Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1910-01-27
Progressives Intend to Act Ac-
cording to Their Con-
victi0nS.
NOT BOUND TO ORGANIZATION
Great Dangers In the Campaign Con-
tribution System-Second Victory
Of insurgents over the House Ma.
chine.

Il plain that the effort of h Cannon
Organization to make fealty to 1t a
test Of party loyalty meets with no re.
Spouse from the public. This has al
ready compelled the organization to
abandon its proposition that party
regularity should be tested by the
vote of n member upon the election or
the Speaker and the adoption of the
rules. 1t was then proposed that party
regularity be determined by the votes
of members upon the administrators
legislative program. This has been
subjected to the acid test and found
wanting.
The bill providing federal charters
for corporations engaged in interstate
and ship subsidy were In.
GUIDED in the program. 1t Is now an
nounced support Of these bill Is not
necessary in order to maintain party
regularity. 900
But the withdrawal of these meas
ures does not solve the difficulties
which the program presents, as 1t Is
announced that the Republican mem
bers. II they wish to be regarded as
Republicans, must vote for the con-
servation bills prepared by Mr.. Bal
linger, without amendment; for the
railroad regulation bill prepared by
Mr.. Wickcrsham, and without amend
ment. They must also vote for the
statehood bill for Arizona and New
Mexico and for postal savings banks,
This amended program Is no more
tenable than the first put forth by
Cannon.Aldrich organization.
Not a Test Of Loyalty.
The railroad bill should be amend
ed. The Progressives will fight for
changes to strengthen 1t. What they
Will do If II Is not amended is not
certain. 1t contains some positively
bad provisions-steps backward. The
Hepburn bill OF 1906 was bad because
Of It's omissions rather than for any
positively bad provisions. At that
time ProgressIves attempted e
strengthen II by supplying the omis
sion. but failing they nevertheless
voted for the measure. as II was
step in advance, 1t IL not certain thai
the Wickersham bill can be placed II
the same category. Indeed. a casua
reading makes 1t appear that some o
It's provisions are 80 gross that they
may overthrow all of It's good. /
final analysis justifles this conclusion
publican party which will not %stultify
Itself by voting for II.
Mr.. Mondell. a part OF the house OF
ganization, has already declared him
self against the principles embodied
In the presidents conservation recon
m%endations. II the bills drawn to eli
rectuate the Presidents suggestion
follow the same lines, he and other or
ganization Republicans In the hous
and some in the senate will not vot,
for these measures. and consequent,
will be outside the party breastworks
II the postal savings bank bill pre-
vides for the kind of postal saving
banks the people expect and Is a flu
fllment of the platform pledge. Nj
Weeks. the chairman OF the hous
committee, and Mr.. Aidrich. the hea
Of the senate committee, will. IL
said, be found In the opposition an
take with them q large portion OF tn
organization.
Upon each of these measures n di
ferent group OF Republicans would b
In opposition. 1t is thus disclosed tina
II Is impossible to determine part
regularity upon any given piece OF lei
islation. The party u game
cast the vote of a member, How
shall be given must be determined b
himself. lie is responsible for IL M
to some self-constituted party organ
zation IN Washington, but t o his co
stituencY.
slush Fund Evils.
The resolution of the Wisconsi
delegation asking for a detailed r.
port Of campaign contributions and e.
p%enditures from the Republican co
yressional campaign committee has q
rected attention to the practice Of co
yressmen organizing TO perpetual
themselves In Office. This custom hf
developed into one OF the creates
dangers In the legislative branch
the government. These congressme
raise a large campaign fund. Amor
those reported to be contributors a
the steel trust, Standard Oil. the ra
roads. the sugar trust and other see
ers after special legislative favor
Having contributed to the election
the congressman. these, corporation
naturally feel that they have u rig