The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1923-12-13

" ohN hllABolA u ~ NtlANNolI ~
vision OF the tariff by the congress Is
disturbing and harmful. The present law
contains an elastic provision authorizing
the President to increase or decrease pres
centum to meet the difference in cost Of
nrnduction at home and abroad. This
does not, to my mind. warrant a rewrit-
inc OF the whole law. but does mean, and
will be so administered, that whenever
the required investigat ton shows that In
equalities of sufficient Importance exist
in any schedule. the power to change
them should ard will be applied.
Shipping.
The entire well-being of our country is
dependent upon transportation by sea and
land our government during the war
acquired a large merchant fleet which
should be transferred. as soon as pos
sible. to private ownership and operation
under conditions which would secure two
results First. and Of prime Importance,
adequate means for national defense; sec
ond ADEQUATE service to American COM
merce. Until shipping conditions are such
that our fleet can be disposed of advan-
tageously under these conditions, IL Will
be operated as economically as possible
under such plans as may be devised
from time to time by the shipping board.
We must have a merchant marine which
meets these requirements. and we shall
have to pay the cost of its service.
Public improvements.
The time has cosne to resume In a mod
crate way the opening of our intra-
coastal waterways, the control of food wa
ters of the Mississippi and of the Colora-
do rivers, the Improvement of the water
ways from the Great Lakes toward the
Gulf of Mexico, and the development of
the great power and navigation project of
the st. Lawrence river, for which efforts
are now being made to secure the nee
essary treaty with Canada These prof.
ects Cannot all be undertaken at once,
but all should have the immediate con-
sideration of the congress and be adopt
AI &c 4 a Of nc nlanO a hA n ylIrA1 ND
the necessary funds become available.
Railroads.
Criticism of the railroad law has
been directed. first. to the section lay
ing down the rule by which rates are
fixed, and providing for payment to
ings; second, to the method for the
adjustment of wage scales: and third.
to the authority permitting consolida-
tons.
1t has been enormously assumed that
the act undertakes to guarantee rail-
road earnings. The law requires that
rates should be just and reasonable.
That has always been the rule under
which rates have been fixed. To make
a rate that does not yield a fair return
results IN confscation and confscatory
rates are of course unconstitutional.
Unless the government adheres to the
rule of making a rate that will yield
a fair return, II must abandon rate
making altogether. The new and i'm
portant feature of that part of the law
is the and redistribution of
excess rates, The constitutionality of
this method is now before. the Supreme
court for adjudication. Their decision
should be awaited before attempting
further legislation on this subject.
Furthermore, he Importance Of this
feature will not be great II consolida-
ton goes into effect.
The settlement Of railroad labor dis
putes is a matter of grave public con-
Germ. The labor board was estab-
| liRhad tn nrntGct the nnh1ir In the en-
Joyment of continuous service by at
tempting to insure justice between the
companies and their employees. It has
been a ~~eat help. but is not altogether
satisfactory to the public, the employ
ees, or the companies. II a substantial
agreement can be reached among the
hesitation in enacting such agreement
into law II ii is not reached, the
labor board may very well be left for
the present to protect the public well
fare
Department Of Justice.
As no revision Of the laws of the
United States has been made since 1878,
a commission or committee should be
created to undertake this work. The
judicial council reports that two more
district judges are needed In the south
ern district of New York. one in the
northern district OF Georgia. and two
more circuit judges In the Circuit Court
of Appeals of the Eighth circuit. Leg
i%slation should be considered for this
purpose. "
The national government has never
given adequate attention to its prison
problems II ought to provide employ
ment in such forms of production az
can be used by the government. though
not sold to the public in competition
with private business. for all prisoners
who can be placed at work. and for
which they shoul receive a reasonable
compensation. available for their de-
pendents
Prohibition.
.ne prohibition amendment to the
Constitution requires the congress and
the President to provide adequate laws
to prevent its violation 1t is my duty
to enforce such laws Fol that pur
pose a treaty is being negotiated with
Great Britain with respect to the right
Of search of lowering vessels. To pre-
vent smuggling. the coast guard should
be greatly strengthened. and a supply
of swift power boats should be pro-
vided The major sources Of produc-
ton should be rigidly regulated. and
every effort should be made to suppress
interstate traffic. With this action on
the part of the national government,
and the cooperation which is usually
rendered by municipal and state au-
thorities. prohibition should be made
effective. Free government has no
greater menace than disrespect for
authority and continual violation of
law. 1t is the duty of a citizen not
only to observe the law but to let II
be known that he is opposed to its
violation.
The Negro.
Numbered among our population are
some IL, 000. 900 colored people Under
our Constitution their rights are jus,
as sacred as those of any other citizen,
1t is both a public and a private duty
to protect those rights. The congress
ought to exercise all its powers of pre-
vention and punishment against the
hideous crime OF l%ynching. OF which
the negroes are by no means the sole
sufferers, but for which they furnish
a majority Of the victims
Regulatory Legislation.
Cooperation with other maritime pow
! ers is necessary for complete protection
OF our coast waters from pollution. Plans
for this are under way. but await certain
experiments for refuse disposal. Mean.
time laws prohibiting spreading oil and
oil refuse from vessels in our own terri.
torial waters would be most helpful
against this menace and should be speed
lily enacted.
laws should be passed regulating avi.
alton.
.,evision is needed of the laws regulat.
ing radio Interference.
Army and Navy.
For several years we have been de.
creasing the personnel, of the army and
navy. and reducing their power to thu
danger point. Further reductions should
not be made. The army is a guarantee
of the security of our citizens al home
the navy is a guarantee of the security
OF our citizens abroad Both OF these
services should be strengthened rathei
than weakened. Additional planes are
needed for the army. and additional sub
marines for the navy.
Education and weIfara