The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-04-07
LONG SERVICE VALUABLE

The Washington Post, commenting
on statement made few days sine,
by President Taft, regarding tn,
power and influence of the East il
Congress by reason Of the fact that
the Eastern States hold on to theil
senator's and representatives while
the others constantly make changes
gives some examples Of the value
flowing from long Legislative service
President Taft is so impressed with
the value of such service that he
made the following statement before
the Ohio Society of Washington city:
Why is it that the small States of
the East exercise Sc much power in
Congress- 1t isn't because an East
ern man has any more capacity in
the matter of legislation than a
Western man-certainly not more
than an Ohio man. 1t is because,
when they get good representative
they keep him as long as he lives.
and then be has the influence that
vastly exceeds the more numerical
representation of population.
Our Washington contemporary
thinks the above is as profound
a truth as political experience can
make il" and in proof of this fact.
which to US seems self-evident, it is
only necessary TO scan the roll of the
u. s. Senate and pick out men like
Hale, Frye. Gallinger. Lodge. Aldrich
and others from New England. who
have long been in the Senate, and
the reason why the Alrich-Payne
tariff law is called the New England
tariff is readily discovered. That
section. small though it is as COM
pared to the South and West, by
reason of the potent influence of its
representatives. nearly all of whom
are old and experienced in congress
sional work, secured and always has
secured all the best Of our tariff laws.
The lesson of the above. not only as
1t affects the States, but the various
constituencies within the States who
glory in changing their representa-
tives in Legislative bodies on slight
Pretexts, should prove a valuable
one if properly learned. How long
will the people of the South and
West continue to make this mistaken
The Amherst New Era is taking
the Anti-Saloon League too seriously
when it says:
The threat of the Anti-Saloon
League 20 make its fight by combin-
ing with Republicans is what we
have been expecting Now that il
has Land bare its plans, let the Dem
ocratic party ignore this prohibition
element and force il to fight either
IN the Democratic party and abide
ITS decision, as between prohibition
and local option, or else make its
hight as a prohibition party. Then
Dr. Cannon and his allies will see
where they stand in Virginia when
the next Legislature is elected"
The Anti-Saloon League cannot
afford to ignore the Democratic
party. which is the Overwhelmingly
dominant party in Virginia. and the
Democratic party cannot afford to
entirely ignore the Anti-Saloon
League. Whatever of liquor regu-
aation has been accomplished in Vir-
ginia by the League has come about
through Democratic help, and what
ever is accomplished in the future
will be accomplished by the same
means. The Democratic party has
moved wisely and conservatively in
the matter and it is not going to
rush ahead of public sentiment at
the behest Of any organization. The
League no doubt appreciates this
and its threats TO cut loose from the
party are just little buster for the
purpose of hurrying along what they
are anxious TO accomplish. At the
same time the Anti-Saloon League is
too strong for the Democratic party.
even in Virginia, to invite its mem
bers, on so slight pretext, to step
out OF the party and fight under
some other banner.