The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-08-04


were nominated 10 the honor by the
Southern Commercial Congress if
there is any such organi2ationl. These
members are called an advisory com
mittee. and consisted OF more than
one hundred men from various states
OF the South. who went with the fed
eral commission 'unotdcially."
The federal commission OF seven
members. consisted besides Senators
Fletcher and Gore (who did not go
10 Europel OF representative Moss of
Indiana. Colonel Harvey Jordan. DR..
Clarence J. Owens Or Kenyon l..
Butterheld and Dr John Lee Coulter.
Or Owens figures as "Director-Gen-
eral There is no such title I'm the
law creating the commission. Ac-
companying the federal commission
were a stan OF stenographers. clerks
assistants and employees senator
Cores secretary, who is the Senator'S
brother, went in the capacity OF cler-
zeal help, having his expenses paid
out OF the appropriation so did the
secretary 10 Representative Lever.
Chairman of the House Committee on
Agriculture. Senator Fletcher's two
daughters also accompanied the com.
mission in some capacity not gener.
ally understood
Ii is announced that permanent of
hces are to be opened in Washington
and that this fall voluminous report
will be sent out on the. Subject of
rural credits and farm banks
The legal status of this commission
is rather peculiar 4 paragraph was
slipped into the Agricultural appro-
priation bill which says that the
President shall appoint a commission
composed OF not more than seven
persons who shall serve. without com.
pensation TO cooperate with the Am
erican commission assembled under
the auspices OF the Southern Com.
mercial Congress To investigate and
study in European countries cooper
ative land mortgage banks. co-opera.
ave rural credit unions. and similar
examinations and institutions devot-
ing their attention TO the promotion
Of agriculture and the betterment OF
rural conditions"
The law sets aside $4,000 which
may be expended on the authority of
the chairman tSenator Fletcher for
any necessary expenses either i'm
Washington or elsewhere. Presumably
this covers travelling expenses AL.
though the appropriation is contained
n the agricultural departments ap-
preparation bill, that department has
nothing TO do with spending the mon.
ey Senator Fletcher has been made
special disbursing officer 10 disburse
this fund and when he makes his final
report undoubtedly he will tell how
much of this $4,000 has been used
and for what purposes Fletcher is
President OF the Southern CONNER
cial Congress. and also chairman of
the American Commission" as we'll
as the Federal Commission"
What this provision OF the law
amounts to, therefore, is handing over
70 the Southern Commercial Congress
or its appointees. $4,000 OF govern.
ment funds to spend in gathering sup
posedly valuable information to be
had In Europe on the subject OF rurar
credits. There is no doubt that every
feet embraced in this commission $
report could BE obtained in the Con.
gressional Library; If not. it could
certainly be had through the Ameri.
can consular officers. This is assum.
ing that the special labors of Am.
oassador Myron T. Herrick in Paris
were Intellectual. He was ordered by
President Taft TO make an exhaustive
inquiry and report on this same sub.
ject, and the State Department issu-
ed reams OF press agent dope on
these alleged Investigations.
Rep. A. w. Lafferty, OF Oregon,
who has just returned from trip 10
Europe, reports that from his obser-