The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1903-02-06
WASHINGTON NEWS
Republicans Repudlate Platform PlSd9-
es as to Statehood Eli.
The Price Of Woo. Trust Legislation

The so-called discussion of tic om-
nibus Statehood bill drags it's weary.
length along. After another week OF
flibustering, on the part Of the Re
publican senators who believe wiNhthe
President that the.r party should dis
regard it's numerous past pledges aNu
should shut our Statehood doarn IL,
such Territories as might become
Democratic States. "the Senate re-
mains in statu Quay" as Senator
Dietrichwittily remarked. But these
sanity Republicansare guilty of some
thing worse than filibustering; they
are crying "stop thief" and trying to
make the country believe that not
they, but those who favor the State
hood bill, are the real filibusterors.
The people are not so easily fooled.
They know, when they see this pack
of hypocrites making long-winded
speeches f%orseveral weeks to prevent.
a vote, upon whom to place the blame.
The administration republicans have
completely unmasked themselves dur
ing the past week, and now brazenly
declare that they are so anxioust to de.
feat the bill, and to repudiate their
platform pledges that they prefer an
extra session of Congress, rather than
see the bill pass. AS Senator QUAY
has moved toamend the appropriation
bllls by adding the omnibus Statehood
Dill to them, and as these amend
ments have at his request been re-
TERED to a committee of which he is
chairman and which will report them
Tavorably, a vote cannot be had or,
the most vital question of appropria-
lions, or, as they are commonly called,
pork bills, without first voting on
theStatehood bill. Thusit is evident
that, unless n or the other side
yields before the 18th of March. an
extra session is inevitable. Both
factions of the Republicans would
nave much to rejoice over this out
come. For one thing, it would be
thelr excuse, though a miserably poor
one, for not passing effective anti
trust legislation.
~
Inere was a small sensation started
IN the House end of the Capitol last
week when Mr.. Montague Lessler, a
member of Congress from New York.
accused the Holland submarine boat
people of attempting to bride him to
support a bill before his committee,
the Committee on Naval Affairs. He
made the assertion with such vehc-
mence at a meeting of the committee
that the committee could not helm
taking c%ognizance OF it and ordered
an investigation to as certain the facts
of the case.
Now, be it known that the Hon.
Montagu Lessler is a little bit of a
nall portion man, not bigger than
half pound OF soap after a hard DAVIS
washing, and he is a congressional
accident. He was elected to succeed
a Democrat who resigned and who
had been elected oy over 5000
majority in the district in 1900.
The Democrats nominated the Hon.
Perry Belmont who was persona non
grata 70 Croker and Tammany Hail
and the gang proceeded to knife Mr..
Belmont up to the hilt and the Rep
ubllcan nominee, Mr. LESSER. who
had accepted the nomination after if
mao gone begging, in order to lead a
Ioflorn hope, was elected by a few
hundred majority and that is the way
he broke into the House Of Represep-
tatiyes. He is simply a sample of
many who now occupy seats in the
national House of Representatives
VINO make politics cheap ia this
country. Real men of character and
ability who have the brains and the
hoEor to properly represent a consti-
Cuency IN the Congress of. the United
states a make more than the 81. 600
year paid them as compensation.
ana they can not afford to goto Con-
sress in justice to their families and
their future. This naturally lets in
cheap skate ward politician in]
cities or the very rich man who
wants a plaything in the shape of a
congressional experimental who has
more sense about the legislation
needed by the country than a string
dead cat fish. That is how suclrI
lleh as Lessler get to Congress. IT.
Was choice between a little CHEAP
AolllDs lawyer and a rich man Who'll
no desire to do his country any
soou ana The cheapskate won. Whenhe
TO Washington he immediately
occurred abad caseo the megaloceph-
NUS OF, what is commonly known as (
.lle swell head. He was placed on
'aSal aflairs to take the place of the
iamented Amos j.. Cummings.
GoG IN hiC-hchnc ,,l La. .s#