The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-12-13

| ly for himself. Labor knows that gov
eminent loans to farmers will help
farm production and take the farm
boys competition out Of the city"
Plans for Canal Zone Rule.
By direction Of President Wilson.
Secretary Of War Garrison recently
visited the Panama Canal Zone to
study conditions there and to report
on all matters connected with the
canal as 1t is and on questions con-
corning the form Of government on the
isthmus after the Isthmian Canal Com
mission is abolished following the
opening celebration on New Years
Day, 1915. The secretary was absent
from Washington about three weeks.
Recently, stories have been publish
ed which would make 1t appear that
Colonel George w. Goethals, the chief
engineer, is to be made the governor
Of the Zone prior to the completion OF
the canal and that the commission is
to be abolished in order to make a one
man government possible in the imme-
date future.
The chief engineer of the canal. 1t
is known is In favor of a one-man gov
eminent after the commission is abol-
ished. His views as to the wisdom OF
this system of ruling the Zone are
counter to those Of Richard Lee Met
calfe, a member of the commission
and at present the head of the de-
| partment of civil administration on
the isthmus The main point to bear
in mind at present, in the face of this
difference of opinion, is that their Is
no apparent intention on the part
Of the president Of the United
States to abolish the commission for
IA months, and that whatever contro,
yersy there may be between the chief
engineer and the head Of the depart
ment Of civil administration, it has no
bearing on the government of the ca
nal for many months to come.
All to Share In Honor.
1t perhaps is possible that the chief
engineer would like to be made gov
ernor of the Zone and to be the sole
representative of the isthmian canal
present In official capacity when the
waterway finally is opened. but it
seems certain to men in Washington
that the president has determined to
keep the commission intact until the
work finally is completed and to give
all of those who have had a share in
the building of the waterway an op
portunity to share In the honors of
the completing occasion"
In August, 1912, congress passed a
law for the permanent operation of
the canal and for the permanent gov
eminent of the Zone. This law pro-
Metcalfe favors change In the law
SO as to make it provide for a commits
sion of three, one to be an engineer
officer of the army. one to be versed
In tropical sanitation and one to be
civilian who is to be the head Of
ton. This plan has many friends in
congress and it may be that the ad.
ministration finally will come to con-
slider it as the best plan offered.
Won't Wait for Trust Reports.
1t seems likely that while congress
at the regular session is discussing
antitrust legislation the governments
commissioner of corporations, Joseph
e. Davies. will be making an investi-
cation Of the methods of the big cor
iCt lofa 20 lxao
report to the administration thereon.
In Washington one hears considerable
comment because of the apparent in |
tention Of congress to legislate on
subject while the subject is being in |
vestigated to determine the facts In |
the case.
1t is probable that President Wilson
thinks there have been investigations |
enough and reports enough in the past |
to enable the lawmakers to 60 ahead |
with the work Of restoring the compe-
titive conditions in trade which the |
Democrats seem to think it is possible !
to re-establish. 1t Is still the feeling |
OF men who seem to know, that the |
president will carry out his "one thing |
at time" program and will not ask |
congress to consider any question ex- |
cept antitrust legislation at the time |
that the subject is under discussion.
The tariff law has gone into effect |
and Is now working along its course
to the end of good or of evil While |
the law is being tested by actual op-
Grafton a bureau of the department of |
commerce is studying customs mat
tiers apparently to find out definitely
whether the law In the main Is right |
or wrong. The thought seems to be |
that II the Investigators discover that |
is being worked by one sec |
ton of the bill, correction can be |
made by the party in power. |
There are enough reports which
have followed trust investigations in |
the past to provide material for a book |
shelf Of public documents. Some of |
these Investigations were instigated |
by the Democrats when they were in
the minority in congress, and some of
them were instigated by progressive
Taking II for granted
that the officials who did the investi-
eating did 1t honestly. President VII.
son has enough data on the affairs of |
all the trusts from Standard Oil to a
shoe string combination to enable him /
to write a dozen messages to congress
on the inequalities and iniQuities' in