Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-04-04

LA Wd6ulu5lOu ludL tA0 liS0AN~
would like to make the change in the
Constitution retroactive and to have
the term fixed at seven years, virtual
ly the precise time which Theodore
Roosevelt held the highest office IN
the land.
Hit at Lobbying.
Members Of both houses OF congress
this year have been introducing bills
to stop lobbying in its offensive form.
Lobbying is not carried on as openly
and as 1agrantly as 1t was a few
years ago, but 1t is still in evidence,
and 1t always will be In evidence, no
matter what laws are passed, because
there is certain kind Of lobbying
which is recognized as being proper.
There is nothing to prevent men and
women from telling members Of con-
gress their side Of the case upon
which 1t is proposed to legislate. The
kind Of lobbying which Is aimed at in
the various bills is the "pernicious &C
tivity kind" where representatives of
great concerns selfishly interested in
legislation use their influence to pro-
mote it or to retard 1t as 1t seems best
from their point Of view.
Representative Charles B. Smith Of
Buffalo. an old-time newspaper man,
has introduced the most recent bill
for the suppression of lobbying and
for the regulation Of duly accredited
representatives of persons, firms, cor
porations and associations interested
in legislation before congress-"
The Smith bill provides that every
person who is employed for compen-
sation as counsel or agent of any con
Germ interested in legislation shall file
with the secretary of the senate and
the clerk Of the house a paper stating
the name of his employers and the de-
script;on of the legislation on behalf
of which or against which his services
are to be rendered. The bill also pro-
vides for publicity Of expenses of such
lobbying agents. Violations of the
law shall be, according to the bill,
punishable by imprisonment or by a
fine Of $1,000 or both.
Congress has been asked to make
public acknowledgment of the serv-
ices Of Capt. John Ericsson, the engi-
neer and inventor who constructed
the Monitor, which fought the Merit
mac in Hampton Roads early In the
war between the states. The acknowl
edgment of Ericsson's services is
based not only on his work OF con
structing the Monitor, but because, as
the resolution puts it his skill ant
services effected a revolution in the
naval architecture of the world"
Renews Old Controversy.
The fftieth anniversary of the lsht
between the Monitor and Merrimat
has Just been observed. 1t brough'
about a renewal of the old controversy
as to which of the two vessels really
won the fight. 1t is claimed for thu
Merrimac that 1t was an ironclad ant
was built before The Monitor and tina
therefore Its designers were the one
whose work effected a revolution ii
the naval architecture Of the world.
Whole volumes we're written at tn,
time of the recognition Of the tiftietI
anniversary of this sea fight between
the ironclads. Some men take on
side and some another, and 1t nigh
be said in passing that there were on
or two northern men who took tn
side OF the adherents Of the Merri
mac, saying that 1t is not sltogethe
true that the victory lay entirely witt
the Monitor. Most men, however. pre-
nounced the whole discussion fruitless
The senate finance committee ha
been holding hearings on the TART
bill affecting chemicals which wa
passed by the house not long ago. 1