The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1913-02-07


eral, after consultation with the in.
terstate commerce commission, and
on its approval, can make such
changes by executive order as he sees
fit.
It is known that Mr.. Hitchcock is
extremely advanced in his ideas Of
what the post Office department should
have within It's Jurisdiction. It is
said he holds that the express com I
panies for years have been infringing
upon the natural rights Of the postal |
service, and that therefore the TAX I
ing over OF the business OF the COM
panies ought to follow in order that, |
from the Hitchcock point OF view. the |
government should have monopoly |
in postoffice business of all kinds
which he thinks belong to 1t.
A bill already has been prepared
and introduced into congress by Rep
resentative Lewis OF Maryland and
Representative Cooke of Ohio looking
to the ultimate taking over of the ex-
press companies by the United States
government. Now it would be per-
fectly possible for the government, un-
der the clause In the law which al
ready has baen quoted, gradually to
extend the parcel post until the field
of the express companies had been 30
intruded upon that they might be
forced out of business without any re-
compense. 1t seems, therefore, to be
the intention of the proponents of
government ownership, to take anoth-
er course, and to propose that the ex-
press companies business be taken
over, and that they be paid a fair
sum for what they give up, and that
the stockholders shall be reimbursed
for their investments.
1t seems likely that, II congress
shall listen attentively to thu propos-
al for the taking over of the express
companies business, dollar for dollar
will be paid for all the valuable rights
and properties that are received after
properly constituted board has de-
cided the matter. It may be, and per-
haps will be, that years will elapse be-
fore the sentiment of congress will
allow the government to enter into the
express business wholesale. Perhaps
the day of such proceeding never
will come, but the plans are laid to
make the attempt and the proposal
has perhaps as many friends as OPP
ponents in the two houses of con-
gress as they are at present consti-
| tuted.
Useless Tariff Hearings.
| Representative Oscar w. Under
wood and his Democratic colleagues
forming a majority of the ways
and means committee already have
heard the pleas and the protests
on chemicals. on earthenware. glass
ware, metals and a host OF other
things and they will go on hearing
1.-The fors" and 1.-The againsts" on other
imports until the last day OF this
month and then they will prepare tar
If revision measures in virtually the
same form as those made ready at
the last session.
1t is probably true that the repre-
sentatives of high protection who are
now In Washington to be heard by
the ways and means committee fully
realize that their pleas will be OF nc
service, for they made the same pleas
at the last session and then the com
mittee went ahead and wrote such
bills as seemed right from the Demo
cratic standpoint, and this is exactly
what is going to be done at the extrt
session. The hearings have beer
granted for the purpose of giving ev
erybody a chance TO say what h'
chooses and to allow no opportunit!
for anyone to complain. when the bill
are presented, that only one side o
the case was heard.
No "Cut to the Bone"
AS has been said before, "the Demo
Gratis are not going to cut the tariff t
the bone" This much is assured an,
no one here seems to be particular.
scared over the result to bushes
when the new laws shall come int
force. The high protectionists through
their representatives predict disaster
but few of the members of congress
seemingly believe the predictions. A
. any rate the Washington legislator
OF the protection ranks are preservin
, remarkable equanimity If they thin
that the precipice is just ahead an
, that business soon is to break 1t
bones at the bottom Of the abyss.
The tariff hearings in the hous
committee on ways and means wi
end on Friday. January 81. II MI
Y Wilson shall call congress togethe
: in extra session on March Is Nj
+ Underwood and his comrades wi
r have six weeks time in which to pr
> pare their tariff bills. II it were nc
: for the clerical work involved th
+ thing could be done in week. for
= secure copying guide is to be foun
D in many cases in the bills which wer
D through the house last year.
: Protection TO Make Its Fight.
: 1t will not surprise anybody If tn
Y representatives get through wit
e their tariff debate by the end of tn
first week in April. The time OF d
t bate in the house will be limited, bl
, Serene E. Payne, Joseph w. Fordne
/ and some others of the protectio
Z chieftains. will make the most of Ii