Springfield weekly Republican. [volume], February 06, 1913, Page 8, Image 8

About Springfield weekly Republican. [volume] (Springfield, Mass.) 1851-1946

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SPRINGFIELD, THURSDAY, FEB. 6, 1913.
SIXTEEN PAGES
Moat Walt on Woodrow Wilson.
Gov Wilson is not without a sense of
humor, and if he has time he may well
enjoy the puzzlement into which Wash
ington folks and the newspaper men have
been thrown by such reticence on the part
of a president-elect as has not before
been in evidence. The noses of the prog
nosticators are entirely out of joint, be
cause they are unable to get a clew to
anything at the seat of coming power,
save only general principles that are not
regarded as filling. The easy-going meth
ods and manners of the past are as it they
never had been. No trial balloons are
soaring aloft as of old. M ashingtcsi is
mighty sore over the abandonment of the
inauguration hall, and sees nothing but
ruin ahead of the man who lopped it
off. The boomers of material things in
the city that lives upon the federal treas
ury are gloomily confident that there is
to be no era of lavish spending under Mr
Wilson. There is nn amount of pessimism
circulating about Washington that can al
most be cut with a knife, so heavily does
it overhang everything.
It is of more than ordinary interest to
observe the reports, coincident with the
Gridiron club dinner, that are coming .
"from the visiting newspaper men, who are *
very sensitive to the critical feelings of ।
democrats and others in the seat of the I
federal governmtet. Those who were in !
anywise acquainted with the atmosphere ।
which prevailed about the capital of New ’
Jersey after the former president of
Princeton university had had his scrap
with Senator James Smith, Jr., and oth
ers. will note much resemblance between
things now said in Washington and the
talk of Trenton two years ago, when
Woodrow Wilson was considered alto
gether a novice in public affairs. In that
case it was not so very long before the
clouds of doubt as to his purposes and
ability rolled away in New Jersey. His
practice of keeping his own counsel was
regarded as mighty disturbing then, as it
is now. There was the same irritation
because the governor did not then disclose
plans perhaps not perfected, as there is
now. and there was a like confident pre
diction that his administration was headed
straight for the rocks.
But ,let Washington be of good cheer
and remember that the dust in that arena
is known to cloud the wider vision.
When the president-elect gave notice that
his cabinet selections would be known only
when he announced them, he meant what
he said. That is exactly the situation
which the folks there and the rest of ns
will have to reckon with. It may appeal
to us as wise or otherwise, but so the
situation stands. Washington is im
portant because the plant of the federal
government is there, but it is only a speck
upon the great map of the United
States, and people cannot vote there.
That it displays a disposition not to like
tlie coming president is interesting, but
not supremely important. Gov Wilson
has bceti through that sort of thing in
New Jersey, and emerged in a way to
command the favor of the people of the
United States. It is probably idle to urge
Washington to possess its soul in patience
■nd to await the orderly development of
Mr Wilson's program as next month and
four years are going to develop it—but
that is what will have to be done, whether
patiently or impatiently.
The Public School Problem.
Some of the criticisms recently passed
upon the New York schools are answered
by Superintendent Maxwell in his 14th
annual report issued Monday. He says :—
There was some agitation throughout
the year in favor of changing the ele
mentary school curriculum. Sometimes
this agitation took the form of a proposal
to make three elective courses for the
seventh and eighth grades—a course lead
ing to high school, a commercial course,
and a trade course. Sometimes it as
sumed the shape of mere ignorant clamor
for "simplification,’’ whatever that may
mean. The unanswered and unanswerable
argument against three elective courses in
the seventh and eighth grades is that chil
dren 12 years of age—the age at which
they arc supposed to complete the sixth
grade—have not reached that maturity
of judgment or acquired that knowledge of
life which are necessary to enable them
to determine their future field of labor.
Parents arc seldom able to advise them
wisely. Behind the plausible term "sim
plification’' there lurka a very real danger.
We have very wrongly, ns I think, made
the school year no short through long and
frequent vacations that American chil
dren hav“ not the same chance for in
teneetual training aa European children.
If some of the proposals for “simplifi
cation’' I have heard advocated during the
past year should ever be adopted we
should cut down the curriculum to such
an extent that there would not be
enough left to furnish the mind with that
knowledge which every one should pew
sess and to afford material to engender ’
and develop the all-important habits of |
industry, concentration and reflection.
The “ignorant clamor" for simplification,
it may be remarked, has been led by
some educators who should promptly be
deposed from their positions if they are
so ignorant as Mr Maxwell thinks. But t
before retiring they might be able to ex- I
plain that by “simplification whatever |
‘that may mean” they mean reducing or I
eliminating any nonessentials which may i
stand in the way of learning well and
lastingly the most important things.
Mr Maxwell fears that if the curricu
lum were cut down there would not be
enough to teach the pupils, so that the
school year, already too short, would
have to be further shortened, and not
enough knowledge would be left suitably
to furnish the minds of the pupils. That
would be a lamentable outcome, certain
ly, but might it not be averted by giv
ing bigger doses of whatever subjects can
be agreed upon as the most important?
