The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-30

appeared before the decomratio commit
 tee which is pryng into tho affairs of
 the department presided over by MT.
 Meyer. The committee is not throug!
 with it's investigation and reserves ths
 right to subpoena the Secretary again at
 any time. \a.
 Secretary Nagel has appeared twice be- fore the rules committee of the House,
 which is considering a resolution de-
 manding thorough Investigation of the immigration service. The Secretary is
 also subject to call by the committee on
 expenditures of the department of com
 merce and labor which Is just now at-
 tempting to ascertain the truth of
 charges that the department has permit I ted the promiscuous slaughter of seals
 on the Pribiloff Islands, in Alaska. l Secretary Fisher has been placed on the list of witnesses to be examined by | the House committee on expenditures
 in the interior department. which is now investigating the Controller bay scandal. The secretary has been be- fore the committee already and is to be In readiness whichever the committee desire his testimony hereafter
 Secretary MacVeagh has paid one visit to the House committee inves-
 tigatng the treasury department. The
 supervising architect, assistant secre-
 taries, and others connected with the
 administration of that department have | also been examined and all of them may be recalled.
 I Chief Clerk Weed of the postoffice department spent eight. days upon the
 witness stand before the committee 'in- quiring into the Postmaster General s
 administration of that department. The
 committee indicated that it will want | to hear the Postmaster General him | self before the probe is concluded. The
 Postmaster General is accused of build | ing up a political machine at the ex- pense of efficiency in service, this
 charge being in addition to those that
 despite the claim that the postal deficit 1 has been wiped out, numerous eXtrav-
 agsnces In the department still exist | Major General Wood. chief of staff, has
 appeared before both the House military | affairs committee and the committee on | expenditures In the war department. l Secretary Wilson is to appear before 1 the committee which has already begun an investigation of his department and | also of the charges against pr. Harvey | w. Wiley, the pure food expert. who Is | being fought by the various interests" 1 who are opposed to strict interpreta- | tlOH Ol tHe puIc lOoN anu bTtS ldW. l Courtesy and custom exempts the Pres lident of the United States from appear | ing before an Investigating committee | of Congress, but, were 1t not for this, l 1t is probable that President Taft him | self would have personal and direct | knowledge of the thoroughness of the several probes started by the democratic | House.
 1 If has been 40 years since any sys- | tar, tfr ppt tiOu nf fha admin
 istration of the various departments has
 been attempted. Before the November elections the democrats promised that if | they were placed in power in the House | they would undertake wholesale in | vestigation of the red tape and the waste | alleged to have been fostered through | continued republican rule. At the time
 the threat was not taken seriously, but no sooner had the democrats come into l power than the machinery of investiga- l tions was put in motion, and the various | committees began to vie with one an- | other in the thorOughness of the probes. | This has meant work for the cabinet officers. They have been forced to dig | into records that have been forgotten, and have been required to furnish the | House with information both conn | plicated and discriminating. If the in- ] formation desired has not been prompt | ly forthcoming, the House committees have seemed inclined to send hurry up" summons and the cabinet officials and their underlings have been kept on the jump.
 Of course, there is considerable re- sentiment in republican ranks, but it is unavailing. The democrats, in the House at least, have the upper hand, and there remains nothing for the cab | inet officers to do except to remain at | their desks and send over such data | as may be commanded by the demo- crats
 l It has been a hard summer. on the President and his official family. Va cations have been delayed end the happy go- lucky existence they have en-
 joyed under the long rule of the re- publican party Is no more. Every cab linet officer is on the anxious seat, not
 knowing where the democratic light l campaign comes next year and 1t is
 incumbent upon the administration to
 make the best showing possible, hence
 the democratic investigators have to be handled with gloves, and the adminis- | tration must at least show a willing l ness to give the Investigating commit
 tees all the aid possible. At the same time there are about nine cabinet officers who wish that | Congress would adjourn in order that | they might steal away to the noun ltains and the seashore. and forget all
 about charges of irregularity and ex- travagance in the departments.
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 | VACUUM CLEANER