Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-11
post Office officials have the floor.
No "Star Chamber Methods.

i
post Office officials have the floor.
No "Star Chamber Methods.
; .'Why should there be any secrecy in
these meetings? Why any need of a
| of the Pennsylvania or the New York
Central or the Atcnison or any other
railroad appear here in person and talk
things over with us face to face? What
is there to conceal or talk over in Sc
creto The star chamber belongs to the
past 1t should have no place in the
modern government-no, not even in
state departments. Then Europe would
have no big wars.
| Regarding the report that charges of
| confiscat ton have been made in all
these matters by those interested,
Senator Bankhead remarked with some
| warmth:
| "Contiscation" Who talks about con-
| fscation? No man on our committees
or in Congress that I've ever heard
And what have the vuporings of a
| few subordinate officials to do with
| such matters? Congress sun makes
the laws: their business is merely TO
execute them. and that's all. consider
such talk a rejection u2on the honof
/ of the United States government IN
all the 14O years of our history IT would
be difficult to find any basis whatever
'
policy was ever countenanced. ana the
cases that would seem to illustrate IL
! fall far short of proving amy polieE OF
| bad faith on the part of the govern
ment | deny empha tica1ly that any
such charge can he laid at the door OF
| this administration, no matter what ap-
surd threats may have been made by
| new office holders. who have yet to learn
their duties and limitations.
No Confscation OF Reaction.
1T is not confiscatory: neither is it
| reactionary. We are not going back to
the outworn methods of the past. and
you may say to the big progressive
cities of the country, north, east, south
and west. that Congress and the ad-
ministration are just as deeply inter
ested as they are in relieving the con-
ges,on of the streets and in getting the
mails and parcels underground. where
they should all have been placed years
ago long before the passengers were
carried at the rate of millions a week,
as now, through the bowels or the
earth to relieve the surface trafflc. Ihat
is not the problem at all our com
mittee, like the House committee, Whlch
is in accord with US, are considering
ways and means of fixing the man
compensation rates of the railroads on
a proper basis. just as we are trying
TO arrange contracts with the tube
companies in businesslike way that
will do away forever with tins absurd
recurring alarm over the possibiiitles
Of reaction or contract annullins or
bad faith on the part of the govern
ment
'rrhe railroads must be fair. The
tube companies and all the rest must
be fair ] think they are trying to be,
| but. whether they are or not. the gov
eminent. | am satisfied. will deal fairly
with them and everything VIII pc
worked out with due regard to the
equities of the case. The democratiG
administration stands for progress all
along the line and because 1t does we
have no anxiety about it's continue ace
in power by the American people
Confident of Wilson's denomination.
Turning to political matters, the SEN
ator was asked if he thought President
Wilson's denomination certain. He an
swered:
II do. and, what is more, ! am per-
fectly confident that at st. Louis he
will have no more ardent supporters
than Secretary Bryan. Speaker clark,
my distinguished colleague and my per-
, sonal choice for President. Senator I'm
derwood. who were his rivals at Balti-
more for the high honor which was
| finally bestowed upon him.
Our party is united on the essentials
| 1t recognizes that where other men
| might. and probably would, have
plunged the nation into war on two
continents, the President has main
! tanned peace in the face of difficulties
| of the most trying, exasperating, un-
precedented chara
1T is easy to criticise, but l would
like to know another man IN this eoup-
try who could, all in all. have done any
better or even so we'll as he has during
this awful suicide of civilization COM
monty called the European war. / am
not speaking democrat now. nor
| United States senator, but as a plain
citizen Of the republic, which is more
to us than any or all parties.
Don't you think it possible for the
republicans to VIM" was asked.
| Republican Policies.
''Oh. l would not say that, because l
despise mere partisan defamation and,
besides, the unexpected is always
happening in politics. but | do say that
at this moment the bulk of proba bill
| ties lie in our favor. Certainly the re-
i publicans will have to do better than
they have done thus far to impress
| the country strongly in their favor.
For example: the recent New York
state convention was supposed to
sound the keynote of their campaign
My friend, MIR. Root, voiced the party
sentiment on that occaslon-thoush
| this is denled-by making the coming
contest hinge on three issues: First,
| the Presidents Mexican policy: second,
the tariff; third, our relations with
Germany.
! Nobody claims the President to be
! nfallibIe. but I don't believe the ma
jority of the American people question
| for one moment his rightness and
wisdom in refusing to recognize the
European agent and assassin Huerta.
as Mr.. Root and Mr.. Roosevelt seem
| to think he should have done.
be again. in'emy judgment, great
issue in politics. AS vital detcrmin-
| ing factor it is as dead as Julius
Caesar Wise republicans like Mr..
Schiff recognize this and declare SO
| openly There is no doubt that the
| non bipartisan tariff commission which
| this Congress will undoubtedly create
marks the passage of that well worn
theme out of the arena of party poll
| tics into the region of calm. scientific
| consideration and adjustment.
Roosevelt's Loose Talk.
| LAS for Germany, the third plank of
the tentative republican platform: