The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1912-05-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Special Washington Correspond
ent of The Times.

Washington, D. C.-The Demo
cratic House of Representatives ha
given the Good Roads movement
flying start.
This fact is of momentous impor
lance to the people Of this nation
Ever since the Constitution was writ
ten there has been talk of improving
the public highways. 1t remained
for this, the first session of the sixty
second Congress, to actually do some
thing toward bringing about that end
1t required upward of score Of
years to make start toward stamp.
ing out railroad rebating, and the law
prohibiting that practice was passed
in month after the start was made.
Likewise, the pure food law Jagged
for seventeen years until an actual
start was made. Within few weeks
after the talking was supplanted by
action the law became reality.
The Democrats in Congress have
injected the first breath of life into
the agitation for better roads. The
House has actually passed bill, and
as the matter now stands it is up to
the Republican Senate and President
to carry the work along. If they re-
fuse, the people will know exactly
where to place the responsibility.
Now that the Democrats have taken
a definite forward step the issue be-
comes clear cut.
In all the Democratic speeches sup
porting the bill for road improvement,
which was introduced by Dorsey W.
Shackleford of Missouri, it was made
plain that it is proposed to spend
money that is now being wasted in
keeping mp useless political navy
yards and to provide soft berths for
lame duck politicians.
At the present time there is in ex-
istence numerous government Com
such as the Canadian
boundary commission, on which for
mer Congressman James A. Tawney
of Minnesota, depends for an annual
stipend of of $500 of the peoples
money. These commissions seldom
meet, and their only usefulness is to
take care of politicians who fail of re-
election. The Democrats propose
to abolish useless commissions and to
spend the money that is wasted for
the Improvement of public roads.
Improve the public roads. with
money that is now being wasted.
This is the battle cry Of the Demo-
Gratis in Congress, and it is being
taken up by the farmers in all parts
Of the country.
Soaking the Consumer.
Once more the poor old consumer
has to dig down into his pocket and
pay tribute to trust. This time it is
the coal trust, and the excuse given for
this trusts latest scheme to gouge a
a few extra dollars out of the public
is the fact that the coal miners struck.
There is no evidence that the coal
strike which was not, strickly speak
ing, a strike, cost the trust anything
except the profit it would have made
had the men not laid down their
tools pending readiusiment Of their
contracts. But with this weak eX-
cuse for a basis, the trust has de-
creed that there shall be no usual
spring discount of 80 cents per ton on
coal this year.
Thus laes the the consumer pays not only
The loss in profits suffered by the
rust during the Strike" but he also
pays for the slightly increased cost of
mining, due to the small raise in pay
granted the miners.
Does anybody pay the miner for
he money he lost in wages during
he lay off? Well, not as anybody
Knows of.
McCabe Still on the Job.
George B. McCabe, the agriculture 8
department. underling who pestered =,
md hampered DR.. Harvey w. Wiley j
Until that efficient public servant was -,
lriven from office, after 80 years of
aithful work, has branched off into
lew line of activity. He is now try
ng to drag down the standard of
neat inspection tests, so that the beef {
rust can sell the carcasses of diseased !
;attle and hogs as food. II
At committee hearings brought /:
bout by Congressman Nelson it was
estified to that McCabe practically |,
ssued orders to the government meat
\ I