The amendment was adopted by the House. This opens up the way for the farmers to secure services on an equal footing with the residents of the towns and the cities. It is one of the first instances in which the Government has put itself in daily touch with the citizen of the rural community. If followed up by successive Congresses, this entering wedge may cleave the way for a system of intercommunication that will remove a great inconvenience and cause for dissatisfaction in country homes. As a first step its importance cannot be overestimated. _Random Paragraphs_ You may say what you please about Castro, but I glory in his spunk. President of Venezuela, he was sitting comfortably in his seat when, one day, another Venezuelan who wanted the job cooked up an Insurrection. South American revolutions, like all other procedures in civilized communities, have to be financed. The question with the leader of the Venezuelan insurrection was: “Who will finance _me_?” The Asphalt Trust stepped forward with necessary funds. No doubt the Trust was assured by Matos, the Insurgent leader, that in the event his revolution succeeded the Trust was to have dominion over Venezuela, like unto that which Standard Oil has over our own Eden of Christian Civilization. At any rate, the Trust put up its money on Matos, who turned out to be the wrong horse. Castro won. But the Trust continued to help Matos even after he had lost. Died hard, you see, because death is not the law of Nature with Trusts. Usually they live and the other fellow dies. The Asphalt Trust is composed, in part, of American experts in Frenzied Finance. These marauders who were seeking new worlds to conquer planned to catch Venezuela in the same net which holds _us_. Castro defied them, fought them in the Courts, whipped them, took away the franchise for non-performance of contract, etc. Then they had the brazen audacity to demand that our Government coerce Castro. The Trusts rule the United States—shall little Venezuela check their career of conquest? Away with the feeble Castro! Said the Trust to Roosevelt: “Shake your big stick at this South American crank and make him _Arbitrate_!” Says Roosevelt to Castro: “Arbitrate with the Asphalt Trust, or——” Says Castro to Roosevelt: “Arbitrate nothing! Hands off, or——” In other words, our Government, friendly always to Frenzied Finance, put up a bluff on Castro. Whereupon Castro stood pat and “called” Roosevelt. And, all at once, Mr. Roosevelt went a-hunting, and left Taft—the portly, handsome, self-complacent Taft—“sitting on the lid.” Bully for you, Castro! Evidently you are “some punkins.” * * * * * Would to heaven we had a Castro to smash the Beef Trust! Roosevelt and young Garfield don’t seem to know where to take hold. The legal proceedings do not advance half so rapidly as does the price of beef. * * * * *