The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1914-03-06
PLAN BOYCOTT ON
UNSAFE STE AlNERS.
Many Who Do Much hans-A tlantic'
Travelling Considering sForma-
ton OF Safety At Sea Society
POSSIBLE RAILROAD ECONOMICS
Point Brought Out During Recent
Debate Which Shows llliteracy Can
Be Eliminated In Mountains

ACO0VC w 4AANxA S44V"0 AAAAVVA ONy SeSAA
Be Eliminated In Mountains
From Congressman C.. H. Tavenner.
Washington, March -Curiously
enough. it was Republican who
raised the point of interference with
p States rights that defeated the bill
in the House providing for a federal
investigation of illiteracy in the
United States and methods by which
it can be eliminated. Many Repub-
licans voted against the measure,
and their votes, combined with those
of Democrats who feared an invasion
of States rights, defeated the bill.
There seemed to be nothing in the
bill but what any Democrat might
subscribe to. The prime purpose of
the bill was to put the Bureau OF
Education in an advisory capacity to
the school system of the country
much in the same relation as the De-
partment Of Agriculture occupies to-
ward farming. -
The decisive vote against the mea-
sure, however, indicates the sort Of
treatment that will meet the grow
ing movement to secure federal aid
for the common schools of States.
The debate, however, served 70
bring out the very interesting edu-
cational work done in Rowan Coun-
ty, KY, by woman, Mrs. Stewart,
superintendent of the schools of that
county. Rowan County is in the
mountains, and there was a high pre-
centage Of illiteracy among adults
until Mrs. Stewart took hold of the
work. She has practically elm
inated illiteracy from Rowan Coun-
ty by system of "moonlight schools"
conducted for mountaineers after
their daily toll is done. 1t only
took her few months to do it. The
story of Rowan County was told by
Congressman Fields, of Kentucky,
who gave as his opinion that what
Mrs. Stewart has done can be dupli-
Gated in every mountain district IN
the eastern United States. -, =
To Boycott Unsafe Steamboats,
Word comes to Washington that
there is in process of formation a
"Safety at Sea Society" whose mem
bers will be those who do great
deal of transatlantic travelling. The
members of this organization will
take pledge not to travel on boats
(which do not provide life boats for
all aboard, and which do not furnish
two able seamon for each life boat
Such an organization, if it at
tains strength, will probably have a
big effect on the shape in which the
LaFollette seamen's bill gets through
Congress, since that measure re-
quires precisely the kind of life pro-
lection for which the new society
stands. Let any number of travel
lers join this society, and the op-
position to the LaFollette will melt
away. 49,
Already, it is said one of the big
trans Atlantic lines is equipping its
vessels as would be required by the
LaFollette law, and coast wise line
of steamships is following the ex-
ample. .-... 5.-.
Possible Railroad Economies
Additional methods by which the
railroads can save $50,00O,00O pei
year, instead of raising the freight
rates to gain that amount, are be-
ing, brought out before the Inter.
state Commerce Commission.
Inspectors report that the New
York Central was paying to the Ma.
tional Sugar Co., the expense Of
loading sugar at the door of the cal
and sweeping the floor of the sugar
shed afterwards. This was regard
ed as a transportation expense, ant
one payment came to $6,147.15. The
banana trust collected $7,48O fol
loading fruit. The beef trust ant