Holbrook argus., 1912-03-19
DOINGS
 GIT THE CAPITAL
,I1J 

Representative Mann, the Republi- can leader from Illinois, touched 8 popular chord during the discussion of the agriculture bill, i'll which he de- 1 fended the appropriations for the De partment of A griculture. He said: "We ought not skin to closely these appro- priations" Then he went on to say that the Department of Agriculture made very good use of the money that was given to them by Congress, and he pointed out that the entire appropria- tions for all purposes of the Depart ment would cost less than two battle ships. T have frequently stated on the floor of this House that preferred to put money out of the Treasury into those lines that would produce benefits for the producers of the country, rath- CT than into battleships, and am still of that opinion" While of course there are great many Members who believe that the only way to maintain peace is through great navy and lots of battle ships, yet the men who really have the agricultural interests at heart, and know that the source of the country's wealth comes from the farm, are rather inclined to share the viewpoint of Mir. Mann. In connection with this, it might be remarked that no visitors to Wash ington have attracted as widespread attention during the present winter as the corn growers from Iowa, Illinois and the southland These boys, who have demonstrated that under any usual circumstances, one hundrd bush- els of corn can be grown to an acre, in Iowa and Illinois, have been the means of insulting desire among other boys throughout the entire country that cannot work other than for the gener- al good of agricultural advancement.
 The House Postoftice committee has ordered printed bill attached as a rider to the Postcttice Appropriation bill which provides for system of Parcels Post. Much has been said about the benefit such system would be to farmers in sending products to towns. It would appear that the farmers have been handed d beautifully designed ''gold- brick". The rural route rates do not apply to products sent from farmers. to the towns. They are available for the shipment from person on one rural route to a person on the same route or from the starting point of such a route,
 The President in his message says nothing about the fact that farmers who do not live upon rural routes will have to pay part of the expense of oper- ation of an express-cerrying system upon routes now established and that, as farmers cannot avail themselves of the rural rates in sending products tn the towns, those who are loyal to their own communities will have to pay part of the expenses of those who want this service that they may patronize the re. tail mail. order houses.
 Representatives of retail mail-order houses have been anxious to obtain a delivery system to people living along rural routes. Thus they would be able to ship their goods by freight or express in quantity to an agent i'll town and all such agent or solicitor will have to do will be to deposit these in post office and the packages up to eleven pounds will go to all farmers along the rural routes at low rates, an eleven pound package costing them only 25 cents. But if farmer wishes to send an eleven-pound package to town or to farmer on another route such pack age would cost him $1.32. Representa- tives of large retail mail-order houses have been active in Washington and it seems they have gotten very much of what they wanted from the House com mittee. The committee also attempts to compel the Sen ators to abandon any convictions they may have upon the subject by attaching the bill as rider to an appropriation bill. It also puf- poses to avoid criticism by shutting of debate with a cloture rule. Members of the committee have said they did not aim to alarm or injure any legitimate business interest; but they have de- \ cided to condemn the merchats of the smaller cities and towns by instituting also fat-rate system with haul any distance in American territory at 12 cents per pound for package up to eleven pounds. The bill says sone- thing about a commission to investi- gate conditions abroad The country merchant is condemned to undergo a course of blood-transfusion for the be- nefit of the retail mail-order houses of the big cities. Then commission will