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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (March 21, 1913)
',riY k The Commoner, MARCH 21, 1913" 7 f CURBGNT TOPICS ISPi rf" l J "" - w . i in i i v THERE is considerable comment concerning tho youthf ulness of the Wilson cabinet. A writer in tho New York Herald says: In Europe kings and ministers have shown such longevity that it has been said the world was governed by old men. In striking contrast is the average age of about fifty of the new cabi net at Washington, the president himself being close to the year which is sometimes spoken of as being the prime of intellectual life, although old for athletes. When the present British cabinet was reconstructed at the death of Campbell Bannerman five members retired at the average of sixty-five, and five succeeded at the average .of about forty, making the average under fifty-two for the cabinet as reconstructed. This compares with the average for the Cana dian cabinet of sixty-one. There were ten British ministers under fifty and only three Canadians. There was no Canadian under forty, whereas there were two in the British cabinet in the thirties. Although Mr. Roosevelt was younger than Mr. Wilson, being the youngest of all presidents, his cabinet was older, averaging fifty-four. It is odd that when it is so- often remarked that science Is prolonging human life our statesmen are growing younger. In the days of "the fathers" the age of presi dents was nearer sixty than fifty. J. Q. Adams at fifty-seven being the youngest of the first half1 dozen, and fifty-six being the average for twenty elected presidents. This does not in clude presidents succeeding to the office from the vice presidency, as did Mr. Roosevelt at forty-three. It was only our earlier presidents who were elderly. Washington himself was a colonel at twenty-two, Jefferson wrote the Dec laration of- Independence at thirty-three, Patrick Henry made his famous "treason" speech at twenty-nine, Alexander Hamilton made himself immortal as a financier at twenty-four with his conception of a. "national debt as a national blessing. On tho other hand it is but a few years since A. R. Thayer analyzed the ages of 530 prominent men of the nineteenth century and found the average, age of. 112 statesmen was seventy-one. If there is one deduction clearer than another from these facts it is that work is the best preservation of youth. Thus it was heard with regret within the past few days that a leading railway president was attacked by heart disease shortly after his re tirement. It probably was the accumulative effect of overwork, but the change of habit pre cipitated rather than averted it. Just as run ners get their "second wind," so many, men re new their strength after passing the age which is critical for most. This may be only another way of saying that passing that age is proof of unusual stamina. There are two recipes for growing old. One is to have a weak heart and a good digestion. The other is to get a pension or a, government clerkship. Not long ago there were living several widows of revolutionary veterans, and. there were 1,587 clerks at Wash ington ranging froin sixty-five years up to ninety, and many oyer eighty. v O O REFERRING to the new attorney 'general, a writer in the Cincinnati Enquirer says: That senators, representatives and the adminis tration may settle or create issues on the tariff schedules every voter in the United States is aware of; that the state department has before it problems for solution that may have a power ful influence, upon the future of the republic, and that may make or mar the success of the administration, all recognize. Potent factors as these may be in brightening or dimming the record of the new administration, our readers should bear in mind that the work of the de partment of justice, over which Hon. James C. McReynolds has been called to preside, is of such transcendent importance that it bids fair to exercise greater potency in the shaping of the material interests of the country than the action of any other branch of our government. Mr. McReynolds brings to this herculean task an experience in the Btudy and practice of the laws bearing directly upon, the problems he deals with that few, if any, other lawyers of the coun try possess. As assistant to Attorney General Wickersham in several of the most important of the suits brought under the Sherman law, and in the proceedings looking to tho dissolution of companies In accordance with court decisions, It is known that upon all points his opinions were not in harmony with those of his chief, but his sense of duty to his client, the government, pre vented him- from weakening the position of its chief representative by expressed open dissent. A native of Kentucky, educated in Tennessee and Virginia and trained in the practice of the courts of New York, he can be said to have had a national training, while his close .association with such eminent jurists as the late Justices Jackson, of Tennessee, and Harlan, of Ken tucky, and their associates has served to equip him to contend with the most formidable of legal opponents. That Attorney General Mc Reynolds will move forward to legal triumphs no one who knows his great ability and clear judgment doubts, and President Wilson strengthened his administration decidedly when he secured Mr. McReynolds's consent to enter his cabinet. O w v SPEAKING of Franklin K. Lane's successor as interstate commerce commissioner, tho Sacramento (Cal.) Bee says: John H. Marble, at present secretary of the interstate commerco commission, who will be appointed to fill tho vacancy occasioned by the selection of Franklin K. Lane as secretary of the interior in the Wil son cabinet, was a printer by trade and for many years a strong leader in the Typographi cal union. He then became associated with James H. Barry in the San Francisco Star, and afterward entered upon the profession of law. He-is a very bright, able, honest man; an in defatigable worker, quiet and modest. His ser vices as secretary of tho interstate confmerce commission rendered him invaluable to that body. He is a staunch personal friend of Frank liln K. Lane, and undoubtedly the latter had considerable to do with the choice of Mr. Marble as his