The Falls City tribune., 1911-07-14

by the people there must be
carried with it an amendment to
the Constitution giving the states
exclusive control over the elec-
ton Of United States Senators.
In his most foreible manner Mr.
Norris pointed out the frailties Of
this position.
Secretary Fisher Of the Inter
ior Department who succeeded
Mr.. Ballinger last March, has IS
sued an order effectively dispos-
ing of the famous Cunningham
Alaskan coal land claims. These
great property rights have been
disallowed. Through these claims
the AIorgan-Guggenheim syndi-
cate had planned to extend their
vast interests in Alaska, and
thereby obtain control Of what
are said to be the most valuable
coal fields in the world. These
are the claims that brought about
the Ballinger-Pinchot controversy
and the subsequent retirement
from the public service of the
chief forester and a number of
his assistants. Attorneys for the
interested parties now threaten an
appeal to the courts; but this, it
is said, must rest upon some poin
of law, as the findings of facts
by the Department cannot be
attacked.
The question of direct election
of Senators seems to be in rather
a critical state. The position of
the Republicans in both Houses
has been that the Fedearl Govern
ment should retain control of the
elections of Senators by direct
vote the same as is done in the
case Of members of the lower
House. The southern Democrats
however, who fear interference on
the part of the Government, on
account of the race question, have
been successful in passing a bill
through the lower body retaining
control in the hands of the State
authorities. The bill has passed
both Houses, but until there is
some sort of an agreement regard
ing federal or state control, 1t
cannot become a law. In the
meantime the right of the dear
people to make United States
Senators is hanging high and dry,
while scandals coming from the
legislatures never were more
plentiful than now.
1t has been remarked that the
ups and downs Of reciprocity
have been manifold, and that fl
nally the opposition has fallen
flat. This measure has been
treated from every side, and all
its weak spots have been sought
out. In its consideration in the
House the agricultural and lum-
Der interests fought it without
avail, and in the Senate the meas
ure has been on the crest Of the
wave or in the trough of the sea
time and again, and occasionally
through some coalition" move
ment it has looked as though the
bill would fail of passing, but
usually the kinks have straight
ened out; and your correspondent
will renew his oft repeated pro
phecy that when the bill is fl
nally disposed of, it will be by
passage without amendment
through both houses Of Congress
in the exact manner advocated
from the outset by President
Taft.
1t has been made very clear to
the country and to the Senate
leaders, that President Taft is
not likely to approve any tariff
revision plans at this time, and
he is bringing all the power of
the Administration to bear to-
ward defeating any attempt to
amend the Canadian reciprocity
bill. He has also given it out
that he believes it to be ill-ad-
vised to attempt at this time any
independent revision of the tar
iff schedules. The suggestion
that the Republican progressives
and the Democrats may frame a
new tariff bill is met with the
condition that such a measure
will doubtless draw forth a veto
from President Taft.
Congress does not always lis
ten attentively to what the Presi-
dent has to say about public mat
ters, as evidence in the acts of
the Senate Committee on Terri
tories in reference to Arizona
and New Mexico. The President
has emphatically declared time
and again his opposition to the
recall of iud0eS as embodied in