Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-02-06


fuse and plant the dynamite.
The pork barrel" commission Gre
ated under the Taft administration is
ready to report. 1t remains to be seen
whether its findings will check the
activities of the four hundred and
thirty-five representatives and the
ninety-five senator's (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 COM
mission has ascertained ought to fix
the attention and perhaps ought to get
the support of the country, but will
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.
1t has been learned by the investi-
gators that 1t will be six years before
the public buildings already author
lied by congress will be completed
Congress will be told, with facts and
rort t1II t1nN
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 $1,500 a year
Tor maintenance and that buildings Of
the kind usually erected in the county
seat towns cost $1,000 year for main.
tenance. AS against these figures the
post office department shows that II
is able to rent quarters for from $500
to $1,000 year. and the owners shoul.
der maintenance charges.
Congress will be told in a few days
that there should be 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 1t.
me commission will recommend that
such tribunal be established.
Says Business 10 Safe.
Democratic senators and representa-.
tives hold that President Wilson's
conviction, as expressed In his recent
address. that no harm Is to come to
the business of the country from the
Legislative work which is to be done. IL
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 It plain that he takes 1t 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 II he had certain
knowledge of his right so to speak.
said: I'VE shall now he their spokes-
man. That is the strength of our po-
sition and sure prophesy of what
will ensue when our reasonable work
is done"
Jnquestionably President Wilson ex-
poets the antitrust legislation for
which. with congress. he will be re-
sponsible. to be greeted with cordial
ity like that which he seems to be
convinced has been accorded currency
Legislation.
Where Difficulty May Come.
1t is some distance. however. from
presidents message to a federal
law. Congress yet has to act in 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 presidents
recommendation. but that attempts
will be made to divert them from
these lines is certain.
The chief difficulty perhaps which
the Democratic majority will have to
meet is that of framing the measure
which will make guilt personal The
president in his address said, Every
act of business is done at the com
.....
ascertainable person or persons.
These should be held individually re-
sponsible and the punishment should
fall upon them, not upon the business
organization of which they make H.