The Alaska citizen., 1913-12-08

Q have. II Was the quality which hlS admirers in the West particul- arA, in Illinois. knew was in him - the eAtempore orator. equipped in history and literature. one prepared in statesmanship and fortified with the reas II Of government. He an "i!zed senator Roots constitutional argument. and as he crushed it he capped his arraignment by quoting Root against himself. in one of the New York senator's previous speech cs. and forced Senator Root to ac- kn Wledse his own conflict of Views. Then Senator Lewis took up what he termed was the un-Amer;can and un-Democratic position of Senator Root in condemning the Democracy for granting exemptions to the poor. In satire and sarcasm Senator Lewis withered Senat r Root as he des- troyed his argument. Senator Root vas yisi5y affected He sank in his chair flushed and grew nervous. Se3n he apparently became indig uant He felt his humiliation and his side Vas conscious that it was vanquished. The old Senators. such Is Lodge of Massachusetts. Gallinger of Nv Hampshire and Penrose of PeHnsylVania. all were consci us that their champion had been van 8Hi- i-heI. As Senator Til man. of been uncroAned." Senator klayon he Republican senator from Iowa. sad opynly that Lewis speech was the greatest heard in the senate in tsnn-y years, while Senator La Fol lette fcee!., expressed his oIHnian. saying; This destr ys Root. He is finished, and rom this time on no senator il this chamber Will eve. challenge Lewis to debate."
 Senator James of Kentucky con- ducted a rough and tumble debate with Senator Bristow of Kansas. James "chewed up" Bristow. but ii was the kind of performance one sees en the stump at untry fair. Senator Penrose Of Pennsyl- vaa.a and Senator Maritime of New Jersey had all altercation fo rhours in exciting personalities. but this Has performance not unlike q fight in I justice court. Senator Root If Missouri and Senator x iris of Nebraska into a conflict on the agricultural schedule. and clash d With great noise. but this had 10 bt. sgutlchcd by the chair the debaters seing calcl to order. It was lef. to the performance of Lewis of Hi nois. the empire state of the West, and ot, the senator from the em- pire state of nea York, to bring the debate to the high level of great oritory and 10 the point of senatorial suDlilnity that it had not reachel since the days f Douglas of Hi nois and Cass of Michigan, Ingalls, and Blackburn, and llver and Bailey in later years.
 Illinois has reestablished herself as first in the United States senate
 The opinion is general in this country, and has been held bv some of the most thoughtful men in con. Sress, that the rate of Day to the railroad for carrying mail is so high. S2 much higher than the rates which the railroad charges their subsidiar- les, the express companies, fir car rFiEg the same class of matter. that the government, unless it changes the basis for railroad postal Eav can neVr reduce parcel post rates trough to take the express business away from the express companies. In other words. it is contende1 "e must force the railroads t charge less fer carrying mail matter. including parcels. Otherwise. the express companies, possessing muoh more advantageous contracts with he railroads than the government possesses will be able to cut their rates below any parcel post rates which the government can fix and ] still maintain the parcel post on I profitable basis.
 In his very able analysis of the postal and express rates, and the compensation for railroad transporta- ton of each class of freight Repre- sentative David J, Lewis. of Mary land, joint author of the present parcel post law. and the greatest expert on this subject ever in Con gress, showed by tables of figures that this impression has no solid basis in fact.
 1 N". Lewis advocates a reduction in railway pay for carrying the mails. But he shows that Uncle sam already possesses very advan- tageous conh acts with the rail roads without knowing it. And if the government chooses to go into general express business it will find 'tself able to transport postal ex rress packages at no greater cost than the express companies now have to pay.
 This is due to the sliding scale