The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-19

answer? Why. the rules, of course. The member writes home that the Speaker will not recognize him to call up the bill, or the committee has been packed by the Speaker. and under the rules it is 1 impossible to get the bill out. If it were not for the Speaker and the rules the bill | could be considered and perhaps passed. Sumptuary Bills
 Now, while I do not mean to cast stones, the real truth is that many of the sumptuary bills are introduced by members, not because they want such bills to pass, or to go on record in favor of them by voting, but to keep solid at home. And this they could not do if it were in the power of any member to obtain record vote on every bill. This Is not an exaggeration. For many years liquor was sold in the House and Senate restaurants. The prohibitionists throughout the country denounced the sale of liquor in the capitol building. They flooded members and senators with petitions urging the enactment of a law to drive demon rum' from the capitol. The House, closest to the people, would respond by passing an anti-liquor bill. It would go to the Senate and that would be the end of 1t. Then sometimes an amendment would be tackled on an ap- propriation bill forbidding the sale of frY1o In ba nit oIc meet the same fate when it reached the Senate. It became a standing joke.
 At last the Senate got tired of being the goat, 50 several years ago, when the immigration bill was before the House, Representative Landis of Indiana who was defeated for reelection two years ago, brought forth the old anti-liquor amend ment and offered it to the bill. Itswas not in order but the House felt so sure of the Senate that no one made a point of order and the amendment, forbiddine the sale of liquor in all government buildings, including the capitol, was adopted. The joke was now on the mem- bers, especially those who enjoy glass of beer or a bottle of wine with their meals. The Senate adopted the amend nent and it is now law. I want to add, however, that the law was never needed, for it has always been in the power of the presiding officers of the House and Scuate to exclude the sale of liquor from the restaurants.
 T recall some years ago, as sop to the prohibitionists and the ". c. T. U., an order was issued to the managers of the capitol restaurants that the sale Of liquor would not be tolerated; that violation of the order would mean ror- feiture of the restaurant privilege. This would be effective for several months when the members who wanted drink would insist on getting it. They got 1t, but under the name of Congressional Cold Tea However, as the representa- tive of an intelligent and wide-awake constituency, I am glad that the sale of
 liquor has been abolished by law. al- though 1t could have been done by simple resolution of the House.
 Protecting the Indians
 Although Uncle Sam has made many efforts to protect Indians from smooth tongued lawyers, who have made a prof itable business pushing Indian claims against the government, it was brought out at a recent hearing before the House special committee charged with investi- gating the McMurray and other Indian contracts that a number of prominent | lawyers had contracts with individual Indians and Indian tribes by which the lawyers would receive contingent fees amounting to millions of dollars. There was nothing disclosed at the hearing to indicate that the contracts were obtained | hy fraud, but 1t was made evident that the red man had not sought out the att torneys. The merits of the Indian claims were not touched upon, but the contln- gent fee of the contracts made an im- pression on the committee. Representa- I tive Burke of South Dakota, a chairman of the committee, has introduced in the house a bill to regulate all Indian con- tracts which give a contingent fee. Un- der the Burke bill no contract hereafter made with an attorney to prosecute an Indian claim before Congress, or in the courts on a contingent fee shall be valid unless the contract has the approval of lCongress.
 | As an illustration of the Indian legis- lation 1t was brought out before the spe- cal committee that in certain Indian claims authorized to go before the court of claims, with the right of appeal to the United States supreme court, that the Indians having these claims could
 employ counsel on contingent fee, the
 fee to be paid from the funds of the Indians, whether the attorneys were suc- cessful or not.
 The Parcels Post
 "Yes, I am in favor of parcels post.
 I introduced a bill on the subject sew
 eral years ago, and reintroduced it last
 session." said Representative William
 Sulzer Of New York, as he discussed that
 section of the Presidents message. The
 parcels post is properly part of the
 dorsed by the people. There can be nc , dorced by the people. There can be nc
 question of that. And I am confident } that if we fail to get the authority to es-
 tablish 1t at this session. 4ontinued thu