A public school graduate may be excused
for a large and varied ignorance if he
has learned at school how to study and
has equipped himself with a few valu
able intellectual instruments like a ca
pacity for stiff reading, and reasonable
expertness in speaking, writing, ciphering
and whatever other elementary but im
portant matters he has gone to school to
learn. The rest of his life he will have
for picking up odds and ends of knowl
edge. but if he begins life without the
fundamental things he will be seriously
handicapped. Lack off miscellaneous
knowledge is not likely ever to be the
defect of a people so much given to mis
cellaneous reading as the people of the
United States.
There is, of course, no question of a re
turn to the bare three “r’s” of former days.
It has been found that they benefit rather
than lose by a reasonable diversity of
studies; variety of interest is a valuable
stimulus. The point is rather that the
hard and troublesome disciplinary studies
which equip the mind for future work
must have the right of way, and are never
"finished" till they are mastered. Exact
ness and reasoned self-confidence are not
natural for a child, and must not be pre
matnrely insisted upon. But the whole
trend of elementary education must be to
bring the pupil to exact knowledge and
reasoned self-confidence in a few things,
and a healthy and active curiosity in re
gard to things at large. The boy who
can read hard and straight and extract
the meaning from a tough paragraph, who
knows whether he can spell a word or
whether he needs to open the dictionary,
who can copy a passage correctly and
trust his own figuring when he has
checked the result has been provided with
an intellectual instrument of incalculable
value for which no interesting odds and
ends of miscellaneous information can be
a substitute. In so far as “simplification”
favors that end it is to be welcomed, and
there need be no fear that pupils
win not have enough to do or that the
schools must shut down for lack of ma
terial. The school course has been great
ly enriched and on the whole improved:
but it would be rash to assume that it
has now reached perfection.
Simplification, is not a thing to be
achieved once for all; it has to be labored
for constantly like economy in govern
ment or household. The world is so full
of such numerous things that there is
no end to the temptations to spend money
or time. To illustrate the kind of thing
that has continually to be resisted it is
only necessary to call attention to the re
form seriously proposed in an article in
the February Educational Review' on
“The many-book versus the few-book
‘course of study.” The author, putting
himself against the ancient maxim, “much,
‘not many,” is for multiplying books and
subjects indefinitely. Starting with the
major premise that the end of education
is social efficiency and the postulate that
the “book problem” is to provide “inspir
‘ing books suitable to the grades, on all
‘great lines of race achievement,” he
reaches the wonderful conclusion that for
their school reading pupils should be given
little popular hand books on-
Race achievement in textiles, dyes,
leather, felts, furs, meats, grains, breads,
vegetables, fruits nuts, beverages, condi
ments. oils, woods, metals, stone, brick,
terracotta, cement, porcelain, fuels, heat
ing and ventilation, lighting, vessels, land
vehicles. nails, telegraph, telephone, phon- |
ographs. sewer system, water systems,
fire departments, police departments, sani
tation in home and municipality, use of
water for navigation, power, and irriga
tion: use of steam and electricity for
l>ower; bridging of streams, domestication
of plants and animals, progress of the
race in the protection of person and of
property and in civic co-operation general
ly; the use of quantity for business, com
mercial, industrial and scientific purposes,
etc.
Do we still have to ask the meaning of
“simplification" ?
Tke Single-Term Amendment.
The debate in the Senate on the single
presidential term amendment to the consti
tution was more interesting for the diverse
and often curious views it developed than
for the solid lucubrations of the disputants.
Running through the discussions also might
be traced the bearings of the amendment
upon the political fortunes of certain public
men. Mr Wilson’s friends seemed anxious
that it should not apply to him. Mr
Roosevelt's friends appeared to resent the
proposal as a personal insult. Amend
ments to the amendment were numerous
and covered a wide field.
The principle of a single presidential
term has much to cojpmend it now that
presidential primaries have appeared and
have forced one president already to enter
a clubbing contest on the stump for a re
nomination. The issue was pressed upon
the country by the circumstances of the
Taft-Roosevelt struggle, and it was made
a part of the national democratic platform
in the plank declaring, not merely against
a third term, but in favor of a single
term.
The country, according to the election
returns, voted overwhelmingly against the
third term, assuming that the combined
Wilson and Taft vote reflected that senti
ment. while public opinion regarding the
desirability of a single term was left much
more in doubt. A third term is easier to
attack than a single term is to defend ; and
many who would stand by the anti third
term tradition would denounce the single
term idea, especially if the term were made
six years in duration, as altogether too
distrustful of democracy.
The country is probably disposed to
preserve the status quo in this matter,
inasmuch as the unwritten law against
third terms, whether consecutive or non-
THE SPRINGFIELD WEEKLY REPUBLICAN: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1913.
consecutive, was strengthened by tne re
sult of the last presidential election. The
six-year single term would be exposed to
special objections, so long as our present
system of biennial congressional elections
is maintained and the executive and legis
lative departmßits are kept separate.
Congress may pass the resolution now
before the Senate, but we do not antici
pate that it would be ratified by the
states.
PUJO COMMITTEE TO MEET.
Chairman Drafting Report—Opposi
tion From Glass Inquiry.
The House banking and currency com
mittee at Washington is preparing to con
sider the report of that body on the money
trust which Chairman Pujo, with the aid
of Samuel Untermyer. counsel for the
Pujo subcommittee, now is drafting.
