The Lamar register., 1917-07-11
WASHINGTON NOTES
Hypocrisy Unveiled


the country was treated to another
Of those executive proclamations with
which the public has become SO IA
miliar. In it the President ordered
that thereafter when q vacancy oc-
CURED in the position of postmaster
of the first, second or third class by
death, resignation, etc, il should be
filled as the result Of u competitive
civil service examination. Shortly af-
forwards the postmaster at Concord,
New Hampshire, a first class office,
died, and an opportunity was present
ed for testing the sincerity of the
Presidents words. Upon inquiry OF
the department as to when the exam
ination would be. held reply was re-
ceived that the civil service commits
sion had not yet completed arrange
ments for such tests. That condition
has prevailed to the present time. II
now transpires that the company that
issued the bond of the deceased post
master has right to name = mGn 10
complete the unexpired term. Thai has
been done, and, through : mere coin
cidence of course, the democratic boss
of Concord has been chosen for the
place and the choice approved by the
postoffice department. Thus do VIC
find democratic reform" in actual
operation.
TO Prevent Manipulation
Perhaps the strongest argument
that was made against .he food con
troll bill was that it is unfair to single
out the farmer and his product for
regulation and leave other producers,
some of whom have madc enormous
profits out of the war, entirely free
to add still further to their incomes.
To meet that condition Congressman
C. William Ramseyer of Iowa has
introduced bill, drawn along lines
similar to the food bill, that will Cp-
ply to iron, steel, copper lumber, cot
ton, wool, hemp, leather and p.tro-
leum. 1t has been charged th@t the
market of many of the products men
toned has been so manipulated IS to
bring in exhorbitant profits to spccu-
lators, and it is Mr.. Ramseyer'5 pur-
pose to endeavor to remedy the situ-
alton in the same manner as the food
problem will be handled.
Patriotism Above Partisanship
Another republican answer TO the
democratic plea that democrats must
be sent to congress in order to insure
that that body will "stand by the
President" is given by Representative
C. Bascom Slemp of Virginia. 81
voted for the declaration of war" de-
clares Mr.. Slemp, "and l favor the
adoption of every measure that will
make for efficiency in the conduct Of
the war" He realizes that the war
cannot be conducted successfully with
out concentration of authority. Con-
gress cannot wage the war. They can
only clothe the President with ample
powers for that purpose, and Mr..
Slemp makes it plain that he will con-
sent to no handicap being placed in
the way of the executive.
Saving Democracy
The New York World was among
the metropolitan newspapers which
made outcry against the prohibition
amendment to the food-control dill:
and it treated the subject with ex-
ceeding frankness. To adop: prohibi-
tion, argued the World, would split
the democratic party in division as
fierce as that occasioned by slavery"
and the southern democrats, in con-
sequence would find themselves ''in
exclusion from power at Washing
ton"
Here the argumentum ad homincm,
couched in terms which even the most
obtuse Of southern democrats could
understand. 1t may even have reach
ed the White House; for, on the very
day that this solemn warning appear
ed in the World, the President sum-
moned a quartette of democratic SEN
ators into conference and took action
to retain beer and wine among the
personal liberties" that the World
had declared were always the sacred
charge of the democratic party.
The skill of the democratic leaders
- n ,,,o.,I ;1g,,a 20