Rocky Ford enterprise., 1916-12-29

not; that the measures are toothless,
and that the showing of antagonism on
the part of the representatives of big
business is for deceptive purposes only.
The friends of the administrators
bills say that when they go into effect
their value will be proved. and they
content themselves with this word on
the subject
The representatives of labor and
their friends in congress still are
keeping up their fight to secure exemp-
tion for labor unions and for farm
ers' organizations from the action Of
the Sherman antitrust law. For the
last week or two at the White House
conferences have been frequent on
this subject. Why the Democrats who
would like to exempt labor and the
farmers. think they can move the
president to a change Of mind on the
subject does not appear, for Mr.. VIII
son has spoken strongly on this mat
ter on a number of occasions. The at
tempts, however, to induce him to
make concessions are still the order
Webb Succeeds Clayton.
Representative Clayton, the author
of the antitrust bills which bear his
name, has Deen appointed to federal
judgeship. Representative Webb or
North Carolina now is the guiding
hand in the committee on judiciary in
which the bills were framed. Mr.
Webb and Mr.. Clayton are different
in action and in repose. Webb is a
good deal of militant. Once on a
q latter
to Representative Clayton urging him
for the good of the house of representa-
tives and the good of the country, to
stay at his post in congress and not
jeopardize his seat in the lower house
by entering the senatorial race against
Hobson and Underwood.
Mr.. Wilson at that time saved the
situation for Leader Underwood. be-
cause If Mr.. Clayton. conservative
Democrat, had entered the senatorial
fight, he would have taken many votes
from Oscar W., and might have been
the cause of the election of "Merri-
mac" Hobson.
Taking one consideration with an
other" the presidents lot in the house
just at present does not seem to be an
altogether happy one. but in all hui
man probability 1t is only in the SEEM
ing. He has won out before and he
probably will win out again. The
antitrust bills will go through, and in
the face of all things to the contrary,
1t seemingly is safe to say that they
will go through at this session. Their
enactment into law 1t Is claimed. will
give the Progressives and perhaps
even some of the more progressively
inclined Republicans, something to at
tack forcibly during the coming cam
paign.
Railway Mail Pay.
1t seems probable that before
congress adjourns new plan for
the payment of the railroads for
the carrying of the mail will have re-
ceived the lawmakers sanction. For
years this question has been rearing
its Interrogation point. The railroads
have said they were not getting pay
enough. Some government officials
said that while this was true of some
railroads. there were others that were
getting too much pay. The solution of
the problem may come within a few
weeks Complaints from the railroads
have been sharper and more frequent
since the law went into operation es-
tablishing the parcel post service.
Some time ago a commission on rail-
way mail pay was appointed. 1t con-
sists of former Senator Jonathan
Bourne. Jr.. of Oregon. chairman; for
mer Senator Richardson of Delaware;
Senator Bankhead of Alabama, chair
man of the committee on post offices
and post roads: Senator John w.
Weeks OF Massachusetts,, and Repre-
sentatives Tuttle OF New Jersey and
Lloyd of Missouri.
Pay for Space. Not Weight.
While the commissioners have kept
to themselves the actual details of
the report. it is known that its main
feature is proposal to substitute
payment to the railroads for space in
stead of for weight of the mails as
was the case in the past. There seems
to be feeling that the railroads may
not like this substitution. but the
members of the commission believe
that at the end of two years all the
roads in the country will admit that
1t is the fairest device that could have
been adopted.
1t is said by men familiar with the
work which the commission has un-
dertaken that the parcel post problem,
hard of solution as 1t was. presented
no such difficulties as those which
have been met in the present work.
The commissioners took up their task
either with open minds or with minds
nearly closed. for each one of them
had his own thought as to what should
he done The interstate commerce