The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-04-23
IMpREssIoNs on coNoREss.
Told by vernont's Newest Member,
Frank Plumley, TO vincitia Club.


A majority Of the members and many
guests were present at Yineitia club
rooms last evening, when the final OF
series Of smoke talks WAS held. The
speaker OF the evening Congressman
Frank Phmley Of Mortified, was intro
duced shortly after eight o'clock and gave
an interesting 40 minute talk on his
impressions Of Congress in general and
the House Of Representatives in partieu-
lar
Tie said that he went to Washington
wholly unused to the condition and liz.
norant Of every practical step in the
organization Of the House Of Representa-
tives. The speaker confined most Of bis
address TO the Paine tariff bin. which re.
Gently passed the House after number
Of rewsions. He said that the House
put between two and three weeks Of
solid work into the discussion Of this
bill, meeting at 10 o'clock In the morning
and often continuing discussions until II
at night.
1t became apparent early in the dis
cussion that the House did not favor tar
i'll on tea, coffee or oil, and these were
left as they were. Having been elected
on the expectation and understanding
that there would be revision Of the
tariff all expected that it would be
changed.
Mr. Plunlsy stated that the raise in
the tariff on ladies' gloves was to give
the industries Of this conntry a chance
and cited the instance Of the benefit
derived when the Dingley tariff bill was
adopted. He said that az that time most
Of the mems gloves were made in for
eien countries, but now all are made in
this country and they are Of a better
quality than those made in foreign coun-
tries and obtainabIe al less price.
II Is not easy TO construct a tariff
bin for the United States. For instance,
in the lumber bill, no doubt Vermont
would be satisfied with tariff Of one
dollar per thousand on lumber, while the
great lumber producing states Of the
South want a tariff Of two dollars per
thousand. On the other hand, the non
producing middle western states want
the tariff of lumber altogether.
Each section wants TO protect its own
special interests. Tho work Of the
House was ii taking care Of conflicting
interests, and Il was Necessary that both
sides make concessions. The bill Is not
what We would ask FOR Vermont alone,
but Il e a pretty good bill altogether.
The South and West think the East ha6
IL All her own way on che bill, and 1t
Is true that Payne, The chairman Of the
ways and means committee is an East
erner and other able men Of the commit
tee are also from the East.
Mr.. Plumley said that upon arriving
in washington he found the rules of
the House had been made more liberal
and that the speaker had II less his
own way than formerly Under the new
rule al bills that had Been reported were
called every Wednesday,, giving the
House 4 chance 70 take action upon
them. He said further that when the
representatives want further changes in
tho rules Of the House, they can have
them. AS soon as majority Of the
Republicans Of ths House want to
change the rules fhis can be brought
about through tie Republican caucus,
which rules the HnhAe
Heretofore the speaker has appointed
the committee On rules, but now they
are elected The Republican and Demo
cratic caucusea elect two members each
and the speaker. who is elected by the
House, is the fifth
Mr.. Plumley said that the Vermont
has but two assets in
the House Of Representatives While
or New York, with their
large representations could bring affairs
to suit by mere force Of numbers, Yer
mont could do little in this way with
but two.
The first Of these assets. said the
speaker, Is to got good committee APP
pointments and the second is to get the
good will Of their fellow members BY
doing the latter It Is possible to get
sone delegations to stand for the things
that Vermont wants and then we have
some chance
Mr.. Plumlev was loudly cheered upon
closing bis address and the thanks Of the
club were extended to him. al w. Allen
favored the company with a comic read
ing, which won round Of hearty ap-
plause. Music was furnished during the
evening by Gilbertson's orchestra Of FIVE
pieces. AT the conclusion Of the program
a buffet lunch was served in the card
room.