The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1913-04-25
VI ARrETTA, GA, APRIL %, 1918.
WASHINGTON LETTER
Washington City,
APRIL q, 1918.

APRlL Il, ~ o.
The nomination of Hon. William
J. Harris to be Director of the CEN
sus has been sent to the Senate and
Colonel Harris will be confirmed
this week.
Colonel Harris has many friends
in Cobb. He was at one time SEN
ator Clay's private secretary and is
now President of the Georgia Home
Insurance Company.
AS Director of the census Colonel
Haris will have under him very
Barge force of Government employ
as, practically all of them under the
Civil Service, however. | mention
this to prevent over crowding at the
pie counter The ColoneIs salary
will be- Sc, 900 a year and the Gov
eminent gets a bargain when it gets
him at that price. He is one of the
best business men of my acquain-
tance and no Department in Wash
ington needs such man more than
the Census Bureau. There has been
more waste in the Census Depart
ment than in anything else around
Washington SO far as l can gather,
and about the worst result that any
body could imagine.
n*
Hon. Charles Barrett, President
%f the Farmers Union, is frequent
visitor to Washington and was here
last week One of the most remark
able men ever knew is Charlie Bar
Fett. He is at the head of about
two million farmers and he is the
only man | ever saw at the head of
"a farmers organization that did not,
sooner or later, get into politics.
Not long ago there was a tremen-
ctous movement to get him into the
cabinet but | do not believe he
would have turned on his heel to get
the place. Recently he has been
mentioned as possible candidate
FOR the Senate. Between Senator
lIoke Smith and Mr.. Barrett there
Is a strong bond of friendship.
Hello, Charlie, how is the cam
3aign ." was the Senator's greeting
when they met in the Capitol Fri
day, shook hands and strolled down
into the Senate restaurant to have
dinner together and talk over mat
3crs OF practical benefit for the far
nlers. The Senator urged Mr.. Bar
Fett 10 accept an appointment by
Secretary of State William J. Bryan
30 attend the International Institute
OF Agriculture that is to meet short
~ in Rome, Italy, to study agricul-
tural credits and improved methods
but Mr.. Barrett preferred to name
another for that honor and service.
& "
Senator Bacon will be voted for
directly by the people at the special
election which the Legislature will
order in accordance with the new
provision of the Constitution for the
election of Senators by direct vote
1t is singular that the first Sen
;ltor who will be voted for under
the new provision is one who fought
IL 10 the last ditch in the Senate and
voted against it when it was on its
final passage.
Senator Bacon wanted it provided
that the Federal Government should
have no control over the elections
but the "Bristow Amendment" Wen
through all the same. In one of hi
speeches, in which he had talked o
the possibilities of troops and mar
shals at the polls, like the peop!
saw just after the war, Senator Ba
son said.
at is bad enough when we permi
Others to rob us of our rights; it i
bad enough when we let others, VIII
Go it only by the strong hand, tea
.rom our brows the authority an
dignity which belongs to us, but
is an unspcakable thing when we d
RI ourselves"
1t reminded him of the fable
eagle that lying wounded found il
chief pain in the fact that the arro'
b, had been guided by feather froI
his own wing.
Senator Bacon said the adoptio
of the amendment would unsettl
the foundations and destroy the sta
bility of the Government Yet
happens that he will be the first
be elected under the new law.
@.@
Mr.. l.. u. Robson spent an afte
noon in Washington last week on h
way home from New York to Ma