The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1910-05-19
Vital Washington News.


tive government almost-but not quite
prevails 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. And 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 improve
ment of the bill by amendment was
also allowed.
Heretofore these privileges have to
all practical ends been enjoyed al
most exclusively by the representa-
tives OF the tariff trusts, the railroads,
Wall street and other forms of special
privilege which dominate the Repub-
lican party through either the control
OF local politics or colossal campaign
contributions.
Had the Cannon machine been
working smoothly, the railroad bill
would have been prepared by COM
mittee in the exact form it would
have become law. That is, few
men would have done the legislating
instead Of the entire membership of
the House. Had Cannonism prevail
ed, the railroad bill would have been
reported from committee under rule
prohibiting the membership of the
House from voting for or against
amendment. Bad features of the bill
could not have been eliminated. The
entire measure, iokers and all, would
have been forced down the throat of
the House just as submitted by Gun
Gle Joe'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 a 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 dominat-
ing branch of Congress, and it is still
controlled absolutely by the greedy
corporate interests. The Senate will
pass a 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
Senate and House bills will then be
sent to conference committee COM
posed of either three or five men,
bers of each branch of Congress. AS
the majority of the conferees 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
ises to be the tariff fiasco all over
again.
Representative government will
have given special privileges tight
race, but in the finish Aldrichism and
Cannonism will win by a nose! But
why should such a result be consid-
cred strange? For what purpose do
the railroads make $3.50, 600 contribu-
tons to the Republican campaign
fund if it is not to control the Repub-
lican party's Legislation?
The Mccall Campaign Publicity bill
has been so amended as to provide
for the publication of campaign con-
tributions AFTER election, instead of
BEFORE AND AFTER election.
Publicity of contributions after cleo
tons is regarded by Democrats as
something like locking the door of
the stable after the horse has been
stolen. Senator Burrows, of Michi-
gan, chairman of the Senate Commit
tee on Privileges and Elections, very
kindly explained why the provision
for publicity of contributions before
election had been stricken from the
Mccall bill. eff" said Senator Bur-
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