The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-05-20
Washington News
leY TaVennerl


tive government almost-but not quite
-pervails in the national House of
Representatives
Although still Objectionable as pass
ed by the House, the railroad regula-
ton bill was discussed, amended and
improved. Ano it was all done in the
open.
The entire membership of the
House, for a change, was permitted
to vote on the question of rejecting
undesirable sections. Improvement
of the bill by amendment was also al
lowed.
Had the Cannon machine been work
ing smoothly, few men would have
done the legislating instead of the
entire membership of the House.
Under the regular Cannon system
OF gang rule, the railroad bill would
have been reported from committee
under a rule prohibiting the member
ship of the HouJe from voting for or
against amendment. Bad features of
the bill could not have been elimin
ated
The entire measure, jokers and all,
would have been forced down the
throat of the House just as dictated
by the railroad companies, and just
as submitted by Uncle Joe's" com
mittee on interstate and foreign com
merce. This committee is packed with
men who have been aided in coming
to Congress by the railroads.
The Improvement of the railroad
bill in the House through a coalition
of the Democrats and Progressives is
a cause for rejoicing. But 1t does
not mean that the people have really
wrested control of the national law
making machinery from the tariff
trusts, Wall street and other forms of
special privilege which dominate the
Republican party through either the
control of local politics or by making
large campaign contributions.
The House is only the lower
branch of Congress. The railroad bill
will not become a law as passed by
the House. The Senate is the dom
mating half of Congress, and it is still
controlled absolutely by the greedy
corporate interests.
The Senate will pass bill contain
ing some of the very features strick-
en- from the measure in the House.
Both the Senate and House bills will
then be sent to a conference commit
to composed of either thre or five
members of each branch of Congress.
AS the majority of conferees will be
regular" Republican, especially Sc
lected by Aldrich and Cannon, IL goes
without saying that much of the good
work accomplished by the House
Democrats and Progressives will be
reversed. 1t was SO with the tariff
bill.
The finale of the railroad bill prom
ises to be the Payne-Aldrich fiasco all
over again. Representative govern.
ment will have given special privilege
a tight race, but in the finish Aldrich.
ism and Cannonism will win by q
nose! But why should such result
be considered strange? For what pur
pose do the railroads make $260,00C
contributions to the Republican cam
paign fund ii it is not to control the
Republican party's legislation?
The Mccall Campaign Publicity bill
: has been so amended as to provide fol
; the publication of campaign contribu
tions AFTER election, instead of BE
FORE AND AFTER election. Public
ity of contributions after elections is
/ regarded by Democrats as something
like locking the door of the stable aft
er the horse has been stolen. Sena
tor Burrows of Michigan, Chairman OF
the Senate Committee on Privileges
and Elections, very kindly explained
why the provision for publicity of con
tributions before election had beer
tsricken from the Mccall bill. IF,
said Senator Burrows, 1--WE were tC
give out the list of contributors priol
to an election 1t would mean that up
scrupulous newspapers and persons
= would take advantage of the informa
= tion thus disclosed ana proceed to de
I nounce the candidate on the strength
of the character Of the contributions
made to his campaign" In othel
words, If the voters were permitted t
know who was putting up the none,
for the candidates campaign the.
might dafaat hin, Cnuld N ,t,oooo