Gilpin observer., 1916-02-10
BY Edward Heating.

from q New York pa- er which SER
lousy argued that t g American peo-
pc were degene, ating physically. In
support CT his contentious, tie writ
er submitted ciguies to show that
only one in ten of the men who
sought to enlist in the U. S. marine
corps ccutd psss the test prescribed
by tie regulations.
III re is food for thought for tie
advo, ate of p 9. aredne ss,' wrote
the friend who mt me the clipping.
Our Amy to lie prepared must
be made up of strong, virile men,
1t is not sufficient to pace guns in
the hands Of our yo-tA. we muct pre-
pare their bodies Also
AT first l was disposed to dismiss
the editor'sl as tie fantasy CT am
over-wrcught editor, but on second
thought l fcrwaC ded 1t to the secre-
tary Of WET and the secretary Of
the navy and requested the facts.
l have tie replies OF those dis
tinguisl ed gentlen en- before ne.
The "Yellow" Editor Told the Plain,
Unvarnished Truth.
According to Secretary Daniels Of
the nevy deractmert. 39,3SS young
men sought to enter the marine corps
during 1915. ard only 1850 could
pass the texts.
During tt last four years 147,194
men sought to enlist in tie corps
and just 1927 passed.
Secretary of War Garrison has al
most as discomra ging a story to tell.
During the lest year, 16S,S42 men Of
fered themselves for enlistment in
the army and OILY 45.111 were ac
cepted.
The cause? l do net pretend to
know the answer. l ann told that
when Kaiser VIII elm issued his call
to tie colors 80 per cent of those
examined were able to pass the ply
steal tests. Across tie channel in
England, tie same authority says,
!sss than 60 per cent could come UP
to the mark set by the regulations
1t will be argued that those who
seek 20 enlist in our army and navy
are net repre- serta i've of tie man
heed of the nation. l hope that Is
true, but l confess those figures wcr-
Ty me a little
A Tariff Commission.
4 President wills on has smgge: ted
tie creation OF a tariff commission,
and good many gentlemen who
should know better. and probably do,
are c'amoring that the Democratic
rarty is about to flop" on the tar
'fe question.
or course, there is nothing to thct.
What the president wants is body
Cf experts who will ther the facts
ON which fu.use t.r'tf bills will be
based. Now tie drafting of tariff
bill is largely m tier Of guess work.
Under the presidei t's pan congress
will have reliab'e information on
every controveited poirt.
The tariff commission will net be
permitted to draft tariff bills - to
pass en- quest.ors of policy. Con-
gress cannot surrender the power
conferred on lit by the constitution,
but 1t can exercise that power in
, tie light Of all the facts and dis
card the haphazaid d methods of the
past.
My views Of the tariff are very
definite and pretty well known, but
can see no objection to tre kind
oe tariff commits ion proposed by the
president. 1t VIII pncve one Of the
n3cst popular ac' ievements Of his
administration.
Child Labor Bfil Passed.
The so-called Keating-Cwen child
labor bill went Il iomgh the house
after two Gays debate by the sur
pnising vote CT 337 to 46. The meas
ure now gees to tie senate, where
It will be managed by the brilliant
senator frcm oklahoma, Robert L.
Owen.
There were nary Interesting and
some highly sigri icant incidents
connected with the passage of the
bill.
Among those who voted "aye,'
was the former err of the house
"Uncle Joe" Cannon. Yet, only eight
years ago, tie committee on judici
ary of the house. appointed by Mr
Cannon. then SPEAKER, declared by
unanimous vote that congress was
without power, under the constitu
ton, to regulate child-labor. Verify
the world do move.
Only one conge e sman from the
north and west voted against the
. bin.
We were asr ured that the south