The Washington times., 1918-03-08

ing reservation OF its own powers of
confirming or rejecting board mem
bers.
As the House and Senate conferees
reached agreement on the railroad
bill, the roads may be held for 4
period not exceeding one year and
nine months after the close of the
war. The States may continue tax
ing railroad property, but not higher
than was done before they were
taken over" Claims for losses are
to be decided by agreement with the
President, with a final appeal to the
courts provided for in case of dis
agreement. The Senate committee
receded from a considerable number
Of points important in detail. On
the main point Of principle, the
House committee receded. This left
the power of initiating all rates with
the President, the Interstate Com
merce Commission to review the rate
under the interstate commerce law
as in force, so that it will remain in
force, controlling both the commits
sion and the President. This is the
principle Of claw against arbitrary
power" for which Cummins and his
supporters made their strongest con-
tention. Under the Cunmins defini-
ton, the President becomes a "com-
mon carrier" when he begins oper-
ating railroads.
In the House Speaker Clark was
warmly congratulated on his sixty
eighth birthday, which comes in his
twenty-third year in Congress.
Uncle Joe" Cannon, one of four
survivors from the Speakers advent
In the House, made a speech of con-
graduation, to which the Speaker
replied in kind. As for the main
point in a Speakers career-the
fairness Of his rulings-all agreed
on 1t. Only the day before, almost
unnoticed, because il was the usual
thing, the Speakers gavel ham
mered once only, cutting off debate
as he ruled against partisan point
of order, which would have given
advantage to the advocates of COM
pulsOry IaDOr.
In debating and amending the
executive, legislative, and judicial
appropriation bill, the House stop
ped a number of salary increases
Among them was one for the chief
Of the Bureau of Efficiency" Not
long ago he wrote a report in eIe-
giant English, advising the abolition
OF the subtreasury system as ipeffi-
cient. IT is the hast relic of Jack
son Democracy" in opposition to
corporation money" 1t does not
appear, however, that any one
thought enough of jackson Democ-
racy" to bear a gr7udge against him
on account of it. In the Senate at
about the time the House acted on
MS salary, Senator Hollis was re-
peating his statement that the to-
tai Of Federal Reserve notes" now
reaches a billion and a quarter
jackson is very dead. So is Jack
son Democracy"
The Senate Judiciary Committee
yesterday voted down, 10 TO 7 Sen
ator Reeds resolution calling on
Cabinet officers to inform the com |
mittee what laws interfere with CO.
and unified efficiency. The |
committee continued to disagree on
the Overman bill. II will finally he |
reported to the Senate and when il |
passes both houses It will give the |
President all the power he wants TO
coordinate and unity anything he
likes. In the meantime. there will
be a number of highly instructive
speeches.
Under a constitutional amend
nent. proposed by Senator Myers.
Federal judges, except Supreme
Judges, would be appointed for a
1X ~, term not exceeding six years.
The power Of impeachment and re-
is now a joke-would
remain as now. jefferson despaired
Of getting them out afteEthey were