The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-10-10
AFFAIRS AT WASHINGTON


his big show to investigate the steel
trust. is that now assembled by order
of the United States senate to investi-
gate campaign funds, past, present
and perhaps perspective. Colonel
Roosevelt has been here but once
since he left the Presidency, but he
was anxious to tell his side of the
Archibold controversy, involving his
previous presidential campaigns, and
the connection of the Standard Oil.
Senator Penrose OF Pennsylvania, one
Of the men who has been stirring up
things along with his other activities
intended to save his political scalp,
has been one of the big factors of this
investigation, and then there have
been J. Pierpont Morgan, August Bel
mont, Alton b. Parker, and a host of
others, all of whom were supposed to
be able 10 throw some light upon the
great secrets" as to what part the
trusts played in the campaigns before
they become persona mon est with
the American people. The Standard
Oil has been particularly liberal with
the campaign collectors, and now Sem
ator Clapp and his committee are sup
posed to find out the reason why. At
cation is the relation of the wooden
trust to the campaign managers. and
Representatives of the big wool manu-
facturers and the campaign managers
are to be questioned, to discover
whether there has been any connec-
ton between the large campaign con-
tributions Of the wooden men and the
legislative course Of the two WOODEN
revisions bills, which have passed con-
gress, and been vetoed by the presi-
dent.
For two years Washington has
housed all sorts of Investigations, and
what is liable to happen in the pres
ent instance might be foretold by the
results of the steel inquiry. when as
now the mighty Morgans, Carnegies,
Rockefellers, and so on. assembled,
and when they had gotten through
with their tales they had succeeded in
throwing so much dust in the eyes OF
the public as to absolutely befuddle
congress and the public.
The indications are, however, that
campaign funds in large blocks is
forthcoming and since tainted
money is no longer desired it is a
little difficult to understand who has
furnished all the money.
More than 300 900 Porto Ricans
have been cured Of the hookworm dis
ease" Surgeon Bailey X. Ashford, U.
S. A, informed his audience at the
international Congress Of Hygiene
and Demography in Washington. The
campaign against hookworm was be-
gun in 1904" said the army rgeon
land has eliminated in the successful
treatment Of 300, 900 persons in Porto
Rico. Ninety per cent of the rural
Porto Ricans are infected with the
disease. Three hundred thousand
still require treatment" DR.. Lee X.
Krankel, a distinguished life insul
ance man from New York, told the
congress that industrial insurance is
needed rather than legislation, by
which workmen may combine for self
protection" DR.. Simon de Unterber-
ger, the head Of the Russian delega-
ton, and who is honorary physician to
the Car, declared that Soap is the
greatest enemy of tuberculosis, like
wise the best cure. The avage of
this disease" he continued, "is being
combated by health authorities all
over Europe. Cleanliness minimizes
tuberculosis, as it minimizes other dis
eases, but more particularly is santa
ton effective in preventing tubercu-
losis." The distinguished Russian
expressed fear that the world will not
get rid or this great disease, saying
that, "it is constitutional, and no mat
ter how we may strive it is doubtful
if we shall ever be able to stamp it
out
Colonel Roosevelt may not be any
too popular among the Taft appoin-
tees and the politicians who have
come to Washington since his day,
but one proposition of his is enthus-
istically approved in the Capital, and
that is the suggestion for an extra
session Of congress in March for the
purpose of enacting District of Column
bia and Alaska legislation-and a few
other things. Washington likes extra
sessions, and there is only one thing
the people here would appreciate
more and that is Senator Bourne's