The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-05-25

i WASHINGTON, d. c., May 25.
Il have just come from having al
remarkable talk with VIM. f..
Borah, senator from Idaho. One
thing he said keeps ringing in my
mind. l can't seem to forget it.
| We were discussing the senate
the "Millionaires' club" Senator
Borah is a new man there, having
gone through one regular and the
present extra session. He is
fresh from the people, and seems
clear-sighted. He is not soured
by any legislative disappoint-
ments. They have treated him
well In the senate. He was not
sore about anything.
| l had said something about
the people and about public senti-
ment.
1 Senator Borah answered slowly,
as though weighing each word, as
though careful not to exaggerate
or underestimate.
II findsin the senate DISPOSE
ton to sneer at anything purpOrt-
ing to be popular cOurse-the
depression of popular sentiment"
he said. ''There is disposition to
put 1t down to spirit that is DEM
agOgic. 1t is contrary to an unwrit-
ten etiquet of the senate-an idea
carefully cherished that the senate
Is something superior to the peO-
lple, and uninfluenced by the peo-
|, lple's sentiments"
] There it is in black and white
. 1t seems more startling that way
Ethan as Senator Borah uttered 1t.
Because, remember, he was not
making any spread-eagle speech to
his constituents at an Idaho min
ling, camp. He wasn't giving out
, an interview to the great press.
We simply-the two of us-were
, talking as man to man.
The sentiment isn't new, of
course. 1t is something that all
OF us had thought was more or
less true. We have felt that the
fsenate thought itself bigger and
'lwiser than we, the people, were.
1t is startling to have man on
the inside tell us in SO many
words, and as though it was an
! understood thing, that that was
exactly the way the "Millionaires'
CLUB" which we elect thinks of us.
i We talked about other things
: before and afterwards. The tariff,
4 for instance. Senator Borah said
9 his sympathies were with the
k members who were making a fight
!, for a revision downward.
81 "You voted with the regulars
: for the duties on Lead" sug-
Igested.
:. eyes," he said. "And I'll tell
:. you why. 1 have a personal ac-
lquaintance with the Independent
lead producers in my state. l say
a personal acquaintance, because
have done their law business in
= the past. l have, of course, given
4 up all my law businessmen TAX
d ing my name from the firm-since
z | came to the senate. And the
4 situation is this:
. II know these Independents are
= really independents, and not dunn
4 mics put forward by trust. A
!. trust? OF course there's trust.
u Does the trust want tariff on
lead? Yes. But what about the
producers? I made
a study of the situation, and be-
came convinced that reduction
|of the duties on lead would make
lno serious difference with the
itrusts-they could do business
) and survive either way. But the
ndependents-not so. Without
! 1.-THE duty, they would be complete
! lily at the mercy of the trust. They
would have to sell out. That
would end all competition in the
Industry. So voted for the duty.
How about petroleum."
II am not convinced that the
Iso-called Independents who come
tracing down to Washington are
Ireally such. In every case which
have investigated l have found
THAT the so-called independent oil
producer is really only stalking
horse for Standard Oil. That
makes a difference"
tlIywanted Senator Borah to talk
/ further about his impressions of
70 the senate, especially along the
rhine of its attitude toward the
as,whole people.
IN 1"The senate is strangely obliv-
slions to the real sentiment of the
country" he said. This senator
It lial courtesy they talk Of is really
\ IAN attempt to prevent senator
from saying the things he wants to
say. Many of the older senators
eiwould DO greatly benefited by q
s lsenatorial special which-at least
q once q year-would take them as
far west as Idaho, and convince
them that the continent does not
glend at the Hudson river"
t How do you like 1t as far as
tlyou have gomez" was the way l
'lstarted the conversation. The
Iquestion left him thoughtful.
ell ITO tell the honest TRUTH" he
elsaid, "there are moments when
lhave my doubts"
"Of what?"
"Of whether the sacrifice il
Justified. left private prac-
Itice OF $4,000 to come to the SEN
late, But there is only Mrs. Borah
land myself In the family. and our
bkouko<s kouo rod