It will be wel' toward the end of the ses
sion before the report with its legislative
recommendations can be worked through
the subcommittee aud the full committee
to the House.
Chairman Pujo has deserted his office
and is working day and night framing his
version of the report. That will be sub
mitted to the subcommittee, where it is ex
pected to encounter its first difficulties.
The report as framed by Mr I’ujo will em
brace recommendations on the following
principal points:—
Regulation of stock exchanges through
the post-office department by forbidding
the use of the mails for transmitting of
certain transactions deemed evil, such as
short sales, manipulation and the estab
lishment of false values.
Regulation of clearing-houses through
nn act making their incorporation a con
dition precedent to the membership of na
tional banks iu such organizations, char
ters to eliminate the regulation of interest
or exchange charges by clearing-houses.
Stringent provisions to prevent national
banks from loaning to their officers or,di
rectors and to prevent national banks or
their officers from participating in syndi
cate flotations of new securities.
Opposition is looked for, both in the sub
committee and in the full committee, to the
recommendations. The proposition which
will cause the most trouble, it is believed,
will be that to prevent “interlocking direc
torates" iu interstate corporations. Just
what the recommendation on this point in
the Pujo-Untermyer report will be has not
yet been decided. No mutter what it is, it
will be opposed, largely on the ground that
the federal government has no jurisdiction
to interfere.
When the full committee begins consid
eration of the report, the members of the
Glass sub-committee, which has been con
ducting an independent investigation of the
currency problem, will join in the debate.
There has been considerable friction be
tween the two ends of the committee.
Chairman I’ujo plans to complete his report
soon after he and Mr Untermyer return
from examining William Rockefeller at
Jekyl island. They expect to start for the
South on Thursday and to return as soon
as possible.
SUFFRAGISTS ATTEND HEARING.
Women Appear Before House Com
mlttce to Urge Passage of French
Bill.
Four hundred women from every section
of the Union appeared Friday before the
House committee at Washington on presi
dential and congressional elections, to ap
peal for the passage of the French bill to
give women the right Ki vote for repre
sentatives in Congress. Heading the- peti
tioners was Rev Olympia Brown jf Ratline,
Wis.. president of the fwlern-ed women's
equality league of the United States, and
with them were a dozen members of Con
gress, including representatives from each
of the nine equal suffrage states.
The hearing was held iu the largest of
the House committee rooms, which was
almost filled to its capacity before the
stenographers in the building began to de
sert their offices and join iu the demon
stration. Women of all ages, some with
waving plumes, silks, satins and furs, stood
throughout the hearing; a few had chairs,
and others camped on the floor, surrounded
by their wraps, hats and parasols.
Mrs Clara B. Colby of Portland, Or.,
pleaded for a constitutional amendment pro
hibiting states from disfranchising citizens
on account of sex. Declaring that "the
constitution says the representatives shall
be chosen by the people of the several
states,” she asked, "Are women people?”
She added that American women would
continue their “earnest and dignified ef
forts to gain political freedom” as long as
might be necessary to gain their purpose.
Representatives Mondell of Wyoming,
Hayden of Arizona, Raker of California,
Lafferty of Oregon and others told the com
mittee of the success of equal suffrage in
their states. Representative Tribble of
Georgia questioned the right of the federal
government to establish franchise rights in
the states, and drew a vigorous reply from
Mrs Belva Lockwood, who declared that it
was not a speculative question, but an
established fact, that there was precedent
for a federal amendment to the constitu
tion granting the suffrage to women. Like
most of the other women iu the room, Mrs
Lockwood was wearing her hat. "I will
take off my hat to this committee,” she
said, “when it reports out the bill giving
the women the right to vote."
MR BORAH AGAIN PROTESTS.
Opposes Windsor Looks Dam Bill—
Fight In the Senate Begun.
From Our Special Correspondent.
WASHINoroN, D. C., Monday. Feb. 3.
The Windsor Locks bill had its first in
ning to-day in the Senate. It was brought
up by Senator Brandegee of Connecticut,
who sought an unanimous consent agree
ment for a vote Thursday. Senator Borah
protested, chiefly in the name of Senator
Thomas of Colorado, who could not lie
present. It was on Senator Borah's objec
tion that the proposed agreement failed.
Senator Borah defined his opposition
vaguely. He wanted “a conservation
that was something more than reservation,"
and while he was “willing to prevent pos
session and monopolization of water-powers
by a few corporations,” be thought the
pending bill should "be worked out. I am
sure” be added, “that only one side is
being worked out.” Senator Brandegee an
nounced that, the agreement for a vote
Thursday was concurred in by Chairman
Nelson and Senator Bankhead, bnt this did
not influence Senator Borah, who declared.
“There are matters in this bill here which
should be in a separate bill.”
Senator Jones of Washington asserted
that Mr Brundegee's method of bringing
the measure up was unusual and the dis
cussion came to an end. It was made
apparent, however, that the opposition
purposes a stubborn tight. Elimination of
federal regulations features will be urged
by that side. Senator William Alden
Smith of Michigan presented memorials
from boards of trade in Holyoke and
Springfield, from the Connecticut valley
waterways association and from city of
ficials. asking that the bill be enacted
immediately. _____
Taft Signs Lincoln Memorial Bill.
