The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1918-01-18
WASHINGTON LETTER

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Washington, Jan. 15.-The index for
the Congressional Record of the first
month of the present session has made
its appearance. 1t gives in concise
form list of the bills, petitions, and
committee reports presented by each
Senator and Member, and also list
of subjects on which each man has
submitted remarks. Hence a reference
to the index gives fair indication of
the activity of members and shows
whether they have been engaged in
constructive legislation or mere
"windbaggery." Senator J. Hamilton
Lewis, the eloquent Democratic SPELL
binder of Illinois, of course has done
nothing but talk, no entry whatever
being made under his name except a
list of remarks" A Democratic
member from Ohio has busted himself
with preparing and introducing rs
individual pension bills that seek to
make special exceptions from the gen.
eral pension laws in favor of his
friends at home. Still another patriot
from Mississippi has succeeded in res
urrecting lot of old claims arising
out of the use of private property by
our armies in the Civil War, and has
presented them to the House in the
form of AZ separate bills. 1t is we'll
known that practically all worthy
claims of that character were paid by
Republican administrations long ago,
but this member is so busy buying
political support at home at the ex-
pense of the Government that he
spends more time on the musty rec
ords of 30 years ago than on the pub
lie necessities of the present hour.
The old-age pension idea, which. has
been advocated from time to time, has
been given fresh impetus by the bill
introduced by Congressman Benja-
min X. Focht of Pennsylvania. He
would grant ain annuity by the Gov
ernment. of $40 per month to ali
American citizens who have resided
in the United States 20 years, have
reached the age of 65, and have an
annual income of less than $500. Mr..
Focht has also taken a stand in favor
of a substantial increase in the sal
aries of Government employees.
The total additions to the southern
cotton mills for the first quarter of
last year were ,512 spindles and
1882 looms, for the second quarter,
322,684 spindles and 10,524 looms.
All the Southern mills are now man
ufacturing to the extent of their ca
pacity. The most important develop
ment in the Southern textile business
is the construction of the new Mar
shall Field knit goods mills. A few
years ago the Marshall Field Com
pany, Of Chicago, was fighting the
Republican tariff law because a pro-
tective rate was laid on hosiery. A
little investigation showed that the
company was having hosiery made in
Chemnitz and was importing it for
sale here. OF course they kicked at
protective rate of duty. They were
again profting under the Democratic
tariff policy up until the war broke
out. Since that time they have been
unable to get any of their German
made hosiery into this country. So
they have decided to make hosiery
here. American laborers win receive
some of the benefit ur the new under
taking. And you can bet that Mar
shall Field and Company will not be
fighting against the new Republican
tariff law.
Prior to the establishment of Amer
ican independence the nations of the
earth were governed chiefly by single
individuals or by small groups, either
self-appointed or established by claim
of "divine right" Government by laws
enacted by representatives chosen by
popular vote was practically unknown.
The system of government in force
throughout the world in 1889 was ex-
ceedingly unsatisfactory, so the franz
ers of the American constitution set
up a government of three coordinate
branches, each constituting check
upon the others. The creation of a
Congress was an expression of lack
of confidence in the ability of any one
man to run government as it ought
to be run. The establishment of courts
whose judges serve for life was also
an expression of lack of confidence in
an executive who has control over
judges. In the century and quarter
since our constitution was adopted;
we have seen no reason to abandon the
system of checks and balances. In
view of these facts, it is hardly in
order for President Wilson to object
to the creation of Congressional
committee on war expenditures on the
ground that it is an expression of lack
of confidence in him. Our whole sys-
TEN of government is an expression of
Lack of confidence in either him or any