ITEMS OF INTEREST March 26, 1910 Issue

ITEMS OF INTEREST

In his address before the Chamber of Commerce at Rochester, N. Y., President Taft made an earnest appeal to Congress to subordinate and sacrifice individual opinions in order that the measures he recommended in fulfilment of party pledges shall be enacted into law. He expressed the hope that the party would show that it has "the sense and discipline" to meet its responsibilities. At one point in his speech, which was devoted entirely to the legislation which he has advised in the past few months, the President made this declaration: "That if this Congress is to be treated as a Republican Congress, these things ought to pass in fulfilment of party pledges. After this is done, it does not matter what happens at the next election. We shall have done something the country will be grateful for, whether it thinks it ought to express this gratitude in the immediate future or not. I am confident that in the end these measures will approve themselves. The troubles we most fear are those that never come. The measures that we promised ought to be adopted not because they will give us political strength, but because they are right. And if they are right the people will find them to be right, and that's the best politics in the end. I am tired," shouted the President, amid a storm of cheers, "of consulting particular interests to see whether or not a thing ought to go through. I am in favor of consulting every interest to see what its argument may be, and I want to give justice to every interest. I want to know if a thing is right. If it is right we can convince the people that it is right, and they will be with us."

Education is the best medium through which to promote relations of friendship between America and Japan, according to Baron Dairoku Kikuchi, president of the Imperial University of Kyoto and Japan's foremost educator. Before the Civic Forum, New York, on the eve of his departure for home, he said: "In my opinion, the proper and most effective bond to connect Japan and America is one of education, and the best way to seeure such a lasting bond would be by the frequent interchange of prominent men of letters and instruction. As to the recent newspaper talk about war between your country and Japan, I feel convinced that neither country desires it and that there is no occasion therefor. I do not think that one per cent of the people of this country have any idea of entering upon such a struggle, and in Japan no nation has one half of the good will, respect, and admiration as that in which we hold the United States."

The Administration railroad bill is being sharply debated in the Senate and is likely to be much amended. The House committee on interstate commerce has adopted an amendment prohibiting railroads from leasing, purchasing, or acquiring interest in the capital stock in "any direct and substantially competitive" rail or water corporation. It would also bar any water transportation line from so acquiring capital stock interest, purchasing or leasing any railroad directly or substantially competitive with such water line. Another amendment provides that the interstate commerce commission shall supervise the issuance of stocks and bonds and fix the price at which they shall be offered for sale, instead of a flat provision in the bill restricting the price to the par value.

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