The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-04-22
REFORM IN FINANCE.
PRESIDENT BELIEVES BANKING
AND CURRENCY LEGISLATION
rs VERY MUCH NEEDED.
As IMPORTANT AS TARIFF
Executive 10 Anxious That Special
Session Of Congress Take Up the
subjeet-Prompt Action Would
Open Way for Other Matters.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

BY GEORGE CLINTON.
washingtop.-It seems finally to be
definitely determined that President
Wilson. believing banking and cur
rency legislation to be OF as puch im-
portsnce a. the tariff bill Is getting
anxious that such legislation shall be
enacted, at the special session In ad-
dition to that affecting the customs.
II the tariff bill shall make slow
progress AFTER II has reached the
senate and should not 20 to the White
House for signature or veto before the
first Of August, It 10 perhaps likely
that Mr.. Wilson would be willing that
the special session should come to an
end and that there should be q recess
of congress for at least six months.
There il a growing feeling here that
II the tarif bills 20 through quickly
the president may ask that the cur
rency legislation be taken up, but II II
shall prove Ions-drawn out tariff ses-
sion the president may call another
extra session to begin about october
l, 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
as 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 a special currency message
TO congress, and from the tone OF his
intimation II Is taken TO mean that
he intends 10 send Il 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
whether the congressional leaders or
the president have the final say SO
in the matter. =
Pave Way for Other Work.
There are 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 SO congress has something to do
at the present moment in addition to
The tariff The work of economy and
efficiency is bound up in the finances
of the country, but il seems likely to-
day that the work OF forming a bud
get system and of recognizing the
departments on an economic basis
will not begin until next winter.
Now. il is said that President VIII
son intends. among other things. after
hts economy and efficiency program
has been made known. TO ask congress
10 revise the civil service laws 30 as
70 obtain greater efficiency in the civil
service and. as the Democrats say.
further to safeguard it. The mem
bers of Mr.. Wilson's party say that
he is as firm a 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 sufficient developments in the
civil service to enable Mr.. Wilson to
Judge rightly OF where further i'm
provement can be made.
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 a 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 we're forced TO do. and that under
the Wilson administration greater i'm
proyement will be made.
Supreme Court ovsr~orked.
The Supreme court OF the United
States is overworked. Perhaps 1t
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 II uncomplainingly.
and perhaps one OF the reasons is
that they are opposed to having any
change In the present system made. a
change which has been urged fire.
quently and which may become chief
matter OF discussion, n not OF action
before the present congress ends its
days.
A proposal cara from Senator Gore
OF Oklahoma some little time ago that
IL might be wise to increase the
membership Of the court to IL judges.
His plan. II seems. Is finding some IA
vor. and President Wilson. who was
consulted about IL. has given atten-
tion TO the pleas In its behalf. but
not yet has committed himself to the
sdyisability OF adopting the plan.
before this time proposals have
boen made 10 increase the member