Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1913-04-24

charged again and again that the Su
preme court is too conservative, and
some men have gone so far as to say
that 1t interprets the law today in the
spirit of $780, One of the answers to
this made In behalf OF the judges is
that the court In the las. two years
bias affirmed good deal of progress
i've legislation and has rendered many
decisions in keeping with the spirit OF
the age.
All Kinda Of Arguments.
Every time that there is a sugges-
ton to increase the number OF SUI
preme court judges 1t also iG said that
the legislators who propose 1t are de-
sirous of finding high and comfortable
| seats for some noted lawyers Of their
acquaintance. 1t can be readily seen
from this that all kinds of arguments.
pro and con, are used whenever
thought comes to anyone Of influence
that eleven judges can do the work
better than nine can do It.
II has been suggested also that
some plan might be evolved to relieve
the Supreme court Of a good many of
the duties which 1t now has to per-
form
1t looks today as II any scheme for
increasing the court will find good
many obstacles in congress. The con-
stitutional lawyers In house and SEN
ate, irrespective Of party, say that
the Supreme court is one which should
not be affected by legislation unless 1t
Is absolutely imperative that such
should be the case. There always
has been dread among Americans,
and one knows this because it finds
its expression In congress constantly,
lest the Supreme court should be made
political institution. Whenever 1t
has been suggested that change in
the number Of judges was advisable,
the most influential lawyers in con-
gress have at once endeavored to
prove that back Of the suggestion
was the motive of making the court
preponderantly more Democratic.
more Republican, more conservative,
or more progressive.
Not Favored by Justices.
It Is said that the Supreme court
itself does not view the plan to en-
large 1t with anything like favor. As
the court is constituted today and as
has been proved by the upholding and
dissenting opinions In certain cases,
there is wide difference Of tempera-
ment and belief In the court. but they
are not so marked apparently that
the judicial mind OF the justices can
not overcome their ingrained feeling
1t Ia urged by the courts friends that
with the difference of temperament
that exists today an increase in the
membership of the court would simply
complicate the situation without re-
sulting in any good.
Tackles Big Job.
Secretary OF Agriculture David
r. Houston is making definite plans
for the establishment of the bu-
reau Of markets which congress
authorized at its last session. 1t 10
the hope OF the secretary that as q
result of his planning the producer
and the consumer can be brought In
closer touch. II VIII be a week or two
yet before the details Of the system
which Mr.. Houston has in mind are
worked out, but all the department Of
ficials are pretty well Informed as to
the means to be used In starting n
campaign which they hope eventually
viii reduce the high cost Of living.
The committee made mp Of bureau
chiefs In the department. recently ap-
pointed by the secretary of agricul-
ture, to consider the formulation of a
survey OF all the conditions that sur
round the business of the farm and
the people who live In the country.
has completed its work and its report
has been approved by Secretary Hous.
ton.
The agricultural appropriation bill.
passed at the recent session of con
gress, sets aside $4,000 ito enable the
secretary of agriculture to acquire and
to diffuse among the people OF The
United States useful information on
subjects connected with the marketing
and distributing OF farm products. and
for the employment of persons and
means necessary in the city Of Wash
ington and elsewhere to carry out this
authorization" Ten thousand dollars
of this appropriation was made i'm.
mediately available.
The new bureau contemplates max
ing an intensive rather than an exten.
sive Investigation OF market condi
tons. 1t will begin Its work In mod
est way. in keeping with the appro-
priation that was authorized for Its
establishment, and will be known rs
the office OF market investigations. un
less the secretary thinks OF more
appropriate name. In due time Score
tary Houston hopes that the Office will
grow to bureauhood and will prove Its
worth. During its infancy this new
branch OF the department Of agricul-
ture Is concentrating its efforts on
few specific things will center Its
activities In making an exhaustive
study OF these three problems:
First: The preparation Of an inven.
tory OF all agricultural organizations
with special reference to those en-
gagged in marketing farm products.
Second: In what way and by what
means the department Of agriculture
can best assist the several communi-
ties in perfecting organizations for
marketing farm products.
Third: Careful and critical invests
CATION of state and national laws af.
fecting such organizations.
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every direction. or course the
horses were also killed. most OF