President Taft's first official act nt
Washington Saturday was to sign the con
gressional resolution providing for the
erection of a memorial there to Abraham
Lincoln in Pottonac park. The plan ap
proved by Congress iu the resolution will
require an appaopriation of $2,000,000,
whfeh will be made Inter.
GOV WILSON, THE SPHINX.
NOT EVEN MR TUMULTY KNOWS
ANYTHING ABOUT THE CABINET. ।
Did Not Know He Had Been Picked
to Go to Washington With the Next
President Until the Tender Cante.
From A Special Correspondent.
Trenton, N. J., Tuesday, February 4.
Among all the cabinet makers some of
us have known, from Garfield down to
1913, Woodrow Wilson is ini omparab’y the
sphinx. He is as mute of "tips” as the
great mysteries that have stood for ages
in the shifting sands of Egypt. It is
literally true that no man seems to have
a hint regarding the Wilson cabinet, save
as guesswork ean be regarded as the basis
of knowledge. The extent to which the
reticence of the president-elect extends
will be seen in the fact that Secretary
Joseph I’. Tumulty did not know' that he
was booked for service in Washington un
til the formal offer was made to him by
Gov Wilson; nor does this devoted friend
of the governor of New Jersey know any
more about the composition of the next
cabinet than the rest of us. He would not
leak if he did, but tlie fact is that he has
no enlightenment to dispense were he dis
posed to drop a pointer or two.
In such a situation as this, anomalous
beyond nil modern precedent, the news
paper men who are closest to Gov Wilson
and have his confidence can only exercise
their ability as guessers. There is no
knowledge, but possibly there may be some'
divination-trying to put one's self into
Mt Wilson's personality, and so studying
iu the light of all the knowledge obtain
able what he is likely to do. This process
is not very satisfying, but it is tlie best
that ean be done here. The governor
lias credited himself with having a "one
’track mind,” which being interpreted,
means that lie takes up one th.tig at a
time and becomes absorbed iu it to the
exclusion of other matters. He will not
be hurried, aud he does thorough work
from point to point. This plan of action
gave anxiety to his friends when he
turned from the presidency of Princeton
to the work of gqyeixting New jersey
ami leading the democracy of this state
into the path ot progressive achievement.
The politicians, ns you know, then viewed
him as a ’tenderfoot’’ in their realm, and
predicted all sorts of disaster foi him.
Tlie outcome Ims been a revolution m the
government of this state along the lines
of gouuine democracy that confounded
the critics, aud so established Dr Wil
son’s ability as a new’ force iu politics
and government as to make him. the next
president of tlie United States.
Because of what lias been, those who
have learned to trust Gov Wilson are
willing to abide his methods in solving the
problems of the national government, so
tar as his leadership is to affect them,
nnd they expect equally good results. These
are evidently to be reached by processes
unlike those employed by recent predeces
sors in the White House. So much by
wav of leading up- to some speculations
regarding the possibilities of the Wilson
cabinet. I am giving you the thought
of one who is eativcb"familiar with the
situatiqn here, so fay as any observer can
know it. and who has studied Gov Wilson
at first hand during all his political life.
This man believes, with all the rest of
us, that William Jennings Bryan is to be
secretary of state, but even the Commoner
has not been invited. Congressman A.
Mitchell Balmer of Pennsylvania will
doubtless be asked to serve in the cabinet.
This authority looks to see Congressmen
Robert Lee Henry or Albert Sidney Burie
son of Texas invited. These three were
indefatigable advocates of Wilson in the
Baltimore convention, where Pennsylvania
nnd Texas played a large part. This man
looks to see Gov John Burke of North
Dakota in the cabinet. The power of his
individuality as a progressive placed his
state in the democratic column, aud he
behaved well toward the Wilson candidacy
in the national convention. He is of the
type to add strength to the Wilson official
family, nnd Mr Bryan likes him. It is
not believed that Judge Wescott or any
other Jerseyman will be in the cabinet, but
our forecaster looks to see this eloquent
Wilson advocate given a high legal posi
tion in Washington. The work wlr-h
Josephus Daniels, editor of the Raleigh (N.
C.) News and Observer, did as the Head of
the democratic press bureau during the re
cent campaign is held to entitle him to
something— possibly a place in the cabinet,
but perhaps some lesser honor. Maine did
well by the Wilson candidacy, and Senator
Gardner would like to head the department
of agriculture, with uncertainty as to the
outcome. To many he does not look big
enough. It is believed that Mr Palmer will
be Mr Wilson s attorney-general. Senator
I hike Smith of Georgia is a possibility as
secretary of the treasury, but he would not
care to relinquish leadership in the Sen
ate unless forced to do so. In that ease
William G. McAdoo of New York may be
naked to become postmaster-general. The
possibility of Henry Morgenthau of New-
York in the treasury department does
not look substantial. Gov Burke may
be secretary of the interior, for it
is uot expected here that Walter
Fisher of Chicago will be asked to retain
that position. If Louis D. Brandeis should
reach the cabinet it is expected that it
mav be as secretary of commerce and la
bor and not as attorney-general. The truth
is that, so far as the politics of the situa
tion goes, the governor of New Jersey
owes nothing to Massachusetts, thanks to
Gov Foss. In fact, New Englund’s chances
of cabinet recognition seem to lie slim
this time. If Mr Brandeis gets there it
will be through the power of his person
ality.
