The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-11-04
News Snapshots
OF the Week

The Objectionable features have
mostly been removed, and the neces-
stiles of life are now admitted to this
country at so low a rate that the
high cost of living can not be at
tributed to the tariff as cause.
And yet no one claims that the tariff
is perfect, no one ever claimed that
a perfect tariff could be enacted. 1t
was promised by President Taft and
such congressman as Colonel Pratt
that everything would be done to i'm
prove it that was possible. And this
has been done. And this is not all;
for President Taft has pledged him.
self and the Republican party to
place the revision of the tariff in the
! hands of a board of experts, who
will revise it schedule by schedule
in accordance with scientific instead
of political methods. Thus the tariff
goes out of politics forever, and be-
comes a pretty lame excuse for an
issue"
Colonel Pratt is charged with
"Cannonism" he is charged with the
worst form of the disease, a virulent
case for which there is no hope.
Voters! the diagnosis of our over
jealous opponents is totally wrong.
Colonel Pratt has never in his life
been Cannon man" as the term is
used today; nor has he ever believ-
ed in the legislative methods for
which "Cannonism" has become the
by-word. This he has stated time
and again. He believes in the liber
al administration of the House of
representatives, justice to the indi-
vidual member and to the minority.
! He believes in a reform of the rules
! of the House, and would be the first
! to aid in such reform where it ad
vocated at a time when it would not
endanger national legislation which
| the majority of the people had sent
! their representatives to Congress to
! enact But to have deposed the
| Speaker of the House of Representa-
| tives in the midst of a session of
! Congress, to have revolutionized the
! order of procedure and the me-
! chanical operation of the legislative
! body, at a time when the country
was anxiously awaiting the outcome
of some of the most important legis-
! lation of a decade, would not only
have been an injustice to the party
which was pledged to enact the pend
ing legislation, but would have in
vited a business panic in the coun-
try and chaos in the government.
Every vote that Colonel Pratt cast
during this controversy was cast with
the loyal support of President Taft
and his party as the sole motive.
Never could the welfare of Mr.. Can
non or the interests" have been at
tributed to him, and when he goes
back to Congress for his second
term, the people will find in him a
man who will work fearlessly for
the changes he believes should be
made in the management of the
House of Representatives.
And what has Congressman
Pratt done in the one year that he
has represented this district in Con-
gress? The opposition has published
a booklet OF empty pages, and call II
Pratt's Record. But the pages are
as white as snow. And If the actual
achievements of your Congressman
were to be truthfully set forth on
those empty pages they would fill
the booklet to overlooking and
not one act but that would stand
the whitest page.
Here are some of the things FOR
, which the opponents printer did not
J have ink enough:
The respect and friendship of his
colleagues; large acquaintance In
J, Congress among the ablest and most
; respected public men of the coun'
: try.
: Membership on the Agriculture
Committee, one of the most import
: ant, and giving him the greatest op
! portunity to aid the farming inter
. ests of his district. A record of in
= dustry and arduous application to his
: duties on this committee.
! A soil survey for one of the coun
ties of his district.
Aid to the dairy interests in oleo
margarine legislation.
2 A more equitable tariff on cha
{ mois skins and the by-products o.
Z the chamois tanning industry.
2 Fifteen special pension laws pass
, ed. More than his predecessor Sc
= cured In the same length of time.
Several hundred pension claims
= passed through the department un
der general laws.