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THE JEFFERSONIAN
Vol. 111. No. 8.
Forestry Fill Sidetracked for Session
Washington, D. C., Feb. 15. —The most
enthusiastic advocates of the Appalachian for
est reserve project realize the evident hope
lessness of the situation in so far as the de
sired legislation at this session of congress
is concerned. Should the judiciary committee
of the house report favorably as to the con
stitutionality of the proposed legislation there
would then be little hope of the passage of a
bill at this session, because it is generally be
lieved that an early adjournment is in sight.
The present program, according to the best
informed members of congress, contemplates
as little legislation as possible. It is stated
that only the appropriation measures and a
currency bill, if possible of passage through
the house, will be permitted, after which ad
journment will be speedily taken.
Much Law is Involved.
As was pointed out in the Journal of Friday,
the constitutionality of the forest reserve pro
ject is no small subject. It is recognized by
the lawyers of congress —the friends as well
as the enemies of the measure—that the ques
tion is a big one, embodying many shades of
finely drawn legal lights and shadows. It is
believed that the investigation of the question
will lead the judiciary committee through a
perfect mass of complicated and technical de
cisions of the United States Supreme Court
bearing upon the powers of congress under the
constitution with reference to innumberablij
matters and extending over the entire republic.
Even the best of lawyers disagree as to the
interpretation of court decisions and laws, and
it’s a foregone conclusion that among the
membership of the committee there will de
velop dozens of conflicting views with refer
ence to the question.
The importance of the Appalachian and
White Mountain project is fully realized by
practically every member of congress, and its
merits has appealed /to many of them. But,
as has been developed, its doubtful constitu
tionality has stood in its way.
At Work on Committee.
It now developed that the agricultural com
mittee of the house is evidently favorable to
the reserve but the passage of the Bartlett
resolution makes futile any action the com
mittee may take. Even if one of the bills
should be favorably reported, the house would
not consider its merits until the judiciary com
mittee has reported upon the constitutionality
of the project as the resolution does.
The friends of forest reserve appreciate the
situation fully and they are now planning to
direct their attention towards the judiciary
committee and hasten, if possible, a report. It
of course behooves them to establish the con-
A Weekly Paper Edited by THOS. E. WATSON and J. D. WATSON.
Atlanta, Ga., Thursday, February 20, 1908.
stitutionality of the question, and if the com
mittee is willing the friends of the project
will bring to Washington some of the best
lawyers in the land to argue the co
ality of the proposed legislation.
The people of the south, who a
in the scheme, should by all means O’
turn their guns on the judiciary «tmmii.
with a view to influencing speedy action. They
should endeavor to convince their representa
tives on the committee as to the constitution
ality of the project.
Who Compose Committee.
The southern members of the committee are:
Dearmond, Missouri; Clayton, Alabama;
Henry, Texas; Brantley, Georgia; Reid, Ar
kansas; Webb, North Carolina.
A favorable report from the judiciary com
mittee at this session or the next session,
would, it is believed, positively insure the
passage of the legislation, while an unfavor
able report would undoubtedly have the oppo
site effect.
Congressman Bartlett did not offer and
prvss his resolution with a view to killing the
bill, and the friends of the project have no
criticism to make of his resolution. They
readily admit that it was a wise action, for
if the project is unconstitutional, as is claimed
by some, the passage of the bill through the
house and senate , would avail little, if it were
attacked in court. Unless its constitutionality
could be established, the supreme court would
set it aside and the labors of the foresters
would go for naught.
The resolution may in the long run prove
a boon to the project, for, as shown, a favora
ble report from the committee would wonder
fully expedite its passage through both branch
es of congress. _ Practically all of the opposi
tion would of necessity be withdrawn in the
face of a favorable report from the judiciary
committee.—Atlanta Journal.
KENTUCKY TOGA STILL HANGING BE
YOND REACH.
Frankfort, Ky., February 16.—The Ken
tucky General assembly has ballotted for ex
actly a month in an effort to elect a United
States senator to succeed James B. McCreary,
and today is apparently no nearer an election
than it was on the day the first ballot was
taken. On the first vote Former Governor
Beckham, who had been nominated the
democratic primaries, received 66 votes, For
mer Governor Bradley, republican caucus
nominee, 64 votes, while 7 democratic members
were scattering and 1 republican absent
through illness. During the month in which
balloting had proceeded, Beckham gained back
Senator Tabb, who voted against him the first
day, but lost Representative Klair, while
Representative Denham, who was ill, has
recovered and is now voting for Bradley, mak
ing the relative standing of the two candidates
practically the same as when the voting began.
Playing Politics to the Limit.
During the four weeks intervening, however,
* ' ° limit of politics has been played by both
* ' f s and republicans in the effort to
11 advantage in the race and break
p adlock. The principal vehicle for
charges and countercharges has been a bill
to extend the provisions of the county unit
local option prohibition law uniformly to all
counties of the state. The republicans have
charged that the Beckman democrats have
used this bill as a legislative football, seeking
first to deal with the recalcitrant democrats
by agreeing to hold up the bill and failing in
that to hang it over their heads as a punish
ment for their failure to support the demo
cratic nominee.
On the other hand, the prohibition demo
crats assert that the republicans have violated
the emphatic declarations of their last state
platform by voting with the socalled liquor
democrats to delay the bill. It was charged
by the Beckham democrats last week, that an
agreement was reached whereby the republi
cans were to deliver 40 votes to delay the
prohibition bill in exchange for four votes
from the minority democrats to unseat two
democratic representatives, thus putting Brad
ley within three votes of victory. On the
day when this charge was first made, forty
republicans voted to delay the bill which the
democrats assert is a vindication of this
accusation.
Great Uncertainty Prevails.
Contest cases involving the seats of demo
cratic Representative Mahin, of Jessamine
county, and Woodford of Bourbon county,
will undoubtedly come up early in the
week and the Beckham democrats say it will
then be disclosed whether the minority demo
crats will keep their part of the alleged bar
gain.
In the meantime the friends of Beckham
are making every effort to prevent the loss
of any of their votes. With Speaker Gooch,
a strong Beckham man, so far, they have held
the whip hand, but the greatest uncertainty
prevails and no matter what might be the out
come, few would be surprised.
The constant effort of the democrats who
are opposing Beckham, has been to present
the name of some democrats, who might
prove powerful enough to induce some of
the Beckham men to desert him.
Senator McCreary, Henry Watterson, former
Senator Blackburn, Colonel Jshn R. Allen and
State Senator Wheeler Campbell are among
(Continued on Page Twelve.)
Price Five Cents.