Thore you have as good guesses as it is
possible to gather from men who are pay
ing close heed to tlie signs of the time
here. When all has been written, the fait
remains that Gov Wilson is to make his
own cabinet to an extent quite beyond any
parallel in 40 years. The president-elect
is keeping an open mind and Ills own
counsel. Not a hint hns he dropped to.
those nearest him of his matured purposes.
I believe It to be a fact that his own
mind is not made up. The late William
H. H. Mttrrav used to tell of the policy of
the late Sir John A. MacDonald of Cana
da. who once said that when entering the
official chamber to announce nn appoint
ment or n policy. lie always reserved the
right to change his mind while crossing the
room. Something like this the president
elect is reserving to himself. This much,
however, may be predicated upon the per
sonality nnd public career of the next
president of this republic—that whoever
may be called to the cabinet, the dominat
ing figure in its councils will he Woodrow
Wilson of New Jersey.
TARIFF BILL SPECULATION.
Large Free List Predicted —No Date
For Leek* Dam BUI.
From Our Special Correspondent.
Washington. D. C-, Tuesday, Feb. 4.
Now that the democrats of ways and
means are almost daily in executive ses
sion formulating and framing revision,
speculation as to their product waxes. It
is becoming a rival topic with the make-up
of the Wilson cabinet, but a* a political
mystery it will probably lunger endure.
One of the wisest republicans of the com
mittee, now of course, outside the door,
to-day made up a list of certain tariff mut
ters. as they would likely be treated by
his democratic colleagues. He has attend
ed the hearings religiously and puts his
own interpretation upon the tidbits of
knowledge which fell during their prog
ress. He has this formidable category for
the democratic free list: Lumber, rough
and dressed; food products generally, sew
ing machines, typewriters and linotypes
and agricultural implements; bituminous
coal, wire fencing, steel rails, cotton ties,
harness and saddlery; shoes, leather and
sugar.
The Senate to-day had one of its ses
sions lasting only into the midafternoon.
Republican tacticians are still giving bat
tle on confirmations when they can com
mand votes to get into executive session, j
They had just a bare majority, which :
availed them little for once in. they could
not maintain a quorum. The most im
portaut legislative act in the Senate was
the passage of a House bill aimed to reach
the valorization of Brazilian coffee. It
reinforces an old law, by which products
of a foreign trust may be seized in inter
state commerce within the United States
nnd penalizes both the agent and the
principal.
There was just a Senate reference to the
Windsor Locks bill, but Mr Borah of Ida
ho again objected to fixing a day for a
vo’e and Mr Btandegee said that to-mor
row he would move to take up the meas
ure. Mr Burton is preparing a speech, as
is Mr Bnrab. The latter will be answered
by Mv L. Fc-llette, who proposes to rid
dle the opposition to this feature of con
servation. T in' House hud a day on the
District of Columbia appropriation bill,
and wrangled much about the proportion
of taxation letv.ua the local and federal
government for support of Washington
city.
An interesting bit of gossip about Dem
ocratic National Chairman McCombs per
colated here. This represents as authori
tative that President-elect Wilson has se
lected him for collector of the port of
New York, a place that pays $12,000 a
vear and is supposed to be one of the very
best federal salaries.
There was am easier feeling in demo
cratic circles to-day when n West Vir
ginian, who has been making charges of
bribery in the election of the two senators
from that state, withdrew them. It seemed
that the Senate committee on privileges
and elections might authorize an inves
tigation. which would have east a cloud
upon the title of Senator Chilton, demo
crat. and thus imperil the narrow demo
cratic majority after March 4.
Signs of a studied campaign to urge en
actment of a currency law at the extra
session are appearing. The national citi
zens' league is distributing literature. The
name of ex-Gov Douglas was used here
to-day as one of the directors of the
league, who "finds that the demand for
immediate action ou the currency has
spread to all parts of the state, small shoji
keepers being as much interested as big
bankers.” It is claimed that bankers
and merchants of Boston and other Mush
sachusetts cities have been “wiring and
writing the president-elect" on this mat
ter.
A new crusade, parading in the name,
of economy, started in the House to-day
when Gen Isaac Sherwood of Ohio cir
culuted a petition for a democratic caucus.
Ho is against the three-battleship program,
for which much sentiment has been
solicited of recent days. It seems to be
the old fight of last year over again, with
friends of a big omnibus public building
bill in the background. An omnibus bill
and two or three dreadnoughts are not con
genial legislative associates this session
any more than they were Inst.
PLANS FOR INAUGURATION.
Application lor Place in Parade for
3000 Mnssachnsetts Guardsmen.
Prospects that the largest crowd that
ever gathered for an inauguration will wit
ness the ceremonies incident to the induc
tion into office of President-elect Wilson
were apparent nt the "booster day” meet
ing of the inaugural committee Thursday.
According to figures made public 20,(XK)
national guardsmen and members of other
organizations have definitely arranged to
attend the inauguration. These figures,
however, indicate only a part of the big
host that is making arrangements to visit
the capital.
