Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1913-04-30
REFORM IN. FINANCE n |
PRESIDENT BELIEVES BANKING
AND CURRENCY LEGISLATION
is VERY MUCH NEEDED.
AS IMPORTANT AS TARIFF

AS IMPORTANT AS TARIFF
Executive 10 Anxious That Special
Session Of Congress Take Up the
IS subject-Prompt Action. Would
Open Way for Other Matters.
BY GEoRGE.cLlNToN. /;
Washington,-It seems finally to be
definitely determined that President
Wilson, believing banking and cur,
rency legislation to be Of as much i'm
portance as the tariff bill is getting
anxious that such legislation shall be
enacted at the special session In adj
dition to that affecting the customs
II the tariff. bill shall make slow
progress after it has reached the
senate and should not go to the White
House for signature or veto before the
first Of August, 1t is perhaps likely
that Mr.. Wilson would be willing that
the special session should come to an
end and that there should be a recess
Of congress for at least six months.
There is growing feeling here that
II the tariff bills go through quickly
the president may ask that the cur
rency legislation be taken UP. but II it
shall prove a long-drawn out tariff SEES
sion the president may call another
extra session to begin about October
/, for the special purpose OF trying
to reform the banking and currency
laws of the country in accordance
with the views which his party holds
rs being best from the financial point
Of view.
Admittedly, there has been any
amount Of nothing more or less than
guess work about the probability of
currency reform being taken up at the
extra session. The president has in
timated very clearly that he intends
to send special currency message
to congress, and from the tone OF his
intimation it is taken to mean that
he intends to send 1t In before the reg
ular session begins in December. A
good many OF the Democrats in con-
gress do not want the currency touch
ed until next winter, and the whole
matter therefore depends largely upon
whether the congressional leaders or
the president have the final say SO
In the matter. 5sS 81, :
Pave Way for Other, Work.
There ere some OF the Democrats in
congress, on the other hand, who urge
that II tariff and banking and cur
rency can be passed and put into law
form before December next the long
session of next year can be given over
largely to work of so-called social leg
islation and to the solving OF the prob
lens Of greater economy and EN-
cheney in the administration Of the
federal affairs At this extra session
there are three appropriation bills UNI
der consideration. These bills failed
OF passage at the last regular session
and 80 congress has something to do
at the present moment in addition to
the tariff The work Of economy and
Amciency is bound up in the finances
of the country, but 1t seems likely to-
day that the work Of forming a bud
get system and Of reorganizing the
departments on an economic basis
will not begin until next winter.
Now, 1t Is said that President VIII
son intends, among other things, after
his economy and efficiency program
has been made known, to ask congress
to revise the civil service laws 80 as
to obtain greater efficiency In the civil
service and. as the Democrats say,
further to safeguard 1t. The mem
bers Of Mr.. Wilson's party say that
he IL az firm q believer In civil service
reform as Grover Cleveland was and
that in the time that has elapsed
since the last Democratic administra-
ton to the present one there have
been sumcient developments In the
civil service to enable Mr.. Wilson to
Judge rightly of where further inn
provement can be made. HI n
The Republicans in congress do not
take this civil service reform program
OF the Democrats very seriously. They
say that the service is on a good basis
today, and while the Democrats may
do q little something the real credit
for the work must belong to the Re
publican party. The Democrats on
their part say that the Republicans
did only as much for civil service as
they were forced to do. and that under
the Wilson administration greater i'm
provement will be made.
Supreme Court overworksd.
The Supreme court Of the United
States Is overworked. Perhaps It
should be- put this way: "A good
many members Of congress think
that the Supreme court Is over
worked" There is said to be no COM
plant on the part of the justices that
they are overburdened with labor, but
the average of age in the membership
Of the court is high and the judges
have an immense amount to do.
though they bear it uncomplainingly.
and perhaps one of the reasons Is
that they are opposed to having any
change In the present system made, q
change which has been urged fire.
quently and which may become chief
matter of discussion, If not Of action
before the present congress ends its
days. lis
A proposal came from Senator Gore
Of Oklahoma some little time ago that
it might be wise to increase the
membership Of the court to IL judges.
His plan. it seems. is finding some IA
vor, and President Wilson. who was
consulted about 1t, has given atten-
ton to the pleas in its behalf. but
not yet has committed himself to the
advisability Of adopting the plan. e
Before this time proposals have
been made to increase the member
ship Of the court. The instant such q