The Washington times., 1918-03-26


Garfield was elected to the Presi-
dency because Of eloquent word pic
lures. They were pictures Of a
glorious future" for the United
States. It was to be the greatest
country in the world, of course. It
was to develop its greatness "all
over" and not in spots. This was
not a matter Of course. It was a
promise and a prophecy then. It is
still so much so that this session Of
Congress is to decide what must be
done about 1t.
This was the Garfield idea Of the
home markets" 1t was annexed
to the tariff debate, with no neces-
sary connection with it. 1t was de-
veloped through pictures of increas-
ing thousands of American "indus-
trial centers," each self-supporting
in connection with the farm country
around it. In these "co-oriinated
and unified systems" town industry
and country industry would give
give each other a local market, al
ways certain, with a profit in 1t for
all and profit beyond Il always prob
able by the sale Of surplus for ex-
port-on which, however, the "home
market" and its territory would not
have to depend.
This may seem to be ancient his
tory, but It is still very modern. As
far back as 1887 it was said that half
dozen great railrosd presidents
over their wine and walnuts made
agreements among gentlemen, as q
result Of which the business of q
growing industrial center could be
transferred to another fifty or five
hundred miles away, 80 that instead
Of developing its greatness "all
over" the country would be forced
to continue developing with great
ness centralized in spots. And, as
the House Committee on Interstate
Commerce was informed yesterday,
this is what has been occurring ever
since 1887.
The information was given by Mr..
John T. Shaughnessy, interstate
commerce commissioner for Nevada
and president Of the intermediate
Rate Association, who appeared be-
fore the committee to support the
bill introduced in the House by Mr..
Hayden and in the Senate by Mr..
Poindexter, on the "long and short
haul clause" Among witnesses
ready to appear in the same connec-
ton, Mr.. Shaughnessy gave the COM
mittee the names Of State railroad
commissioners between South Caro-
lima and Texas, Indiana and the Pa
cific Coast. What he complained of
was increasing Capitalization" for
parts Of the United States, already
highly developed, at the expense Of
parts most in need Of development.
Regardless of the merits Of the pro-
posed legislation and Of the dis
tinguished array Of eminent railroad
talent on the other side, he made the
case" In this respect. OF course, it
is an cold story" It is, however,
the most important issue that the
Government has taken over" with
the railroads. 1t has in it "the
breaking point" of the future, If
Government operation and control
does not solve it as a problem. This
is certain, though nothing else may
be so. AS for a general policy for
the new era, the committee was
urged to give something definite and
so certain Of stability that investors
everywhere could rely on it in build
ing up their home towns" Great
improvements were reported since
the middle Of March. But, beyond
these and above all that remains for
improvement, the demand was made
for rehabilitation" through which the
whole country would have something
to rely on In working out its own
future.
Before taking up the Indian ap-
preparation bill, the Senate discussed.
without acting on it, the amendment
submitted by the Military Affairs
Committee to the compulsory draft
law. In that connection, Senator
New called up his amendment, ex-
tending the draft to boys of nine
teen, to be registered at that age
and subjected to compulsory military
training until twenty-one before be-
ing called on to BERN fighting. Mr.
New argued that this was a neces-
sary feature for real preparedness. !"
and in this view he was supported
by other Senators. Some members
Of the Senate are charged with wish
ing to establish as a permanent
American institution a compulsory
"kultur," modelel on that Of Prus-
STA.
While he admitted that to some II
seemed awful" to rely on BOYS for
our battles, Mr.. New cited official
statistics, showing that there were
2,159,0 900 boys under twenty-oue In
the Federal armies during the civil
war He did not have the statistics
OF Confederate armies at hand, but
H. II