The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-01-31


gives great power into the hands Of
the president. II provides for one
man rule OF the zone. Mr.. Metcalf
thinks that there should be a three
man rule and one does not have to
| go far In this town to find support
for the Metcalf plan as against the
plan which has already been given the
| force of law.
Would Divide Duties.
dent to appoint either a military man
or a civilian to the governorship. II
his choice falls upon a civilian the
appointee unquestionably will have
his military troubles, and IL 1t shall
fall upon a military man he unques-
tionably will have his civilian trou-
bles. II the Metcalfe plan should be
adopted and a commission of three
men should be appointed to govern
the Panama canal, one of the mem
bers would be military man. another
a physician and sanitarian and the
ties Of civil administration.
Under the existing law the presi
dent not only appoints the governor
OF the zone, but he appoints all o
the subordinate officials. II Is now
being asked what will happen II the
man chosen for governor happens to
be a politician. AS governor he
naturally would expect to have some
thing to say about the men who are
to serve under him. In this case the
question is would we not have on the
Canal Zone political doctors, political
civil administrators and political
everything else outside of the imme-
date ranks of the army?
1t is known definitely that some of
the men who have done great work
on the isthmus fear the coming of the
day when politics may enter into the
zones government. The safety of
the waterway. for instance. depends
absolutely upon the sanitation of the
zone. Colonel Gorgas made the place
not only habitable, but one in which
1t Is a delight to live. A physician
and sanitarian Of achievement enough
to secure an appointment as a men,
Der of the isthmian canal commission
certainly could be depended upon to
see that his subordinates did their
work. Could equal dependence be
placed upon a canal governor sitting
alone in authority and being charged
with many Judgment duties" upon
some of which he was not qualified
by training to pass?
Going Easy on Business.
edge that some antitrust legislation
Is to be enacted, 1t still seems to the
Washington observer that for the
rest Of this session congress will
proceed cautiously in the matter of
legislation Of a far reaching ma
these dispatches. this does not mean
that congress will not have plenty to
do. The one thing which seems to be
assured since 1t came together again is
that the Democratic majority has ia
ken note of the sensitiveness of bust
ness and is going to spread its legisla-
ton over a considerable period Of time
in order that conditions may adjust
themselves to the coming order.
Now that 1t is certain legislation
forbidding the interlocking Of direc-
torates of corporations and some other
IN 10 70 hn nf hrc
ness men. as shown by letters which
congressman receive. is sharply direct
ed to the future and to Just what Is to
be expected in the way Of laws pre-
venting the doing Of certain things
which in the past some business men
appeared to think they had a right to
do. AS an example of the intention OF
the majority in congress to go rather
slow with it's legislation 1t may be
said that 1t probably will be two years
before effect will be given to the law
which is to be enacted forbidding in
terlocking directorates. What the
business men want to know, as shown
by their letters, is what things are to
come in the future.
There is a feeling manifest among
Republican members Of congress that
business depression is bound to follow
Democratic legislation intended to sup
plant the Sherman act 1t should be
said, however. that the Republican
members are not talking disaster on.
loud as they did some time ago They
have found perhaps not only that it
was bad politics. but that it was con-
sidered in many parts of the country
as being unpatriotic. 1t was the
charge of lack of patriotism in crying
wolf" even if they thought they saw
one, which probably has produced the
change in the Republican members
manner of voicing their opposition to
the administrations methods OF anti
trust legislation.