The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-02-24
LEWIS PHONE BILL.
PLAN FOR GOVERNMENT OWNER
SHIP IN DISTRICT NOT LIKE
LY TO CARRY.
MEASURE DESIGNED AS TEST
Efforts to Put City of Washington in
the Prohibition Column Rouses the
Residents to Bitter BattIe-Lower
House Must Decide.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.


Neutrality-suspicious. many days hear
lngS have been conducted before the
house committee of the District of
Columbia on the Lewis bill for gov
eminent ownership of the telephone
system in the District. The intention
OF the promoters of the bill was tu
test government ownership OF the tele-
phone system in the city of Washing
ton, which is coincideut with the Dis
trict of Columbia, with Il view pos
sibly to more extensive territorial ac-
ton in the future.
Representative Lewis of Maryland.
who Is the father of this government
ownership proposition, will leave
congress on March /. 1t has been his
desire 10 secure affirmative congress
siOnal action during his term of Of
flee. This specific government owner
ship proposition probably will come be-
fore congress again, but the word is
that ii has little chance of enactment
into law at the present session. The
hearings therefore are held by the
proponents of the measure to be at
present valuable merely from the edu-
cational point of view. The opponents
or the measure say that there will be
no chance to pass it at the next con-
gress because opposition to it will be
strengthened in the new body. The
country must take its choice between
the two sets of opinions on the sub
ject.
The District of Columbia which, as
has been said, means the city of Wash
inGton, has been deeply interested ever
since congress came together in two
propositions, either one Of which if en-
acted into law would affect material
ly the business interests and the resi-
dents of the district generally. Wheth-
er they would affect them beneficially
or detrimentally is, of course, entirely
according to the viewpoint.
Senate Passes Dry Bill.
The Lewis bill for government own |
ership of the telephone lines in the |
district held the center of interest in
the house, while prohibition for the |
district held the center Of interest in
the senate. The upper house has
passed the measure forbidding the
sale and manufacture of Intoxicating
liquors in the capital city of the cOun-
Sidering the same measure.
The senator's either have cleared
their skirts or besmirched them, ac-
cOrding as men view the thing, by
their action on prohibition for the dis
trict. Today the upper house men
say, 1T is up to the lower house men,"
and so the prohibition bill has been
sent over to the mercieS of the repre-
Sentatives. 1t perhaps may go without
saying that this prohibition bill has
stirred the city of Washington as few
other things have stirred it for a good
many years.
Prohibition in Washington is a war
ike subject. The advocates of dry
legislation are as militant rs any sol
Hers in Europe. The same word can
De said concerning the advocates of a
continued wet season in this city of
egislatiOn. Words were not minced
n the hearings which the senate COM
nittee gave on this subject nor are
hey being minced in the discussion in
he corridors and committee rooms of
he house. 1t is battle royal, as
someone has put it, between the black
'ottle and the water wagon.
Debating Grayson's Promotion.
The scenes of the other DAYS
nave just been re-enacted in the I
United States senate, although this 6
line there has been more red fire, '
o say nothing of thunder and flashes !
# lightning. The senators have been {
discussing, with more than usual of Z
heatrical accompaniment. the NOM t
nation by President Wilson of Cary r. G
irayson, United States navy, to be a
medical director and rear admiral. Q
As everybody knows, Doctor Gray @
on has been the naval aid and per- S
onal physician to the president ever q
ince Mr.. Wilson came into office. {
lore than this, he was for a time a {
MEDICAL adviser of President Taft. p
DOCTOR GraysOn is, comparatively o
a junior officer of the medi-
al corps of the sea service. The v
resident promoted him over the heads n
f 115 navy doctors to the post of o
ledical director and rear admiral. Il
1t is not the intention to enter into s
uestions affecting Doctor Grayson's e
tneSs for the rank to which he has h
cen promoted, nor the policy which a
ould jump one man over the heads a
others Of much longer service, but n
My TO say that whenever promotion
selection occurs there always is c,
ouble for the nominee. the nominator Il
nd the senator's who must confirm the 81
Dmination. %
Roosevelt Didn't Promote Wood. p
There Is one curious thing which n
IS accompanied this case Of Doctor m
rayson into the limelight. The in p,
ant that the young surgeon was ~
imed for high promotion, not only al
'ashington, but the entire country 81
Id: well, didn't Theodore Roose 81
1T dc the same thing to Leonard ia
GOD, who was Junior doctor In the of
edical corps Of the army?"
Years of service as a WASHINGTON
respondent teaches men the truth
the old saying that it is hard to ly