Saint Mary's beacon., 1911-04-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.

On the day the present Congress
was called TO order the writer hap
pened to be seated beside Fl. B.
Martin, secretary Of the American
Antitrust league Just after
Speaker Champ Clark had conclud-
ed his now-famous opening address,
Mr.. Martin turned toward me and
said:
There is a deeper meaning 10
this occasion than most OF the spec
tators are aware. | am not speak
ing from a partisan viewpoint.
What ] alIude 70 is that this is the
FIRST time in forty years-the first
time since the trust problem has
been acute in this country, that
there is a real. out and-out anti
trust majority in the House of Re-
preseu tatives.
Mr.. Martin was we'll qualified 10
give an estimate OF the body OF men
refOre him. For fourteen years he
had labored among the old members
Of Congress, aud well knew how
each Of them stood on the trust ques-
tion. Then he had closely examin-
ed the records Of the new members.
and had ascertained their attitude
on trusts.
House. ITs Own MASTER
The fact that a majority OF the
mem 1.rs Of the new House stand
for TIE passage Of the reciprocity
measure and The farmers free list
oil is evidence that the House is no
longer controlled by the tariff
trusts.
Lumber, for instance, would not
90 on the free list if Big Busine ess
was still in control. Heretofore the
lumber iuterestS-the same inter-
est. aud viduals that are alleg-
ed tD have elected and retained Lori
mer in the Senate have been able
10 prevent lumber from going on
the free list.
The fact that wire fencing and
other steel manufactures are placed
on the free list, and that asweepinQ
investigation OF the steel trust will
soon b" begun under the Staniey re.
solution IS positive assurance that
the steel b4rOus are no longer able
70 dictate what bills shall die in COM
miitne and what bills shall be enact.
ed into Law
II j. evident also that the imple-
meut combine lost its grip on the
House, because agricultural imple-
ments, .~"'udi1g plows, harrows,
reaper, raerS and mowers, an.
pear On me farmers free list.
Nor Is the beef trust still in CON-
mard. il it was dressed meats
would continue TO be taxed, instead
O. going or the free list, as provid-
ed IN the Democratic program.
TRUSTS Nor In SADDLE Now.
Until I j. ssiOn Of Congress the
lumber trusts, steel trust. imple-
meut trust and beef trust have had
easy sailing. They have had but "a
contribute generously to republican
campaign funds, receiving in return
at the hands Of The republicans suffi.
Gent protection TO give them mono
poles on American markets and 10
enable them to collect from consum-
ers in excessive prices not only the
amount Of their campaign contribu-
tions, but handsome profits In addi.
tiOn thereto.
Men will always pay thousands TO
politicians or TO party funds in the
hope Of getting back millions. Tar
III Tor revenue not only tends TO pre-
vent monopOlies and the consequent
artificial prices. but cuts of a lead
ing cause Of political dishonesty and
corruption.
SHERMAN is WISE OLD Owl.
Vice President Sherman makes
an ideal presiding officer of the Sen
ate from The viewpoint of the Old
Guard. He knows how to sidetrack
progressive legislation, and his
heart IS in tho work.
An instance: When the resolu.
tion providing for the direct cleo.
tCn o. senator's, passed in the House
by . vote = 200 to 16, was present
ed to the Senate it was immediately
referred by Vice President Sher
man 10 the committee on privileges
and elections.
This is the committee that white
washed Lorimer. and as constituted
AZ present is dominated absolutely
by Tory senators.
lnasmuch aS the resolution in the
last Congress was referred to and
acted uron by the judiciary commit
tee, the senate was amazed at Sher-
man : action. Culberson OF Texas
moved a reconsideration of the &C
ton and the resolution will proba-
bly, be turned over to the judiciary
committee after all The incident
is impressive, however. as reveal
ing how determined the opponents
of popular government are to defeat
the vii. OF the people. Jugglery OF
a character similar to Sherman s is
being used in the secret conferences
OF reactioraries in a determined of.
Tort 10 pack all the senate commit
tees against progressive legislation.
PATRONAGE PROBLEM SOLVED.
Step by step, the committee on
patronage, consisting OF Hon. James
7. Lloyd Of Missouri, Hon. Martin
D. Foster Of Illinois and Hon. Benz.
e. Humphreys Of Mississippi, work
ing out the difficult problem OF ap-
porticnlng the various positions in
herited by the Democrats along
with the control OF the House of
Representatives. That everyone
should receive the exact position he
preferred was obviously impossible.
But the committee considered fully
the claims Of the applicants, with
the result that the House member
ship in general is pleased with the