The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1912-04-09
Lea and Kenyon Attack Public
Buildings Bills.
THESE ARE LOCAL ISSUES
Certain Statesmen Use Them az Vote
Getters, the Public Treasury Suf-
ferin9-Welshmen Would Like
to Vote for Hughes.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

knows, he was laughed at at the time
for his lack OF appreciation OF the
real facts in the case.' There are
other local issues besides the tariff
and chief among them Is the matter
of public buildings for the cities,
towns and villages OF the country.
This matter just now is engaging the
attention of the United States SEN
ate, although in haste let it be said
that the senate is in no wise anxious
to have the subject pressed upon it.
A few days ago Senators Lea and
Kenyon, one Democrat and the other
Republican, acting together, asked
for reconsideration of bills which had
been presented by other senators for
the erection of public buildings in two
or three small towns In the west.
The action Of these two senators was
pold and unprecedented, for be it
known that the senators by agreement
In the past have not been in the habit
of interfering with one another's at
tempts to secure fine postoffices, fine
federal court buildings and fine GUS
toms houses for the towns OF their
home states. . III.
BY a sort OF joint agreement the
senate has allowed its members to do
pretty much ass they chose in the pub
lie building appropriation matter, the
thought being apparently, IF don't
interfere with another senator, the
other senator won't interfere with me
when want something of a like kind
DONE"
Used as Vote-Getters.
Public buildings bills are no re-
specters of parties. Whether the Re-
publicans or the Democrats are in
control OF either house, the public
buildings bill nearly always gets its
innings. Postofices and court houses
erected at government expense and
presenting fine appearance archi-
tecturally always have been looked
upon as good vote-getters. 1t Is said
that many congressman owe their re-
turn to Washington to the fact that
they have done SO much for their
districts"
It Is possible for member to make
no effort to familiarize himself with
matters of great national concern, and
to take no active part In the debates
on momentous questions, and yet to
commend himself to his constituents
because he has been So active in send
ing them garden seeds, looking after
private pension matters and above all,
being active In getting appropriations
for federal buildings which would be
an ornament to the public square,"
The real trouble seems to be that
in hundreds of cases the buildings
which have been provided are alto
gether too large for the service in
tended, and costly beyond right. There
are some villages in the United States
holding only handful of people
which have finer public buildings than
places of thirty times their size. The
difference In the structures represents
the difference either in influence of
the representatives Of the different
districts; or In the way In which they
view their public duties. Some men
give their whole time to the greater
affairs of state, while others are con-
tent to give time and energy only to
local matters. AS for the quality OF
craftsmanship presented by these two
courses, the people must take their
choice.
Hughes as Dark Horse.
There have been hints from time to
time In Washington that there is a
possibility that the progressives and
the conservatives of the Republican
party, If they should get into dead.
lock condition at Chicago over the
nomination for the presidency, might
turn for a compromise candidate to
the supreme bench and nominate AS.
soc1ate Justice Charles E. Hughes.
There Is not one chance in a thou.
sand, perhaps, that this will happen,
for it Is said that Mr.. Hughes has
heard the rumor that such thing
might be proposed and has handed
down a decision" against it in adj
vance. "
Charles e. Hughes is the only man
u puA0 VOASA uSSCOAI WHO uaS a
seat on the supreme bench. II he
should by any chance be nominated
for the presidency, the probabilities
are that he would have the largest
majority in Oneida county, N. Y, ever.
given to presidential candidate, for
Oneida county is largely populated by
Welsh people who settled there in:
great numbers during the period be-
tween 1880 and 1870. There are five
or six Welsh churches in Utica alone
and in several Of them the Welsh lam
guage is heard from the pulpit. A
Welsh newspaper which Is published
in Utica Is read by Welshmen all over
the United States.
r. A moment is room enough for the
loyal and the mean desire, for the out
lash of wicked thought and the
sharp backward stroke of repentance.
George Eliot.
The vows man makes at the mar
rage altar do not worry him half as
much as the silly promises he made