The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1914-01-23
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Presidential candidates in 1916 will be
nominated in the same old way by the
delegates and convention system.
Direct presidential primaries, urged by
the president in his annual message, will
not be provided for by legislation at this |
session of congress, and the Presidents |
recommendation, promises to produce no |
other effect than to cause a general dis |
cussion in congressional committees.
This has been made parent to the |
last few days in the arrangement of a |
legislative program by the president and |
the house and senate leaders The presi- |
dental primaries bill has been excluded |
from this program
This means that if no primaries bill is |
pas ed at this session there will be no
legislation by this congress The next
session of the present congress will begin |
next December, and the congress @ill ex-
pire by constitutional Limitation on the
4th of March following.
No important legislation is ever possible |
at short session The time Of both
houses is taken up with appropriation |
bills, and no measure likely to arouse
prolonged controversary can be expected |
to succeed.
~.
Government ownership of the great
Ooal ,,,irae IF tha co,,,,trx a., n ~a.,.zax, g.
strike disturbances is recommended by
Senator MARITIME, of New Jersey, in a re-
port submitted to Chairman Swanson, of |
the senate committee which investigated
the West Virginia coal strike troubles.
The report attributes much of the vio-
lence and bloodshed ip West Virginia to
presence of armed guards hired by the
mine operators. This was little short of |
barbarian said Martnie. who recommend
ed the passage of bill which he has in
troduced in the senate prohibiting the |
employment of armed police by private |
organizations.
~
Civic leaders and representatives of
trade and maritime bodies of the Atlantic |
Seaboard from Baltimore, Philadelphia,
Trenton, Camden, Norfolk, and, in fact, |
the entire coast region from Pennsylvania |
to North Carolina, appeared before the
house rivers and harbors committee last
week with united argument in favor of
the passage during this session of the
Moore bill calling for the purchase of the |
Chesapeake and Delaware canal
The Moore bill calls for the purchase
of this canal, connecting the Chesapeake
and Delaware bays, and its widening and |
deepening for use as free ship canal, |
constituting the central and main link of
the proposed system ofi1tracoastal water
ways. The government has already
bought the Albemarle and Chesapeake |
canal, connecting Norfolk with the waters
of Albemarle sound, as the first of these
inland waterway links.
The cost of sending ships through the |
canal would be one.third the cost of send |
ing them via the outside route. The saw |
ing of time from Baltimore to Trenton,
would be about rs per cent.
Statistics were presented to show that
since the development of the use of in
land canal barges the cost of sending
barges through the canal has been redu c.
ed and the cost of freight upon number
reduced from $s to S. per 1000 feet.
~
President Wilson has been openly de-
fed in the house by Representative Moon,
of Tennessee, chairman of the postofice
committee. and leading spokesman, be-
cause of Mr.. Wilson'S reported opposition
to the latest assault upon the civil service
law contained in the postofice apprpria-
ton bill.
The bill removes assistant postmasters
in all postoffices from the classified civil
service and throws these offices opon to
the spoilsmen. President Wilson has
informed members of congress that he is
opposed in this provision, an has inti-
mated that if it remains in the bill he will
veto the measure.
-.
The Agricultural Extension bill, pro.
viding for Federal aid in the dissemina-
ton of scientific farm information by
practical experiments and through pub
licatians, was passed by the House on
Monday. Under the measure the var
ious State agricultural colleges would
receive Federal funds to finance plans for
acquainsiug the farmers with facts estab-
lished by the Department Of Agriculture.
A study Of the public school system in
the 48 States. made by the Russell Sage
Foundation. in general all-around efic-
iency. places Washington, where women
have full uffrage. first among she States
of the Union Maryland,s rank among
the as States in per lceutaee of children