Gilpin observer., 1915-03-04
WASHINGTON NEWS
BY Edward Keating.

gu lutO
The men who write the story of our
times will describe it as great con-
gress.
1t did more talking than any other
congress in history of this nation,
hut it also did more work.
Did you ever stop to think of the |
number, the variety and the impor
tance of the subjects which have
been acted on by your representa-
tives in the national legislative since
that supremely beautiful March day
when Woodrow Wilson faced the ST
lent multitude massed on the east
front of the Capitol and took the
cath which made him Chief Execu-
tive of the Republic?
We revised the tariff, and, judged
by the Walls of Special Privilege we
did a workman-like job
We wrote new banking and cur
worked so satisfactorily that our en-
emies have ceased to criticise it.
Trades Commission.
We recast the laws regulating
trusts and created a Trades Commits
sion, which will bear the same re-
lation to big industrial corporations
that the Interstate Commerce Com
mission now sustains to the railroads.
We emancipated the parcel post
and permitted the government to
dominate the express business, thus
effecting saving of every year of
many millions to the people of the
country.
We unscaled Alaska, with all its
that those resources should be dew
eloped in such a way as to benefit
all the people and not a chosen few.
To this end we appropriated thirty
millions for the construction of a
railroad to be owned and operated
by the government.
! We repealed the absurd law which
permitted the Shipping Trust to use
the peoples Panama Canal without
the payment of tolls and thus pro-
vided fer the annual transfer of mil
lions of dollars from the treasury
of the trust to the treasury of the ma
ton.
Adequate Army and Navy
We resisted the opportunities of
those who declared that the United
States must become a military nation
but while We ignored their hysterical
clamors we saw to it that generous
appropriations were provided for the
maintenance of an adequate army and
navy.
We voted large sums for the pro-
motion of agriculture, the extension
of commerce between the states and
with other nations and for the safe
guarding of life and limb. The Smith
Lever bill which serds the agricultur
al expert OF the farmer instead of
compelling the farmer to journey far
from home to find the knowledge
needed to make his labors remuner
ative is fair example of this con-
structive legislation. Another bill au-
thorizes the employment of trained
business agents to seek new mark
cts for our products in foreign plants
for the workers in our mines.
Congress has not played favorites,
but has displayed an intelligent liber-
ality in dealing with all classes.
War Problems
We have met the problems grow
ing out of the European war and Mex
lean disturbance with courage and
rare moderation. Here again, we have
insisted on the lingo" taking a rear
seat.
We have had implicit confidence in
President Wilson and we have man.
ifested that confidence by promptly
and vigorously seconding his every
act.
When he felt tire time had come
to kick the murderous Huerta out of
Mexico, we provided the necessary
machinery. When he moved to save
this country from the effects of the
commercial chaos produced by the
European war We passed without hes
itation and almost without question
the measures he proposed. We failed
him once-when a few Democratic
traitors permitted the Ship-purchas-
ing bill to be talked to death In the
Senate And, above all. we have
placed padlocks on our lips and utter
ed nothing which could give offense
to any OF the unfortunate powers row
in a death-grapple. We have been
emphatically and auswervingly neu-
tral! At times 1t has been mighty
hard to keep quiet but we have done
it.
Bills that Failed