The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1911-11-09
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
(By Charles H. Tavener, special
Washington correspondent OF The
Reporter.)

no stone unturned to keep the House
of Representatives safely democratic.
The headquarters of this organiza-
ton in Washington have not been
closed during the entire summer.
Congressman James r. Lloyd, of
Missouri, chairman Of the committee,
is personally ION the job prosecut-
ing a vigorous campaign of organiza-
ton work; directing the dissemin-
alton of facts showing what the dem
ocratic house has already accom-
plished; informing the country as to
the true purpose of the democratic
program, and in all legitimate ways
doing everything he can to bring
about national democratic harmony
and cooperation.
Mr.. Lloyd has more than antici-
pated the ideal of campaign publicity
legislation by making it strict rule
to see that eery dollar that has been
entrusted to the committee has been
honestly spent. Under his manage
ment there has been no "entertain-
ment" fund, or anything of that or
der. No "junkets" have been
financed out of the funds at his dis
posal. From the first Mr.. Lloyd has
has been determined that the meth
DDS of the committee should conform
to the highest standard of business
morals.
A feature of the committee work
in which Mr.. Lloyd takes a deep in
terest is the publicity bureau, which
is the largest bureau of it's kind that
the democrats have ever maintained
in the national capitol. Encouraged
by the bright prospects confronting
the democracy of the nation, the
democratic editors of the country
are using generously of the Informal
ton sent out by the bureau. More
than two thousand newspapers are
regularly printing the letters sent
out by the committee, thus keeping
the democratic viewpoint constantly
before the country.
Taft ECONOMY"
Under the Taft policy of "cut to
the quick economy, which was
much talked about when Mr.. Taft
first went into office, the government
overspent it's revenues during the
$4,64S,694. Thus far this fiscal
year, which began July /, the ex-
penditures of the government have
exceeded the receipts by more than
2O,00O,0OO, which is $S,OO0,0OO
heavier than the deficit on the COR
responding date last fiscal year. The
mad money-spendingc campaign which
is responsible for this state of affairs
was a feature of the legislative pro-
gram of the last republican congress.
The House of Morgan.
That J. P. Morgan's grip on the
financial situation is becoming more
absolute is indicated by the discovery
of the Stanley committee that the
cash balance of the steel trust, which
he dominates, and of the railroads
and other industrial corporations in
| which he controls heavy interests,
amounting in all to oyer half a bill
lion dollars, is on deposit in the Of
| flee of J. P. Morgan & Co., private
banking concern, not subject to the
supervision of any constitutional
authority. This money Morgan can
lend to whom he pleases and refuse
| to lend to whom he likes. Moreover,
the control of this cash gives him the
power to regulate the credits of this
country, which makes this one man
the financial dictator of America.
Getting the Facts.
When congress convenes in De-
| cember the democratic majority in
in the house will be able to take up
| legislative matters with more intel
llgence than any preceding congress
has started it's winters labor. The
| reason for this is that various party
leaders, as we'll as many of the
house committees, have been con-
Quoting investigations this summer,
both public and private, into all sorts
of matters with which congress is
concerned. Get the facts" has
been the slogan of these democrats,
and every day they are accommodating
information which will be submitted
to the house as soon as congress be-
gins it's next session.
Extravaganza to Stop.
There is one thing upon which
all the members of the democratic
majority of the house of representa-
tives are sOlidly united, and that is
a determination to see that there is
a reason back of every dollar that
is to be appropriated at the coming
session Of congress. Leaders of the
party are of the opinion that the re-
publican policy of accepting the esti-
mates of the various department
heads, without question, has been a
tremendously expensive one to Uncle
Sam and hereafter, these leaders say.
the public purse is not going to be
opened until the requisition is en-
dorsed by facts sufficient to justify it.
In line with this policy Chairman
Fitzgerald, of the all important ap-
preparations committee, has been the
busiest man in the United States,
during the past summer, personally
investigating the various items which
later on will call for an expediture
of Uncle Sans good money.
A Lesson in Trusts.
The commissioner of corporations
has been delving into the history of
the tobacco trust. In 1885, one part