Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 February 1905 — WASHINGTON BETTER. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON BETTER.

Political and Qeneral Qosslp of the National Capitol. Special Correspondence to The Democrat: An unusual aud dramatic scene was presented in the House of rep resentatives last week, when, railroad rate legislation being under discussion, the Democratic leader. Representative John Sharp Wiliams, appealed in his efforts to curb the power of the railways “We are committed to this proposition because it is Democratic in principal,” declared Mr. Williams, “and I do not hesitate to say that we are glad to find the President of the United States on the question is more of an American oitizen, more interested in the welfare of all people, than any particular Democrat dr Republican.” Then turning to the Republicans, Mr. Williams said, “We will toe-mark the President’s tracks on this subject and we call on you as American citizens to help us to toe-maik them.” Mr Williams’ remarks were greeted by a burst of applause from both sides of the chamber, although it was noteworthy that many of the Republican “leaders,” among them, Cannon, who was not in the Chair, Dalzell, Grosvenor, Payne and others failed to applaud and even looked disgusted. t t t Mr. Williams’ remarks followed soon after a caucus of the Democratic members of the House at which it was determined to support the President in his movement for railway rate control, such action, it having been argued, being dictated by patriotic motives, which should stand above partisan considerations. It is also true that the Democrats in the Senate will stand solidly in support of any measure sent over from the House which carries into effect the President’s recommendations, although it is entirely possible, even probable, that Senator Elkins, as chairman of the Senate committee on Interstate Commerce, will be able to prevent any measure of real value being reported to the Senate. t t t

That there is no possibility of railway legislation at this session is conceded by these familiar with the legislative situation. The Senate leaders have craftily brought about a situation which precludes the possibility of any important legislative enactment before March 4 To accomplish this end they once more made a tool of the ever willing junior Senator from Indiana, Mr. Beveridge. Senator Beveridge was told to briDg in the Statehood bill and that the leaders would help him pass it, although they never intended so doing. Mr. Beveridge, never loath to assume a roll which makes him the center of attraction, gladly responded and for days and weeks the Statehood bill has dragged its weary way through the Senate, Mr. Beveridge believing he was making progress, while the leaders declared that “nothing could be doue until Statehood was disposed of and all the while were laughing in their sleeves. Now it has become evident, even to Mr. Beveridge that he cannot pass his bill, but he does not even now know that he has been made the catspaw of the leaders. t t t

The best policies of the President have no more spacious friend, no more covert enemy, than Speaker Cannon. The President recently declared that any government employe who exerted influence with members’ of Congress to obtain an increase of salary must be discharged. This did not please Mr. Cannon, who is an arrant spoilsman, and he immediately passed the word that “lamp funds” mast be abolished, and so they are being. “Lump funds” are appropriations lump sums for the several departments, so made that the respective cabinet officers may, at their discretion, reward other employes with increases of salary. Opposed to the “lump funds” is the “statutory roll,” that is a list of places for which Congress fixes the salaries. Clerks in all departments age being transferred to the statutory roll so that their salaries cannot be increased except by Congress and those who actually deserve and to whom their chiefs would like to give increases, must appeal to members of Congress or go without.

t t t Another instanoe of Mr. Cannon’s efforts to defeat the wishes of the President recently came to the attention of your correspondent. The President extended the civil service classification to includes some 600 employes appointed as “laborers” but doing clerical work and having served

several years. As long as they were “laborers” they could not be paid over *75 a mouth. Several Secretaries wished to promote the more efficient of these employes to that end asked the President to include them in the classified service.. He did so and immediately the House provided that clerk* so classified should receive a maximum salary of $75 a month, thus defeating the intention of tire President and demonstrating to the clerks that they must acquire “influence” with Congress if they ever hoped to better their condition. •t t t Instances without number coil'd be cited whore Congress b s covertly defeated the efforts c f the President to establish an efficient civil service where merit should gain promotion and political influence prove of no avai , where tbe faithful, trustworthy employp, rather than the politic. 1 henchman, who never fails to go out iu his district and hustle for the re-election of his Congressman, should win recognition, promotion and increased remuneration. Usually these tricks of Congress are too obscure &nd too complex to make it possible to expose them in a newspwper article. The public does not understand, rarely can be made to understand and, too often, does not care. It is none of my business anyway, and it is too deep for me to understand. “I haventthe time anyhow” says tbe average good citizen, and he goes his way entirely oblivious of the fact that what the President is trying to do by means of civil service reform is to cheapen the cost of tbe government to every citizen of the United States by makiug it an object to the government employe to render the most and the best service of which he is capable Of'.he average citizen it may be said, with apoligies to Kipling: “ The worst of it is he did not know,’’ “And never could understand. - ’ For Sale:—-40 acres timber, 4| miles southeast of Rensselaer, Ind. W ill sell by the acre or part of acre; will Bell cord or stovewood, or poles; stove wood cut to order. Cordwood $2.00 per cord on4he ground. W. E Jacks, Sale Agent. 19f Residence near titpber.