Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1914-02-06

le" nave volunteered to apply the
fuse and plant the dynamite
The pork barrel commission ere
ated under the Taft administration is
ready TO report. 1t remains to be seen
whether its findings viii check the
activities of the four hundred and
thirty-hye representatives and the
ninety-five senators There is one va
cant seat who daily are dropping
bills into the hopper, hoping that they
will be ground out in the form of pub
lie buildings for the towns. little and
big. in the home states.
Sherman Allen, former assistant
secretary OF the treasury. was named
by the commission appointed under
the Taft administration to make an
investigation of the public building
necessities" of the country Mr. Al
len has completed his work and the
commission is about TO report.
Some of the things which this CON-
mission has ascertained ought to nix
the attention and perhaps ought to get
the support of the country, but viii
they? Every town in the land which
has none wants public buildings, and
the plea always is that another town
no bigger and no more important has
one, so why the discrimination?
Great Waste of Money.
II has been learned by the investl-
gators that 1t will be six years before
the public buildings already author.
ICED by congress viii be completed.
Congress will be told, with facts and
figures TO support the telling. that
there has been an enormous waste OF
money because of the haphazard sys-
tenn of appropriating for post offices,
custom houses and the like.
One OF the discoveries OF the com
mission is that the cheapest OF the
buildings costs at least $1,000 a year
for maintenance and that buildings OF
tae kind usually erected in the county
seat towns cost $1,000 year for main
tenanee. AS against these figures the
| post office department shows that it
is able to rent quarters for from $500
to 81 900 year. and the owners shout
der maintenance charges.
Congress will be told in a few days
that there should be a permanent
| tribunal authorized to see whether a
government-owned post Office building
is necessary in the town or city which
through its congressman asks for it.
line commission will recommend that
such tribunal be established
Says Business Is Safe.
Democratic senators and representa-.
tives hold that President Wilson's
conviction. as expressed in his recent
address. that no harm is to come 10
the business of the country from the
Legislative work which is to be done, is
the most striking feature OF his mes.
sage to congress and to the people.
The presidents recent address has
been productive of more comment In
this city than anything else which has
come from his pen or his tongue since
he became president of the United
States
The business world has read Mr..
Wilson's address and probably has
studied 1t as every member OF congress
has done. Mr. Wilson took occasion
to make il plain that he takes it for
granted no possible harm can come
to the commercial interests from the
legislation which the Democrats have
before them.
In his address the president. speak
ing for the best Informed men of the
business world" as IL 'e had certain
kne Wedge. of his right so to speak,
said: We shall now be their spokes-
man. That is the strength of our po-
sition and a sure propheay of what
win ensue when our reasonable work
is done"
PROFESSIONALLY President Wilson ex-
poets the antitrust legislation for
which, with congress. he will be re-
spoDsible. to be greeted with cordial
ity like that which he seems to be
convinced has been accorded currency
legislation.
Where Hifficuity May Come.
Ii is some distance, however. from
presidents message tc federal
law. Congress yet has. to act Ia these
| matters concerning the trusts OF the
country. The leaders must take hold
of matters and frame the legislation
which ultimately shall be passed.
From present indications the Demo
cratic chieftains intend to follow
closely the lines of the president
recommendation. but that attempts
will be made to divert them from
these lines is certain.
The chief difficulty perhaps which
the Democratic majority viii have TO
meet is that of framing the measure
which win make guilt personal. The
president in his address said. Every
act of business is done at the COM
mand or upon the initiative OF some
o~~n.+rErabla .aapon0 ~ porzara