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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."
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