The following are among the organiza
tions which applied Thursday for psitions
in the inaugural parade: Massachusetts
guardsmen, 3000; New York national
guard. 1000; Maryland national guard,
3000; Virginia national guard. 2000; Geor
gia national guard. 2000; New Jersey na
tional guard, 4500; Emmet guards. Worces
ter. Mass.: boy seouts of tne United
States. 1000; Tammany hall of New York,
1500; in addition, several hundred mem
bers of the Cook county (Chicago) demo
cratic organization will be in Washington.
Mayor Carter Harrison of Chicago and
Gov Dunne will accompany them.
Plans are now complete for the stand
from which the new president and his
family will review the parade. The stand
directly in front of the White House will
be a replica of tho Monticello home of
Thomas Jefferson. A imall forest of cedar
trees will surround the place and iu the
blanches will be hundreds of electric
lights. Calcium lights from across the
way will be thrown on tiie president to
show him to the crowds in Lafayette
square.
According to woman suffrage leaders the
suffragets uot only will erect a stand south
of the treasury department for their pa
rade on March 3, but hope to he granted
use of inaugural reviewing stands on the
south side of Pennsylvania avenue, if a
contract under consideration finally goes
through.
President Objects to Proposed Nar
rowlnx of Hudson Hirer.
President Taft took a vigorous stand
against lengthening steamship piers in the
Hudson river at New York, in a special
message to Congress Tuesday, vetoing the
proposal that he appoint a United States
engineer to the joint harbor line commis
sion of New York and New Jersey. “The
proposal to narrow the Hudson river at its
narrowest points has been passed upon by
four successive secretaries of war, includ
ing myself when I held the office,” Presi
dent Tuft wrote to Congress. "They have
uniformly decided against the proposition.
I myself held firmly the conclusion thnt
any further encroachments upon the exist
ing fairway of the Hudson river at that
point would be most shortsighted and
eventually destructive of the commercial
interests of the nation, which it Is the duty
of the federal authorities to conserve. I
regard the question as one which, in the
light of those successive decisions, ought to
be considered as Irrevocably settled."
Democrats Hope Io Have New Tariff
Bill Heady by March 15.
AU tariff hearings so far as the House
is concerned were concluded at Washing
ton Friday, and the real work of fram
ing in committee the revision legislation
for submission to the next Congress will
begin at once. The House committee
on ways and means devoted Friday to
hearing evidence suggestive of changes iu
the customs administrative act. and a tnis
cellMiy of items bearing on the free list.
James L. Gerry ot New York, former
chief of the customs division of the treas
ury, and W. J. Gibson of New York ad
vocated a number of administrative re
forms based on the contention that they
would simplify the customs requirements
and make them more equitable.
WORKS AMENDMENT WINS
SQUEEZES THROUGH SENATE.
DEMOCRATS STRONG FOR IT.
Debate Darins: l ay Shows a Variety
of Opinions Regarding the Subject.
A constitutional amendment which
would restrict the president of the Unit
ed States to a single term of six years
and would bar Woodrow Wilson, Theodore
Roosevelt a«d William H. Taft from
again seeking election was approved by
the Senate at Washington Saturday by
the narrow majority of one vote. After
a three-days’ tight, iu which the pro
gressives .joined with many republicans
in opposing the restricted presidential
term, the Senate adopted the original
Works resolution by a vote of 47 to 23.
The language which it is proposed to in
sert in the constitution In place of the
first paragraph of article 2 is as follows:—
The executive power shall be vested in a
president of the United States ot America.
The term ot the office ot president shall be
six years, and no person who has held the of
fice by election or discharged its powers or
duties or acted ns president tinder the con
stitution .and laws made in pursuance there
of shall be eligible to hold again the office
by election. The president, together with a
vice-president chosen for the same term,
shall be elected as follows.—
The resolution proposing the constitu
tional amendment now goes to the House
for its approval. If ratified there by a
two-thirds vote it will be submitted to the
state Legislatures and will become effec
tive when three-fourths of the 48 states
of the Union have officially approved it.
The adoption of the resolution came at the
close of a three-days’ fight in which re
peated attempts were made to so change
it that It would not affect past presidents
or the president in office when It may final
ly be ratified by the states. All these ef
forts failed. Two votes taken Saturday
again demonstrated the fact that the Sen
ate did not care to exempt auy person
from the operation of the single-term pro
vision.
An amendment by Senator Hitchcock
that would have exempted past presidents
and made the new provision take effect
March 4, 1917, was voted down. 42 to
27. and nn amendment by Senator Suther
land to exempt the president in office when
the constitutional amendment may finally
be ratified was defeated. 38 to 29. Sena
tors who supported the single term resolu
tion on its final passage were:—
Democrats: Ashurst of Wy., Hankhead of
Ala., Bryan of Fla., Chamberlain of Or.,
Chilton of W. Va„ Clark of Ark.. Fletcher of
Fla.. Gardner of Me.. Hitchcock of Neb..
Johnson of Mo., Johnston of Ain.. Kav
anaugh of Ok!.. Kern of In& New
lands of Nev.. Overman of K <•
Owen of Okl., Paynter of K.v.. Percy of
Miss., Porky of Maho, Pomerene of O Sim
mons of N. C.. Smltti of Artz.. Smith of Gn..
Smith of Md.. Swanson of V:i.. Thomas of
Col.. Thornton of Ln., and Williams ot Miss.
