New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1910-05-18
VITAL WASHINGTON NEWS.
By Tavenner. Special Washington
correspondent of this newspaper.

Washington, May Is. Representa-
tive government almost-but not quite
in the national House of
Representatives.
Although still Objectionable as
passed by the House, the railroad
regulation oil was discussed, amend
ed and improved. AID it was all
done in the open.
The entire membership of the House,
for change, was permitted to vote on
the question of rejecting undesirable
sections. The Improvement of the bill
by amendment was also allowed.
Heretofore these privileges have to
all practical ends been enjoyed almost
by the representatives of
the tariff trusts, the railroads, Wall
street and other forms of special priv
ilege which dominate the Republican
party through either the control of
local politics or colossal campaign
contributions.
Had the Cannon machine been work
ing smoothly, the railroad bill would
have been prepared by committee in
the exact form it would have become
law. That is, a few men would have
done the legislating instead of the
entire membership of the House. Had
Cannonism prevailed, the railroad bill
would have been reported from COM
mlttee under rule prohibiting the
membership of the House from voting
for Or against amendment. Bad feat
ures of the bill could not have been
eliminated. The entire measure, jok-
ers and all, would have been forced
down the throat of the House just as
submitted by "Uncle Jo's' Committee
on Interstate and Foreign Commerce,
which is generously packed with men
friendly to the railroads.
The improvement of the railroad
bill in the House through coalition
OF the Democrats and Progressives is
cause for rejoicing. But it does not
mean that the people have really
wrested control of the national law
making machinery from the special
privilege ring. For this reason:
The House is only the lower. branch
of Congress. The railroad bill will
not become law as passed by the
House. The Senate is the dominating
branch of Congress, and it is still
controlled absolutely by the greedy
corporate interests. The Senate will
pass bill containing some of the
very features stricken from the meas
ure in the House as being against the
welfare of the people. Both the SEN
ate and House bills will then be sent
to a conference committee composed
of either three or five members of each
branch Of Congress. AS the majority
of the conference will be regular"
Republicans, specially selected by
Aldrich and Cannon, it goes without
saying that much of the good work
accomplished by the House Democrats
and Progressives will be reversed.
The finale of the railroad bill prom
Uses to be the tariff fasco all over
again.
Representative government will
have given special privilege tight
race, but in the finish Aldrichism and
Cannonism will win by a nose! But
why should such result be consid-
cred strange? For what purpose do
the railroads make $3.50, 1000 contribu-
tions to the Republican campaign fund
if it is not to control the Republican
party's legislation?
The Mccall Campaign Publicity bill
has been so amended as to provide for
the publication of campaign contribu-
tions after election, instead of before
and after election. Publicity of con-
tributions after elections. is regarded
by Democrats as something like
locking the stable after the horse has
been stolen. Senator Burrows of
Michigan, Chairman of the Senate
Committee on Privileges and Elec-
tons, very kindly explained why the
provision for publicity of contribu-
tions, before election had been strick-
en- from. the Mccall bill. IF, said
Senator Burrows. We were to give
out the list of contributions prior to
an election 1t would mean that unscru-
pulous newspapers and persons would
take advantage Of the information
thus disclosed anu proceed to de-
nounce the candidate on the strength
of the character of the contributions
made to his campaign In other
words, if the voters were permitted to
know who was putting up the money