The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1922-04-05
CAPITOL cuLLrsos

The House has at last passed an
other bonus bill, though almost
identical in form with the one pass
ed two years ago and which the Sen
ate laid on the shelf at Harding's
request 1t remains to be seen
what will be done with the present
bill, with all of Wall Street oppos-
ing IL. The bill itself is satisfactory
to no one. The soldier whose "ad-
justed compensation" entitled him
to less than $50 can get it In cash !;
the others have to take a certificate
of Indebtedness which finally be-
comes due in 20 years. Meanwhile,
If he wants to get money, he has to
borrow it at bank and pay q larg-
er rate of interest than the certifi-
cate bears, though the certificate is
as much the obligation of the gov
eminent as is a Liberty Bond and
should entitle the owner to the low
est rate of interest at which money
can be borrowed. Ii is difficult to
understand why the soldier should
be allowed to borrow only so per
cent of the face value of the certifi-
cate; almost any bank will lend rs
per cent of the market value of
certificate of stock in a railroad or
Industrial corporation if the stock
is listed on the New York Stock En-
change, though these stocks at times
fuctuate wildly, and, of course.
have much less stable value than
the obligation of the United States
Government.
Senator Lodge insists that Con-
gress has made great and glorious
record of constructive legislation;
the average man on the street
thinks that Congress has done
practically nothing, and has done it
very badly.
The Republicans made a great
deal of noise, about a year ago, ov-
er the question of recognizing the
Governmental Departments, cutting
out much duplication of work and
thus saving the taxpayers many
millions of dollars. A most excel
lent Congressional Commission was
made up for the work, but some
time ago the President insisted that
he be allowed to place a personal
representative on this Commission,
a suggestion which was opposed by
the two Democratic members. Sena-
tor Harrison, of Mississippi, and
Representative r. Walton Moore, of
Virginia. Nevertheless, the Presi-
dent appointed Walter r. Brown, of
Ohio, and the Commission made
him Chairman. Up to that time the
Commission was making excellent
progress and gave promise of saw
ing many millions, but Brown serv-
ed as an anaesthetic of the most
powerful sort and the suspicion is
very strong that this was the pur-
pose OF his appointment. Since that
time there has been absolutely
nothing done; reorganization is
chloroformed No meetings are be-
ing held and work is at standstill. !
Thus the administration escapes two
embarrassment many hundreds of
Jobs are saved to the party and a
number of inter-departmental
wrangles are hushed up. Agricul-
ture and Interior were ready to fly
at each others Threats over the
question of which should control
the Forest Service; Interior and
Commerce were at daggers points
over Alaska; Treasury and Justice
both striving to get control over
prohibition enforcement; Commerce
and Agriculture divided over the
Packers Control legislation; and so
On down the list. The departmental
chiefs are as jealous of each other
as a bunch of opera singers. Each
is constantly striving to extend his
authority, his dominion and the
number of his appointments. Rath-
er hard On the poor taxpayer.
There seems to be no end to the
Newberry money; it is now the gos-
sip that members of the family, who
seem TO be mostly millionaires, in
tend to contribute literally to the
campaign funds OF all Republican
Senators who have to fight for their
seats by reason of having supported
Senator Newberry in his contest to
hold his seat. There are lively
fights now on against Townsend in
Michigan, Pepper in Pennsylvania,
Poindexter in Washington and
Frelinghuysen in New. Jersey, for
the nomination, and other fights yet