The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1913-09-09
President May Read Only His
Own Views on Affairs.
NO DEPARTMENTAL DATA.
None Of the Large States Now Repre-
In Part, to Abrogation of Old Senior
ity Ruie-May Raise Rank of Span
ish Minister to Ambassador.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

Washington. Sept. S.-[Special If
the president keeps up the practice Of
reading his messages to congress he
will have to curtail the annual mes
sage at the beginning Of the regular
session Those ponderous documents
of 10000 to $4,000 words, reviewing
the doings Of the federal government
for year. trimming with statistics
about c. departmental matters, could
scarcely be read by any one man. The
clerks In both senate and house spell
each other on presidential message
Some OF those long ones would take
more than two hours,
No doubt the president, II he con
tinues the custom, will make his mes
sages conform to what he writes him
self and not include all the data and
reviews Of departmental doings which
cabinet officers usually furnish to pad
out the annual report Of the president,
for it becomes nothing more on most
occasions. - ..-
Want More Posts.
Secretary Garrison has been in favor
Of abandoning many Of the military
posts. He has been making a tour Of
different posts throughout the west.
and it Is interesting to note that every
place where there Is q post Is openly
and earnestly In favor Of having that
post enlarged, while a dozen or more
places where no posts now exist are
candidates for new posts. 4 military
post near a town means more federal
money, and Of course the people are
trying to get ali they can along that
line Secretary Garrison seems to
have added to his burdens m the mat
ter Of military posts.
Mann Keeps Control.
To few of his personal friends Nj
nority Leader Mann has complained
that he does not get assistance from
his fellow Republicans In such a way
as to relieve him Of any Of the re-
sponsibility of his position. But 1t
is doubtful whether Mann wants much
assistance.
1t is quite noticeable that he takes
charge Of matters which would nat
urally fall to the ranking Republican
minority members of the different com
those minority members.
Mann is the real boss Of his party
In the house John Sharp Williams,
when minority leader, was also domi-
nant IN all affairs on the Democratic
side.
Farmers Arc Needed.
Congressman Burnett Of Alabama,
commenting on the tangle which has
arisen in his state over the senate
rial vacancy, says that it shows how
careless were the lawyers of congress
in writing a constitutional amendment
which they cannot interpret.
ut reminds me-" said Burnett, ''of
an old farmer In Alabama who an
nounced that they were going to send
farmers to the legislature hereafter
instead OF lawyers so that laws could
be framed which people could under
stand"
Small States Represented.
Four small western states are rep
resented on the finance committee
which has charge Of the tariff bill.
They are Colorado. Utah, Wyoming
and North Dakota
1t is true that three Of these are Re-
publicans and have not had much to
say about making tho present bill,
but they are there just the same OF
the big states neither New York, Ohio,
Illinois, Michigan, Texas, Iowa nor
Minnesota are represented, nor Is any
part Of the Pacific coast.
On the Republican side the unbro
ken rule Of seniority prevents new men
from getting on that committee and
senators old In service get the places.
The Democrats have broken that rule
and many new senators are serving on
the committee.
McAdoo Didn't Go In.
Secretary McAdoo, who had great
deal to do with the currency bill and
drafted some provisions which many
members did not like, was at com
mittee room Of the house one day
when the Democrats We're in caucus
on the currency bill
IF you will step in there" said one
OF his friends to the treasury head,
you will hear something to your dis
That's just why am not going in
declared McAdoo. II hear enough of
that kind Of talk without going after
more"
Proof Positive.
Congressman Helm of Kentucky.
speaking Of the Mcdonald case from
Michigan. said: II can demonstrate in
one minute that Mcdonald was elect
ed. The election was held The Demo
cratic candidate does not claim that he
was elected The Republican candi
date says he was not elected Nc
Donald has proved that he was elect
ed. and he is entitled to the seat
And no one could gainsay his rea-
soning.
S-.---- - MISREPRESENTATION as1~saf1s