The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-04-22


bers are not needed. II has been
charged again and again that the SUI
preme court is too conservative, and
some men have gone so far as to say
that II interprets the law today in the
spirit OF 1890. One Of the answers to
this made In behalf OF the judges Ia
that the court In the last two years
has aflrmed a good deal OF progress
i've legislation and has rendered many
decisions in keeping with the spirit OF
the age.
All Kinds Of Arguments.
Every time that there is a sugges-
ton to increase the number OF Su.
preme court judges II also is said that
the Legislators who propose 1t are de
sirous of finding high and comfortable
seats for some noted lawyers OF their
acquaintance. II 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 sine can do II.
IL has been suggested also that
some plan might be evolved to relieve
the Supreme court of . good many OF
the duties which IL now has 70 per
form.
II looks today as II any scheme for
increasing the court will find q good
many obstacles in congress. The con
stitutional lawyers In house and sen
ate. irrespective Of party. say that
the Supreme court IL one which should
not be affected by legislation unless II
is absolutely imperative that such
should be the case. There always
has been a dread among Americans,
and one knows this because II finds
its expression in congress constantly,
lest the Supreme court should be made
a political institution. Whenever 1t
has been suggested that a 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
prsponderantly more Democratic.
more Republican. more conservative,
or more progressive. The evident
wish has been TO keep it free from
all kinds Of opinions simply because
they are opinions, and In saying this
OF course political, fractional or eco
nomic opinions are meant.
Not Favored by Justices.
Il is said that the Supreme court
itself does not view the plan to en-
large It with anything like favor. As
the court lie constituted today and as
has been proved by the upholding and
dissenting opinions in certain cases,
there is a 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.
It 10 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
F. Houston is making definite plans
for the establishment OF the bu.
reau of markets which congress
authorized at It's last session. II Is
the hope OF the secretary that as a
result Of his planning the producer
and the consumer can be brought in
closer touch. II will be 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 a
campaign which they hope eventually
will reduce the high cost of living.
The committee made up Of bureau
chiefs In the department. recently APP
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, and 30 Secretary
Houston does not have to wait until
the new fiscal year TO take the prelim-
mary steps in working out his ideas,
and those OF his advisors.
The new bureau contemplates max
Ing an intensive rather than an exten.
sive Investigation of market condi.
tons. II will begin it's work In mod
est way, In keeping with the appro-
priation that was authorized for its
establishment, and will be known ~
the ONCE OF market investigations. I'M
less the secretary thinks OF q more
appropriate name. In due time Secre'
tary Houston hopes that the ONCE will
grow to bureauhood and will prove it's
worth. During it's infancy this new
branch OF the department OF agricul-
ture is concentrating its efforts on a