The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-01-29

ARE SCORED
CALIFORNIA HOUSE MEMBER
SMITH ATTACKS WRITING OF
PRESS AGENT MYRiCk.
SMITH PROTESTS THAT FARMERS
ARE NOT ANARCHISTS AS
WRITER CLAIMED.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2S.-'"The
American republic can't stand forever
with this sort Of thing ringing in the
peoples ears-these anarchistic state
ments," angrily declared Representa-
tive Smith of California today adj
dressing Herbert Myrick, representa-
tive of the Agricultural Press league.
Myrick was a witness before the
house committee on postoffices and
post roads at it's hearing on the pro-
posed increased rates on postal rates
on second class mail matter Repre-
sentative Smith was referring to an
editorial which Mr.. Myrick acknoWl-
edged came from a publication which
he represented.
Z protest that the farmers of this
country are not anarchists and l pro-
test that 1 am not traitor holly
retOrted Mr.. Myrick, who shortly be-
fore had been further alluded to as
being responsible for traitorous utter
ances.
Mr.. Myrick was the principal wit
ness before the committee. After Mr..
Smith had made severe reflections up
on Mr.. Myricks views, the later said
he was a farmer himself and owned
a farm in Mr.. Smiths district in CAL
ifornia.
Members of the committee are re-
ceiving great quantities Of letters from
various parts of the country reflect
ing the tone Of the editorials, they
say. Representative Fassett of New
York said he received 500 daily as a
result of the editorial and others of
the same kind, which, he declared,
were the most pitiful limitations of
argument" that he ever has heard of
and the most violent reading he had
ever seen.
Chairman Weeks of the committee
after Mr.. Myrick had said that he in
tended no reflection upon the COM
mittee and that the statemknts of
robbery and graft in his editor
ials did not refer to government Of
ficials, demanded that Mr.. Myrick's
publications print a statement to that
effect
Representative Murdoch of Kansas,
another member OF the committee,
called attention to the fact that the
government was paying $4,000 a year
for carrying mails across the old
bridge at st. Louis, Mo-, when it
might be carried for much smaller
sum across a new bridge receiving
only part of the business.
Il think this is what you mean by
your charges of graft, isn't it?" he
said, addressing Mr.. Myrick.
That's it exactly" said Mr.. My
rick
Chairman Weeks then said that a
subcommittee engaged in drafting the
postoff1ce appropriation bill had dis
covered this evil and would correct
it. 1t was the only one of the kind
they found, he said.
Editorials which caused the out
breaks, were entitled: "a Fresh At
tack Upon Liberty Still Another
Tax" and New Taxes and Fresh
Robbery"
Are these your conclusions? Do
you think there is any robbery" ask
ed Representative Smith of Califor-
MIA.
L saw that the postmaster general
had reported that it cost cents a
pound TO carry second class matter,
while the government received only
l cent a pound. If the government
intended to raise it to 9 cents it would
constitute robbery, in my opinion" re-
piled Mr.. Myrick.
Chairman Weeks replied by saying
that there was no intention of rails
ing the postal rate to 9 cents. One of
the editorials referred to "scheming'
and grating" in congress in connec-
ton with the proposed increase. and
Messrs. Weeks, Smith ard Fassett
members of the committee, became
angry over these characterizations.
The hearing probably will be con-
tinued.