Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1913-12-16

ton entered by any member of tn
engineering. or sanitary forces on the
lsthmus to measure which, extends
to them the thanks of congress. the
highest honor which can be given to
an American citizen.
Under the terms of the Adamson
| bill these men are named as deserv-
Ing that the thanks of congress, which
means of course the thanks of the peo-
pie of the United States, be given
| them for their work: Col. George w.
! Goethals, chairman and chief engi-
neer; Col. William c. Gorgas. sanitary
officer: Lieut.-Col. H. F. Hodges,
Lieut.-Col. William L. Sibert: Lieut.
Col David Du B. Gaillard and Com.
mander H. H. Rousseau.
Promotion With Retirement.
There is a second provision to the
Adamson bill which provides for pro-
motion on retirement of the officers
who are named, but promotion and
retirement which are to come only at
the will of the president of the Unit
ed States. In other words, what may
be called a material reward provision
| of the bill is dependent upon the wish
of the president and dependent also
upon the interests of the service. I'm
der this second provision the presi-
dent is authorized to retire two of
the army officers. who of course will
be Colonel Goethals and Colonel Cor
gas, with the rank and pay of major
general. and to retire the other three
army officers, Colonies Hodges, SiBert
and Gaillard, with the rank of brfga-
der general. The retirement of Civil
Engineer Rousseau. who is a civilian"
naval officer, is authorized with adj
vancement to the rank and pay of
rear admiral.
One of the features of the second pro-
vision is that while it promotes the
builders of the Panama canal and
gives them material reward, the pro-
motion can come only with retire
ment and this means that the advance
in grade will not in any way inter
fere with the promotion of other Of
ficers OF the army and navy in the
regular order OF the service. They
will not be jumped over the heads OF
any of their brother officers who to-
day are their superiors in rank The
bill seems to be carefully drawn, and
the belief seems to be that it will
meet with the approval of the people
of the country.
Lawmakers Kept Busy.
Congress passed without SO much as
q pause from the special session to the
| regular session and it has ahead of it
as much hard work as ever confronted
law making body OF the United
States. The Democratic majority will
find all kinds of matters to engage its
attention from this time henceforward,
and it may be that when the present
administration has ended it will be
found congress virtually has been in
continuous session.
If President Wilson follows his es-
tablished rule he will keep senate and
house working away until the com
pletion of the legislation which the
Democrats have promised. The rep
| resentatives in congress show at times
a sort of a desire to be slow in their
work, but Mr.. Wilson Kept on prod
ding and there are few symptoms to
show that he intends to stay the hand
that prods.
1t is a long list of legislative mat
tiers which the Democrats have pre-
pared in accordance with their duty
| Of oh fc he dc Of heA.
platform which was adopted at Balti
more.
Program for Congress.
Here is list of things to be done,
only partial perhaps, but containing
the main subjects of legislation which
are now in sight:
Finish up currency legislation.
Amend the Sherman law to make
Imprisonment certain for violators,
| and TO restore competitive conditions
to the business of the country
Establish a system of rural credits
which will help the farmer financially
and keep him from the clutches of
the gTasping money lender.
Authorization of government con-
| struction of four hundred miles of rail-
roads in Alaska, and the opening UP
under government supervision of the
wealth Of that territory.
Legislation which will give the Fill.
Pine people a larger measure of home
rule with a definite promise OF future
| independence with time set for their
| first Fourth of July"
The extension of the parcel post
system There is already legislation
which will make this possible. but
| congress must bulwark it with appro-
priations.
Authorization OF congressional in
quiry into the high cost of living.
| Proposal of a resolution for sub
hitting to the people constitutional
amendment making the president in
eligible for reelection.
Legislation to honor fttingly the
men who have built the Panama Canal
-Goethals, Gorgas, Hodges, Gaillard.
| Sibert, Rousseau.
! Authorization of two new battle
ships for the United States navy.
These are the principal pieces of
| legislation which the Democrats have
| in view. If they are as deliberate in
enacting each important measure into
law as they were in sending the tariff
bill, through to a passage and in dis
GUESSING the currency. it will be
Thanksgiving Day again before adj
| journment comes. and even if it shall
come then. the chances seem to be.
in view of the present state of things
legislative, that the record of accom-
plishment at turkey time next year
will not be great.
Obscure