The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-01-15

whose local laws forbid the exploita-
ton of convict labor, thus demoraliz-
| ing the market and practically nullify-
ing the effect of the local laws"
End Sought Is Favored.
| There seems to be general disposi-
ton among members of congress to
regard with favor the end sought by
the Boeher bill, but there is feeling
also that 1t will interfere with the
rights of the states to do what they
wish within their own borders. The
| question, therefore, with some of the
| law makers, as far as one can get at
their opinions, is that the bill, excel
lent though it may be, would be an,
entering wedge for further federal in
reference with the affairs of the
| states. The tendency of the times,
however, seems to be to give fuller
control to the federal government.
To give some idea of the sharpness
of the controversy over this convict
! labor bill, a report recently made by
man who has studied the situation
for years says that the advocates of
the present system form a rich and
powerful group and that their opposi-
ton may result in the defeat of the
Booher bill" 1t is said in Washing
ton without naming names that one
of the convict labor contractors is a
social and financial leader in Cincin-
natl and friend ofNthe president of
the United States; another is Chi
cago multi-lnillionaire and secretary
of a great charitable organization,
while another is prominent Baltimo-
rean.
Arguments on Other Side.
1t must not be understood that all
the arguments are to be allowed for
bill lis ended persons representing the
contracting interests affected will pre-
sent as forcibly. as they can their
side OF the question They will not
depend entirely upon "'unconstieution-
atty" or upon state rights arguments,
but they will talk about the extra pay
which convicts earn and some of the
other things which have gone to make
up the arguments in behalf of the pre-
vailfng custom.
Nearly nine years the United States
bureau Of labor made special inves-
tigation of the convict labor system
and in report condemned it. This
report will be used by the advocates
OF the measure to uphold their conten-
ton that the Booher bill should pass.
1t seems probable that if there were
no state rights questions involved the
bill would go through by heavy vote.
AS 1t Is, its passage may be consid-
cred as In doubt
Money Legislation Certain.
Nobody knows what is going to be
the outcome of the money trust inves-
tigation. On the word of "a rpnom,
inent' congressman there are not ten
congressman in the capitol who have
knowledge of finance broad enough to
afford base for legislation which
would give promise OF being worthy.
In truth there are some congressman
who say that men do not know any
more about real methods of reguIat-
ing the currency than they did in the
days when sea shells were used as
cash. This Is not a very promising
outlook for the results of the money
trust investigation or for eventual
currency reform legislation, but it is
certain that some time or other Dem
ocrats, Progressives or Republicans
VIII put through some kind of a cur
rency measure in the hope that it VIII
stand the test and do the things gen.
orally which have not been done in
times OF trouble in the past.
In a room almost next that in
which the money trust delivers delye
Sit the members of the ways and
means committee to hear the argu-
ments for and against tariff reduc-
tons. The wool growers representa-
tives are to come back here from the
country Of Warren and Smoot and
from the sheep ranches of Texas.
They repeat what they have said
twice before since Mr.. Taft became
president. What is true of the hear
ings on wool will be true of the hear
ings on other things. Repetition is
to rule the committee room.
Other Inquiries Going On.
Antitrust legislation is to be in
vestigated. The house committee ON
judiciary is to grant hearings this
month to all those interested. The
shipping trust is to be looked into by
the committee on merchant marine.
and simultaneously there will he an
inquiry into the New Haven't Grand
Trunk railroad situation in New
England. January is to be time of
investigation.
The work of gathering facts ex-
tends to the framing of a currency
bill, which Is to be put into the hands
of subcommittee 1t was only last
year that the Aldrich currency com
mission ended it's work It's report
was voluminous. It's members had
gone to Europe to dig into banking
methods, its principal member had
gone to the big cities of the United
States to speak 70 men interested in
the subject and incidentally, probably,
to win them to his view df the rem.
edy for currency laws.
The commission did SITS work,
framed its report and tur,.ad it over.