The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1912-05-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.

As a forceful preliminary to the prob
able impeachment of Judge Archibald. the
house Voted on Thursday to abolish the
commerce court, of which Archibald is so
noted member. It was rising vote,
and as announced by the chairman, re-
suited r2o against the court to 4o in favor
of its continuance.
All the Democrats present voted to
abolish, as did all the progressive Re-
publlcans. So far as The house is con.
cerned, the court must go. What the
senate will do with the proposition is
causing speculation
The abolition Of e commerce court
does not abolish the commerce court
judges. They are judges of the circuit
court of appeals, and cannot be legislated
out of office. They can be removed only
by impeachment.
So the question Judge Archibald will
remain a judge is not affected by the
action Of the house and the probable ac-
ton of the senate with reference to the
court. His continuance in Office will
depend upon the result of the investiga-
.tion now pending and the proceedings
The facts remain that the judge was in
schemes to make money for himself
through the favor of one railroad and Of
individuals who were iitigants in his
court.
The railroads wanted the court estab-
iished SO that there might be created
some power to override the interstate
commerce commission and decide all
commerce commission and decide cases
for the railroads whenever possible.
That is why Taft wanted the court and
why be appointed Archibald. 1t is also
the reason why he appointed Knapp as
the presiding Judge. Knapp, as chair
man of the interstate commerce commits.
sion, had shown himself always to be
upon the side of the railroads. Taft's
reasons for appointing the other three
members of the conrt can only be judged
by the decisions they have rendered
uniformly in favor of the railroads.
~
| With charges of the most serious
character against the meat inspection
service of the department of agriculture,
charges which, if true, will reveal de-
termination by government officers to
permit the meat-packing interests to com
init the foulest outrages upon the public,
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson and
Solicitor Mccabe appear, with all their
former arrogance and defiance. to de-
nounce every one who appears to testify
against them and openly seek to mislead
not only the public but the investigating
committee as well.
McCabe's conduct before the investieat.
ing committee is exactly like that which
characterized his appearance before the
committee that investigated Doctor
Wiley. In the Wiley investigation, every
charge that had been made against the
administration of the pure food law was
proved, many of them by admissions
from McCabe himself.
The demand for McCabe's removal be
came national. II was stronger even
than the demand for the removal oil
Secretary Wilson, yet both are kept in
Office by President Taft. and both are
now striving to belittle the earnest men
and women who are demonstrating to the
house committee that the meat inspec-
ton law is enforced to suit the meat
packers, just as The pure food law has
been enforced to suit the food PRISONERS.
*x*
Led by Madden, of Chicago, nineteen
Republican members of the house of rep
resentatives prevented the passage
Thursdayof an adequate general parcels |
post ,ill. The defeat of the provision for
d nation, wide system was made possible, |
according to Minority Leader Mann, by a |
piece of tfickery engineered by Speaker
Clark, Representative Moon, of Tennes- |
see. the Democratic chairman of the |
postofice committee. and Representa-.
tive Madden.
The Republicans joined 1853 Demo |
Gratis in ordering the previous question, |
and prevented Representative Mann
from presenting bis zone-system parcels |
post plan. covering the entire country,
as substitute for the uake-shift scheme,
applying only to rural free delivery routes |
Then the Democratic bill was passed in
the shape framed by the Democratic |
leaders
In the long battle between the people |
and the express compares over the es
tahlishment Of parcels post this is the |
first lime the issue ever came to a vote |
in either house of congress
The outcome Thursday was distinctly
in favor Of The express trust The Demo-
cratic bill confines the parcels post 10 the
routes on which e express companies
do no business, and il even will result in
bringing additional business 10 these con.
G. rms IN order to take advantage Of the
rural parcels pest. i frequently will be
cheaper 10 send package nv express 70
the point where il can he picked up by |