successor. John H. Marble may bo expected to follow along the path in tho interstate commerce commission mapped out by his chief, Franklin K. Lane, and to show him self a loyal servant of the people. i2& ft O TWO distinguished democrats are having trouble these days. The Washington cor respondent for the Associated Press tells the story in this way: Tags of identification may yet be necessary to distinguish James C. Mc Reynolds, the new attorney general of the United States, from Representative Gordon Lee of Georgia. The two statesmen are almost twins in appearance. Already a number of embarrass ing and humorous incidents have occurred to both as a result of the strong- resemblance. Former Sonator Joseph W. Bailey was among the first to become confused by the striking similarity. He counts both of them among his close friends. On the way to the department of justice he saw the attorney general, as he supposed, headed toward the White House about a half blodk distant. "Oh, Mac," called the senator, breaking into an undignified run, "hey, wait "a minute." Pedestrians looked with sur prise on the former senator's sprint and the sena tor's ruffled feelings were not smoothed on over taking his supposed quarry. Representative Lee laughed at him merrily. w O w THE Inaugural prayer was delivered by Rev. Ulysses G. B. Pierce, chaplain of the United States senate, and was as follows: "Almighty God, our heavenly Father, at the opening of this congress we stand before thee, to acknow ledge thy providence and to implore the con tinuance of thy favor toward this thy people. Bend over us, wo humbly beseech thee, and hearken unto our prayer. Wo ask thy blessing, our Father, upon him who this day surrenders tho high office to which he was called by tho suffrages of this people. We pray thee to watch over him, to direct his feet into tho paths of peace and to, keep him in the memory and esteem of this ' people. We pray thee, most merciful God, to bless thy servants, the presi dent and vice president of the United States. Anoint them with thy spirit and plenteously en due them with thy grace . Protect them by they heavenly power and direct them by- thy counsel, that thoy may servo thee with reverence and Godly fear. For all who, by the suffrages of this people, are called to exercise authority, wo pray that ub they rule by thy favor, so thoy may serve In thy fear and with an eye slnglo to thy glory. Wo pray thee, O God, to bless our coun try. Deliver us from violence without and dis cord within. Defend our liberties and uphold our free institutions. Extend unto us the pcaco that floweth as a river, enriching our borders with peaceable industries and with honorable toil. Upon the altar of tho hearts of this people kindle into (lame the fire of patriotic devotion, that, by thy grace, this may be that happy na tion whose God is tho Lord. We invoko thy blessing upon this congress, begun In thy name. So direct their deliberations and order their counsels that the time may be hastenod when the kingdoms of this world shall bocome the Kingdom of our God and of his Christ. And unto thee, O God, whose kingdom is an cvor lasting kingdom and whose dominion endurcth throughout all generations be glory and praise now and forevermore. Amen." A MERITORIOUS MEASURE Representative Keckloy of York county. Neb., has Introduced a railway -rato measure, Houso Roll No. 518. The bill has passed tho committee of the whole, in the houso and will probably pass tho house. Tho reduction provided for is very conservative, the railroad commission having found that an oven larger reduction would bo reasonable. This bill should be enacted into law. "House Roll No. 518. A bill for an act to fix maximum rates to be charged for the transpor tation of certain property within tho state of Nebraska upon and over tho lines of railway companies or common carriers within this state and to delegate powers to the state railway com mission, to regulate tho same and to provide penalties for tho violation of this -act, and to repeal Chapter 95, Session Laws of 1907. Intro duced by Representative C. R. Keckley of York. "Be it Enacted by the People of tho State of Nebraska: Section 1. It shall be unlawful for any railway company or common carrier, opera ting or doing business in the state of Nebraska, to charge, collect or receive for the transporta tion of live stock, potatoes, grain and grain pro ducts, fruit, coal, lumber or building material in carload lots, within the state of Nebraska, more than ninety per cent of tho amount fixed in the classification and schedules of such rail way companies or common carriers for tho transportation of such property in force and effect on their various lines of railway on tho first day of January, 1913, or more than eighty per cent of tho amount of any class rate, or charge for any other freight, however classified, in force and effect on the above date, until after the state railway commission shall have pro vided a greater ra'te upon any article or property in such schedules from the rate herein fixed. "Section 2. Tho state railway commission shall have the power to hear and determine whether or not the freight rate upon any article or articles in such schedule or classification of rates is either so high as to bo unjust to ship pers, or so low as to bo unremunerative or un just to any common carrier affected thereby, and upon complaint, in writing of any person or cor poration affected thereby, particularly specify ing the article or articles upon which such rates are either too high or too law and the facts In. connection therewith, said railway commission shall set forth such cause for hearing and upon trial thereon and a full hearing after the notice thereof, shall either raise or lower the rato herein fixed upon such article or articles to the end that tho same shall be just and reasonablo to all parties concerned. "Section 3. Any railway company or com mon carrier violating the provisions of this act shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof, shall forfeit and pay a fine of not less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), nor more than fifty thousand dollars (?50,000) for each offense. 'Section 4. That Chapter 95 of the Session TJaws'of Nebraska4 for 1907 is'hereby repealed." vl (,