Judsonia weekly advance., 1913-12-17

du alHClICdH ClllzOu
 Under the terms of the Adamson bill these men are named as deserv- ing that the thanks of congress, which means of course the thanks of the peo- pie of the United States, be given them for their work: Col. George w. Goethals, chairman and chief engi- neer; Col. William c. Gorgas, sanitary officer; Lieut.-Col. H. F. Hodges, Lieut.-Col. William L. Sibert; Lieut. Col. David Du B. Gaillard and Com mander H. H. Rousseau.
 Promotion With Retirement.
 There is a second provision to the Adamson bill which provides for pro- motion on retirement of the officers who are named, but promotion and retirement which are to come only at the will of the president of the Unit ed States. In other words, what may be called material reward provision of the bill is dependent upon the wish of the president and dependent also upon the interests of the service. Un- der this second provision the pres1- dent Is authorized to retire two of the army officers, who of course will be Colonel Goethals and Colonel Cor gas, with the rank and pay Of major general, and to retire the other three army officers, Colonels Hodges, Sibert and Gaillard, with the rank of briga- dier general The retirement of Civil Engineer Rousseau, who is "civilian" naval officer, Is authorized with ad- vancement to the rank and pay of rear admiral.
 One of the features of the second pro vision Is that while it promotes the builders of the Panama canal and gives them material reward, the pro- motion can come only with retire. ment and this means that the advance in grade will not in any way inter- fere with the promotion of other of fcers of the army and navy In tue regular order of the service. They will not be jumped over the heads of any of their brother officers who to- day are their superiors In rank. The bill seems to be carefully drawn, and the belief seems to be that 1t will meet with the approval of the people of the country.
 Lawmakers Kept Busy.
 Congress passed without so much as a pause from the special session to the regular session and it has ahead of it as much hard work as ever confronted law making body of the United States. The Democratic majority will find all kinds of matters to engage its attention from this time henceforward, and it may be that when the present administration has ended it will be found congress virtually has been in continuous session. p
 If President Wilson follows his es- tablished rule he will keep senate and house working away until the com pletion of the legislation which the Democrats have promised. The rep resentatives in congress show at times sort of a desire to be slow in their worK, 66G MT. Wilson kept dp prod diI5g qssssI e ss,.-t9- 2, s -t9 show that he. intends to stay the hand that prods.
 It is a long list of legislative mat ters which the Democrats have pre- pared in accordance with their duty of obedience to the commands of the platform which was adopted at Balti- more.
 Program for Congress.
 Here is list of things to be done, only partial perhaps, but containing the main subjects of legislation which are now in sight:
 Finish up currency legislation.
 Amend the Sherman law to make imprisonment certain for violators. and to restore competitive conditions to the business of the country.
 Establish a system of rural credits which will help the farmer financially and keep him from the clutches of the grasping money lender.
 Authorization of government con- struction of four hundred miles of rail roads in Alaska, and the opening up under government supervision of the wealth of that territory.
 Legislation which will give the Fili- pino people larger measure of home rule, with definite promise of future independence with a time set for their first Fourth of July"
 The extension of the parcel post system There is already legislation which will make this possible, but congress must bulwark 1t with appro- priations.
 Authorization of congressional in quiry into the high cost of living.
 Proposal of a resolution for sub hitting to the people constitutional amendment making the president in- eligible for reelection.
 Legislation to honor fittingly the men who have built the Panama Canal -Goethals, Gorgas. Hodges. Gaillard Sibert, Rousseau.
 Authorization of two new battle ships for the United States navy.
 These are the principal pieces o1 legislation which the Democrats have in view. If they are as deliberate 1T enacting each important measure into law as they were in sending the tarif1 bill through to passage and in dis xt1 l<