Republicans: Brandegee of Ct, Brown of
Neb., Bnrnhnm of N. H.. Burton of 0.. ( nt
ron of 0.. Clark of Wy.. Cummins of in .
Dilttnghnm of It., Dupont of DeL. Gamble
of S. D.. Gnggenhoim of Col.. McCutnber of
N. D., Nelson of Minn.. Penrose of Pn.. Per
kins of Cal. Smoot of Utah. Sutherland of
Utah. Wetmore of R. 1., and Works of Cal.
Senators who voted against the resolu
tion were:—
Republicans- Borah of Idaho. Bourne of Or.,
Rradlev of Ky.. Bristol of Kan.. Ciljtia of
Kan.. Ganinger of N. H. Jackson of Md
Jones of Wash., Kenyon of la.. Lu Follette
of Wls.. Lippltt of R. L I-odKC 6f ?la s in/h'
Lean of Ct.. Oliver of Pn.. Page of st. Rlch
ardson of Del.. Sanders of Teen . Stephc^
son of Wls. and Townsend of Mich. I ro
gressives: Clapp of Mlftn., Dixon of Mo»t.,
and Poindexter of Wash. Democrat. Shhe
ly of Ind. .
The fate ot the resolution was in dount
almost to the last vote cast. On the roll
call, Senator Works himself cast the de
ciding vote. The debate throughout tHe
day was characterized again by the conten
tion of the progressives that the proposed
constitutional amendment was a dangerous
limitation upon the rights of the people,
and by the efforts of many democrats to so
amend the resolution that it would uot be
retroactive in effects “We can trust the
people to decide whether they desire the
re-election of Roosevelt, Taft or n ilson,
said Senator Hitchcock in urging his
amendment to exempt past presidents.
"All we should strive to do is to make it
apply equally in the future to all men.
This' amendment was defeated. Senator
Williams made another effort to provide by
amendment for a limitation of two four
venr terms for the president with the pro
vision that it should not apply to past
presidents. Ho could not muster enough
support, however, to secure a roll-call.
Senator Cummins opened the debate by
proposing to permit voters to amend the
constitution directly without previous ac
tion of Congress, when “a substantial ma
joritv" demanded such a change. He de
clared that with the exception of George
Washington, those presidents who had
served two terms would have been better
had they served but one. Senator Cum
mins declared a president’s work was
often “neglected and badly performed be
cause of attention to efforts for renominu
tion and re-election. "I believe a presi
dent would do his duty more efficiently if
no influences can affect him,” he said.
“I think the Sherman antitrust law will
be more thoroughly administered and more
energeticallv applied to all persons alike,
if the president of the United States is
made free from all the influences which
these great interests may exert.”
Senator Borah declared that with the
chance of re-election before a president,
this “subtle and insidious influence" of cor
poration interests was counterbalanced by
the influence of the public demand that that
law be enforced. Senator Cummins declared
the president should be taken out of the
maelstrom of polities. He ought not to
“travel from one end of the country to the
other.” he said, “appealing to the people in
the same way as a candidate for any other
office. The duties of the president's office
are sufficient to consume all his time and
strength and are important enough to merit
■II of his attention and devotion.”
Friday’s Debate on the Measure.
Senators Dixon and Poindexter, pro
gressives. Bristow, progressive republican,
and Lodge, republican, led the fight Fri
day against a restriction of the presidential
term. Senator Wilson, democrat, pro
posed a four-year term with the privilege
of re-election once, but his amendment
was so drawn ns to prevent Col Roosevelt
from seeking another election. The defeat
of the Bristow amendment for recall of
the president followed a short debate, in
which Senator Bristow urged, that to
make the federal administration properly
responsive to public demand, the people
should have the right to change the presi
dent when they change Congress. The
vote on the recall amendment mustered 10
votes bnlv in its favor, the following sen
ators voting for it: Bristow, Clapp, Dixon,
Gronna and Poindexter, progressives and
republicans: Ashnrid. Martine, Owen,
Perky and Thomas, democrats.
The candidacies of Roosevelt, Wilson,
Bryan and Taft figured iu the fight
throughout Friday. Senator Borah said
President Taft had not used the power of
his office for his own re-election in 1912
t» any greater extent than President
Roosevelt had used it in 1908 for the
election of Mr Taft. “President Roosevelt
wanted Mr Tift nominated because he
believed Taft would carry out the princi
ples to which the Roosevelt adminstratlon
was devoted," said Senator Bristow. “A
president who would not use every effort
to perpetuate his policies would not be
worth his salt."
Senator Hitchcock asked if it was not
“generally believed" that Roosevelt
favored Presidcut Taft's nomination in
1908 so that he himself might be a can
didate in 1912. "1 know the senator him
self does not entertain such a thought."
retorted Senator Borah, “so I feel free
to say that such au idea is the product
of a diseased mind.”
Senator Bristow declared the people
should be free to choose their own presi
dent, and to re-elect a president when they
believed it wise. He declared the con
stitution should include a recall provision,
so that when Congress is overthrown be
cause an administration is not satisfactory,
the people could also recall the president
and establish a new administration
throughout. "When a president has had
two years and his administration is not.
satisfactory, the people elect a Congress of
different political view to the president."
said Senator Bristow, He added that
there had been a suspension of govern
ment for two years because the people
were dissatisfied with President Taft's
tariff policies. A six-year term, he de
clared, without a recall provision would
make the government less elastic and less
responsive to the publie will.
