The Topeka state journal., 1911-08-22
AS mann SEES IT
The Republican House Leader Is.
sues q Statement
Setting Forth the Shortcomings
of the Democrats.
RESULT OF SESSION
Is to Strengthen Taft and
Weaken the Opposition.
Should Have Passed the Reel.
prOcity Bill and Quit.

Washington, Aug. 22.-Republfcan
Leader Mann, Of the house in
statement issued today giving the
minority view of the work of the ex-
ira session of the Democratic house
declared that the net result was to
strengthen the president and weaken
the Democracy and that the Demo-
Gratis trying to put the president in
a hole in tariff revision legislation
had been ''hoist by their own petard.''
The special session." said Mann,
was called by the president in the
fulf1llment of the obligations of his
agreement with Canada to consider
and pass on the Canadian reciprocity
bill. That bill passed and has be-
come law The Democrats in the
house would have been wise if they
had confined the special session to
the consideration of the reciprOcitv
bill Instead of that they set out to
show how they could bungle legisla-
tl0n. They prevented the passage of
the constitutional amendment for di-
rect election of senators by insisting
on coupling with it another amend
ment to the constitution to deprive
the general government Of one of its
necessary powers.
They fought against publicity of
primary election expenses until we
strangled them into yielding They
nearly defeated statehood for Ari-
zona by insisting that congress give
practical approval to recall of judges.
They prepared tariff bills without
knowledge either of form or sub
stance. They brought in tariff bills
in grotesque form with plain avowal
that they neither knew or cared what
the effect might be on the industries
of the country and planted them
selves squarely on a platform against
protection and in favor of tariff for
revenue only without even knowing
what the effect on the revenue would
be.
Favored Foreign Importations
''They have declared in favor of
gardless OF whether we have idle
factories and idle men who might
produce similar goods.
While entering on the domain OF
tariff legislation they have refused to
consider other needed legislation
They declined to consider a bfii fix
ing the tolls on the Panama canal, a
matter of urgent Importance. We
were unable to force them to take
up conservation legislation especially
bills to protect and utilize the re-
sources of Alaska.
while they have attempted to
cast odium on the tariff board no
steps to provide themselves inforrna-
ton for much needed tariff legisla-
ton
THE principal legislation which
this session has enacted is the pro-
vision in the Canadian reciprocity bill
admitting wood pulp and paper free
from Canada. That provision in the
law was drafted by me and enacted
as had drafted it. Their acceptance
Of that provision was the wisest thing
the Democrats have DONE The spec
ial session has developed the broad
ness of President Tafts statesman
ship and also the incompetency OF
the Democrats when it comes to leg
islation. They have tried to put tha
president in a. hole. They have been
hoist by their own petard. The net
result of the special session has been
to strengthen the president and weak
en- the Democrats before the coun-
try"
The Final Session.
Washington, Aug. 22.-Both houses of
congress convened at noon today with
all plans perfected for adjournment
The following senators and repre-
sentativeS constitute the committee ap-
pointed by the two houses to wait upon
the president and notify him that con-
gress had completed Its business and
was ready to quit:
Senators CulIom of Illinois Repub-
lican, and Martin of Virginia, Demo-
crat; Representatives Underwood OF
Alabama, Democrat, Dixon of Indiana.
Democrat, and Mann of Illinois, Re-
publican. The committee paid its
formal call at the White House shorry
after congress convened.
The senators and representatives left
in town, a wide gap in their ranks hav-
ing been rent by the more important
one, were slow in arriving at the CAPT
tol. Some of them came with their
grips and satchels prepared to make a
quick getaway.
Tonight a corporal's guard of repre-
sentatives of either house will be diff
cult to round up. Vice President Sher-
man viii leave this afternoon for his
home at Utica and Speaker Clark viii