratic
house is we'll organized and aggressive,
and with its powerful majority act
ing as q unit, is passing much i'm
portant legislation. 1t has passed
the Canadian reciprocity bill and the
farmers free list bill, and these meas
ures are now before the Senate.
Delegations Of farmers protesting to
be representative are besieging the
Senate and President in an effort to
kill the Canadian reciprocity bill, but
on the other hand there are delegat
ions from the west and northwest,
neutrality-suspicious. representatives,
much more numerous, urging the
passage by the Senate OF the recipro-
city act. Chairman Underwood is
confident that much more import
ant tariff program than has yet been
presented to the lower House will be
passed by this body, the majority OF
whom it appears are in favor free
wool. The wiser heads of the Dem
ocratic majority are in favor OF mat
erially reducing the tariff on wool,
but are opposed to SO drastic
measure as admitting it duty free.
The wool schedule is an important
source of revenue to the government,
and to materially reduce the tariff
will increase this revenue and will at
the same time enable the millions of
wearers of wool garments in the
United States to dress more elegantly
aad more comfortably. The bill is
of course Objectionable to the Wyom-
ing Senator, whom the late Senator
Dolliver said was the greatest shep-
herd since Abraham, and new herds
men in the sparse settlements in the
northwest. 1t will also interfere
with the Massachusetts factory mon
opoly but it will result in great bene-
fit to ninety mine one-hundredths OF
the population Of the United States.
One Of the most important invest
igations over made by the Interstate
Commerce Commission is that of the
express companies of the United
States. This investigation is now
under way. The commission has
before it much material which it is
at present studying and arranging.
1t is though that the outcome will be
a complete change in the express
business of the county. Quite recent
ly there was held in Wilmington a
convention relative to the much talk
ed about and written about parcels
post. This was attended by disting-
uished men from various parts of the
country. Some OF them have made
a through study of the express sit
Oation. 1t is somewhat remarka ble
that the resolution was passed by the
convention fayoring the complete
absorption or control OF the express
companies by the government. AS
suming that half the things complain
ed against the express companies are
sustained, it will not be strange if the
demand for government ownership
will be urgent after the Interstate
Commerce Commissions report has
been published. Inthe state 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 examination relative to the express
companies, insisting that their rates
are exorbitant and that their practices
are unfair. Last two hundred
and eighty commercial organizations
petitioned the Interstate Commerce
Commission to make the inquiry
which is now under way. This COM
mission, let it be understood, has
full authority over express rates,
regulations and practices. 1t is
claimed by those WHO have thorough
ly studied the subject that there is
no reason whatever for the existence
of express companies independent of