Senator Dixon’s Remarks.
Senator Dixon, chairman of the pro
gressive national committee, declared lie
did not believe there was any great pub
lic demand for the proposed change in tho
constitution. "If the truth must be
stated." lie said, “this resolution might
better be entitled ’A proposed amendment
to the federal constitution for the relief
of certain aspirants for the presidency ot’
the United States.’ ”
Senator Paynter, democrat, offered a
provision that when the amendment should
lie adopted the president then in office
should lie entitled to n six-year term.
He declared no question should be left
open us to whether it applied to Gov
Wilson.
“Wasn't it your impression that Mt- Wil
son was elected for a four-year term?”
asked Senator Dixon.
Senator Paynter replied that the amend
ment should be made to take effect im
mediately, regardless of who. was presi
dent. Senator Dixon’s retort wag to sug
gest that it be so changed that it would
not apply to I’residcnt-cleet Woodrow
Wilson, tie declared that no amendment
could be adopted to tho constitution that
would prevent tlie people of the United
States from exercising their own judg
ment as to whether a president should be
re-elected.
“We are offering something that is not
demanded by the people, except as that,
demand flows from some persoual ambi
tions," declared Senator Dixon. "Are you
democratic senators going to embarrass
President Wilson by declaring that no
matter how good Iris administration may
be or how much tho people may desire him
to serve again, ho shall be debarred, in
order to provide an opportunity for others
who want the presidential office?”
Martine Speak* for Gov Wilson.
Senator Martine of New Jersey declared
Senator Dixon could "leave Woodrow Wil
son out of the debate," as Mr Wilson had
announced his sympathy with the demo
cratic national platform, which indorses a
single presidential term.
"Has Woodrow Wilson said he would
not be a candidate for another term?” de
manded Senator Dixon.
"Not in so many words." answered Mr
Martine, "but he has several times in
dorsed the expression of the democratic
platform.”
“Was there any agreement, with him be
fore he was nominated that he would not
accept another term?” persisted Senator
Dixon.
"I know of no conference on that sub
ject," replied Mr Martine, and continuing,
“I still believe that Mr Wilson has de
clared his position to be in favor of a
single term." .
"I have observed m the past, retorted
Senator Dixon, “that he has held dif
ferent views from what he does now. Pos
sibly that is the case in this matter.”
One of the substitute amendments that
had provoked the Dixon-Martine debate
was offered by Senator Williams. He de
clared, however, that he “did not want to
antagonize the following of auy ex-presi
dent and would -hange his substitute so it
should apply only to .future presidents.
"Make it so it will not apply to any
man who has run for president three
times." retorted Senator Dixon.
Senator Clarke of Arkansas offered an
amendment to exempt from the operation
of the single term provision, the president
who might be in office when the constitu
tion was amended.
Senator Root objected to all amendments
of that character, declaring that, chang
ing the federal constitution was so serious
a matter that it should not be complicated
by the consideration of the personal in
terests of Wilson, Roosevelt or Taft.
Purc Vocational Education Bill.
The Senate Wednesday last week by an
unexpected coup enacted theiPage vocation
al education bill, 31 to 30. The Vermont sen
ator thus wins out. temporarily at least,
over southern rivals for similar honors—
Senator Hoke Smith of Georgia and Rep
resentative Asbury F. Lever of South Caro
lina. The House after a day of tempestu
ous and sentimental oratory voted for the
proposed Lincoln memorial, a Greek temple
by the Potomac. As to the latter, action
is assured, for the Senate has already
passed an identical bill and it now goes
to the president for signature. The danger
of a highway to Gettysburg as a memorial
to Lincoln, against which Senator Root
recently inveighed, is past. Work will be
gin forthwith under an appropriation of
$2,000,000. As to the Page bill, n scrim
mage in the House is assured before the
conference stage is reached. The Vermont
ter’s comprehensive measure, providing ul
timately for expenditures of about $12.-
000,000 annually, will probably be resist
ed and there is even talk of trying to re
consider to-morrow the Senate vote by
which it was passed.
Popular Election Killed.
The Senate Friday defeated every
attempt to amend the Works single six
years’ presidential term resolution.
The closest votes of the day came on
Senator Owens’s amendment for a direct
popular vote on president aud vice-presi
dent, defeated 35 to 32, and Senator Payn
ter's amendment to' lengthen to six years
the term of tlie president who might lie in
office when the cvDstitntional amendment
was finally ratified. This was defeated. 36
to 30. Proposals for two four-yen r terms
and one four-year term, suggestions to
modify the resolution so it would not affect
Taft, Wilson or Roosevelt and amendments
to make it only apply to presidents elected
after its ratification, were all defeated by
large majorities.
■ Conference Asrecnient on Immißva
flon Bill.
The immigration bill in controversy be
tween the House and Senate for several
weeks was filially adopted Friday by
the Senate in the form agreed on by the
conference committee. It now goes to the
president for signature. The “certificate
of character” provision, against which
there was much protest was eliminated, as
was also a provision that would have
made it difficult to deport criminals.
Slana Bill for Aria and Letlera lu
■fHute.
President Taft Saturday at Washington
signed the bill incorporating the National
institute of arts and letters.