Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-24
WHAT A CONGRESSMAN SEES
Semiceeky Letter Touching the Washington Doings Of Per
sonaIifies Familiar o PHILADELPHIA
By.J, Hampton Moore
Washington. Aug. "a.

Washington. Aug. "a.
IN TWO particulars the United
States Tariff Commission has fallen
down In its recent recommendations
to Congress. Professor Taussig. chair.
man of the commission and an able
writer on the tariff, is quite earnest
ABOUT his reform views, however
and may be heard from again. The
first suggestion, which the Ways and
Means Committee has thus far not ap-
proved, was to establish free ports in
the United States. Pacific coast men
nave been more active in the proposal
! to establish free ports than have east
erners, whose protective tariff senti-
ments do not altogether jibe with the
free port idea The second proposal
of the. tariff commission was. to i'm.
pose customs duties or increased in
ternal revenue taxes on commodities
as of the date of the introduction of
the bill proposing the same. In other
words, the Taussig idea is to have the
increased rates go on when proposed,
with the view of preventing specula-
tionNpending the consideration of the
bill. To a certain extent this sort Of
law would be effective In anticipation
or the passage of a law, and when
passed would be retroactive. Such a
measure at this time. as in the case
of the free port idea, is regarded as
too likely to involve a political. If not
constitutional controversy.
MI MEMBERSHlP dues are going up in
AVA social, athletic and sporting clubs.
The 10 per cent last year is likely to
be increased to 20 per cent this year
Initiation fees and life memberships
will also probably be included. In the
Union League, where there are a linn
tied number of life memberships, and
In the Manufacturers Club, where life
memberships have been regarded as
an insurance policy. this new move
of the war revenue finders is going TO
be felt The Art Club has gone on
record against the tax increase. An
argument of considerable literary
merit was prepared by President
Thomas H. Fenton and Secretary Sam.
uel w. Cooper and forwarded to Wash
ington. The club insisted that "in
their best estate clubs are one of the
most potent civilizing agents in our
country" To tax them heavily, it was
insisted, would tend to destroy them.
LIVERY now and then it crops out
- that the Government is having
difficulty with some of its minor Of
ficials, condition not at all unlikely
in. view of the confidence which the
Administration is obliged to place in
new and strange subordinates. Some
time ago some workmen at the Eddy.
stone rife plant complained that their
efforts at being patriotic had led to
the abstraction OF certain funds
which they had intrusted to certain
agents for the purchase of Liberty
Bonds.. The inquiry ,,developed the
fact that the employees of the, Emitted
States inspection department at Ed |
dtstohe had subscribed for $76.75O |
worth of bonds. A bad actor pocketed |
a few hundred dollars of this sum,
which had been turned over to him
in cash. He is now awaiting trial for |
the .offense. The Treasury Depart.
ment does not like to talk about mat
ters of this kind, but workmen who |
lose their money will talk, which goes
to prove that the Government, must
exercise great care in the selection of
It's tiduciary; agents and thataniis 'As
apt to err in the selection of individu.,
ais as are private enterprises. BE-
A GOOD-NATURED rumor concerns
\ Postmaster General Burleson and
he acquisition of the telegraph lines.
From time immemorial the long-whis.
iered messenger boy arriving with the
.elegram that was handed to him In |,
lis youth, has been the stock joke
If the newspaper cartoonist, But that
ancient courier has become a reality
n Washington. He wears a uniform,
S bearded and adjusts his nose glasses
before he hands you the delivery slip.
In fact, he was here before the Post
master General got control of the
Wires, and thereby hangs the tale.
They were charging the postoffice with
,eing slow-not the alert statesmen at
he head of the service, Of course, but
they" were saying that, so far as the
service itself was concerned, you could
irop letter in the mail box in Wash
ngton and then take one of Mr.. Nc
Adoo's rapid.fire trains and beat it to
is destination in Philadelphia or New
York by a full day. 1t was said that
his had actually been done in the
,ase Of the telegraph. And here is
where Dame Rumor steps in with her
,ruel suggestion. This is an age of
ierce competition. The big fish. in
BUSINESS absorbs the little fish
Hence, If Mr.. Burleson could absorb
he telegraph service and put. 1T
m the blink" as some great finan- /.
,ial magnates are inclined to do with
heir rivals, would 1t not make for
he efficiency of the postal service?
That was the sinister idea. Bear the
alegranh and hull tho postofRca