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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.