The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1914-07-02
Washington Whisperings.

ProSlQenC w lSOD > elipuoSlS uSSA"A e~~AN,'
to the newspaper correspondents that ne
would expect Congress to remain IN ses-
sion until the antitrust legislation pro-
posed bv him in his message to the
National lawmakers has been enacted
brought a wall from the lips of many
congressman who had hoped to get away
in July for fence-repairing purposes;
some of these aforesaid 'fences' being
in exceedingly bad repair, according to
inside information.
One thing the Presidents utterances
has done is the subject of congratula-
ton, that is, the speeding up OF the SEN
ate in it's consideration of the approprla-
Gion bills With the exception OF the
Sundry Civil, the River and Harbor, and
the General Deficiency bills. the Senate
has passed all the other money budgets
and thew have either become laws or are
still in conference.
The River and Harbor appropriation
bill was reported to the Senate on Thurs
dav. June 18th, and its early considera-
ton will be urged. While there will be
some objection to certain features OF the
bill it is not expected that the opposition
will be either large or unreasonable, and
the bill will pass the Senate in due sea-
son.
The Year Book of the Department OF
Agriculture for 1918, which has just come
from the presses and is being distributed
To congressman and to correspondents OF
fhe DEPARTMENT entitled to receive copies,
3;ffars in several respects from its prede-
cessors, the articles in general being OF
a more popular and instructive charac-
Ter. although the book itself contains
smaller number of pages than those that
have gone before.
In the articles in the Year Book the
cost of living plays prominent part.
Or. Pennington, for example, points out
That Americans neglect valuable source
IF food bv failing to take advantage OF
the immense supply of fish at their dis
pesal. The protein content OF hsh Is
fully as high as THAT of meat and yet,
although meat prices are rising steadily,
2ittle or no effort is made ITO use the
cheaper substitute. 1t IS the foreign
,onulation of the United States which
eats the greater part of the fish consum-
ed in this country. DR.. Pennington names
fan stanIe varieties some of which 1t is
safe to say can always be purchased Tor
less than ten cents pound, even when
rrices are highest, and can usually be
obtained for less than fivescents.
The book is illustrated by "a full-page
solates. of which large number are re-
produced in colors, and by 81 tables, maps
and line drawings.
DR.. W. T. Hornaday, one OF the lead
ing naturalists of the world, and an emil
nent authority on bird and animal lie,
mead of New York's famous geological
park, is conducting nationwide propa-
ganda against the slaughter OF useful
birds. "The American people, he says.
<r,nust awake to a realizing sense of GER
;air facts that seriously affect the cost
of living. The 5000 900 men and boys
who are Strengthening our birds, are levy
ing tribute on every American pocket
book" He says the codling moth and
curcuio apple pests costs US about 3d.
$50 900 year for spraying operations,
and S12, O0O 600 year in shrinkage OF
value in the apple crop. The chinch bug
,. .aa+, .o,oo+ipoas cost us 500 000 = |
900 year. The cotton boil weevil costs
the cotton planters 500, 100000 year.
The tree-insect pests cost the nation
800. OO0 900 a year. While the grass
hoppers. cut worms, army worms, wire
worms. leaf hoppers, and other insects !
cost the nation annually more millions
than can be counted separately. He
urges with all his great ability, backed
by thousands of enthusiastic followers,
the enactment of legislation that will put
a stop to the ruthless killing of robins,
solackbirds, doves, the bobwhite quail.
and insect. eating shore birds.
LET Uncle Sam do it, may be con-
,sidered the motto of most men In Con-
gress. The members of the appropria-
ton committee of the House are not in
Guided, for they are the "watchdogs of
the Treasury" and oppose appropria-
tons except occasionally for their own
districts. But there is general tend
ency toward having the government do
everything. Rapid has been the develop
snent along this line, but the most inn
portant are the rural mail service, the
postal savings banks and the parcel
post. All of these have been of late
development. Soon will follow road
building. In addition, the Department
of Agriculture has developed functions
which strict constructionists would have
rejected quarter Of century ago. We
are looking after mines; we have public
health service invading the States, and
many bureaus whose sole duties are to
investigate the lives and means of the
people, heretofore regarded as functions
tor the States or the individuals.