New-York tribune., 1911-02-21
WA SHINGTOV

want 70 hear. However. IL the "hearihss =,
arc limited TO two DAYS they probably VII
do as little harm as they do good, anu ~
must he admitted that they are the occa'
sion of infinite satisfaction even to some
who will not dare To vote as they taih'
CANAL, FORTIFICATIONS.- suo
committee of the House Appropriations
Committee has completed its work on th'
sundry civil bill. which. as reported 10 Inv
fun committee. carries approximately Sloo''
600 600 The bill contains an appropriation
of a. ooo 600 with which TO begin work or
tho for,tnc.tion OF the canal and s4OO,0Oo
for carving en- the work OF the Ia'ill
Board. IL Is quite possible that the 'u''
committee will place some restrictions vi
the expenditure of the s3.0OO.OOo appropri-
ated for the fertilization OF the canal pu'
IL il does they will be OF harmless char-
actsr and designed chiefly to save the
faces" of those who have opposed this step
Provision would have 10 be made Tor the
expenses Of the Tariff Board, regardiess Oh
the passage of the Tariff Board Dill no"
pending I'm the Senate. but the present pros
pects are that this bill will not be passed
at this session. If the $3,000,OOO for Tor
tifcations and the Panama toll bill get
through both houses the administration
will be greatly delighted as it regards
these measures as of the utmost import
ance.
DEMOCRATIC ECONOMY.-The adop-
ton OF the two-thIrds rule in the House
gives the Democrats decided advantage
which they had hardly expected to enjoy.
There has, IL must be admitted, been de-
cided disposition on the part OF some Re
publcans 70 pass pretty liberal appropria-
tions at this session and then leave the
Democrats I'm the next House TO find the
necessary revenue TO meet the bills as best
they could. The Democrats now enjoy the
veto power however. and are, therefore. In
position 10 head of any such scheme.
Some Democrats who opposed the proposed
increase of salary for the secretary to the
President explained that they did so with
reluctance. and only because they were
somewhat appalled, at the rapidity with
which tho expenditures for the next two
years were pilins up. There is no doubt
that in passing the Sulloway pension bill a
number of Republicans were actuated by
the belief that II would be good politics to
provide for this great expenditure. TO meet
which the Democratic House would have 10
raise the funds. That scheme. however.
would be defeated by the veto OF the Presi-
dent, even II the Senate assented 20 It.
HURTING THEIR CAUSE.-There Is no
doubt that the magazine publishers, and,
more particularly, some of their unwise
friends. are hurting their cause by the
foolish and untruthful statements they are
circulating In connection with the proposed
increase Of postage on magazines. For In
stance. II will not help them to assert that
the President and the Postmaster General
are actuated by improper motives. and espe-
cially arc prompted by political considera-
tions. Every one who knows anything OF
these men knows that they are absolutely
convinced OF the justice OF the change
which they recommend OF course. they
may De mistaken, but II they are their
mistakes are honest and do not emanate
from any hostility to the magazines or any
desire 10 play politics. Some of the sgrf-
cultural publishers who came 70 Washing
ton greatly alarmed at the possible effect
OF the proposed change on their pubIica-
tions have gone away we'll satisfied after
finding that agricultural papers have been
defined both by the Postofflce Department
and b. the courts as newspapers, and that
they will not therefore be IN any way
affected by tho proposed increase of post
age on magazines.
SULZER SY.-Representative Will
lam Suzer has become the most active
Democrat IN Washington. He is engaged
these days In flying backward and forward
between the House and the Senate and is
understood to be trying TO save the Sena-
torial situation at Albany. Mr. Sulzer
thinks that the credit Of his party Is seri-
ously involved by the persistent effort OF
Charley" Murphy to send Mr.. Sheehan 70
the Senate, and, II the worst came to the
worst, the New York Representative could
be persuaded to make a vlcarious sacrifice
OF himself and accept election to the SEN
ate. although that would naturally be very
painful to the modest member from the
10th District. In the furtherance OF his
efforts at harmony Mr.. Sulzer has spent
so much time in the Senate recently that
some Senators are beginning 10 suggest
that possibly he has come TO think that he
has already been elected to that body.
g. G.. III.