Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-02-08
Tawney INDUCES in Sensationalism

aWnet inou'9eS IN SeHsdNoha's'H'
Representative James \. Tawney OF
Minnesota. who is leading the oppose
tion 10 the bin increasing the mem
bership u1 the House of Representa-
Itives. says there will he a $i,ooo,ooo,
O00 Congress five years from now, il
the Crumpacker bill goes through
Tawney believes in retaining the pres
lent membership of 391. and declares
The most important matter now
pending in the House is this question
of reapportionment. All other aues-
tons, including the fertilization or
naturalization of the Panama Canal
and other problems which now con-
front the people. are dwarted by IT.
The question is simply one of state
pride versus legislative efficiency
Mr.. Tawney explains that Il years
ago we had for the first time billion
dollar Congress. He says the country
was shocked, but remembers that Tom
Reed explained that this was a bill
lion dollar country" According to
Mr.. Tawney's figuring. the increase OF
representation of AZ members is going
to increase the expenses of the govern
ment in a proportion out of all reason
ton from 39l, as the House is at pres
ent constituted. to 433 as proposed by
the Crumpacker bill, is going to double
or treble the nations expenses within
five years, is more than average man
of reasoning power is able to under
stand Mr. Tawney does not explain
He makes the bald assertion that the
reapportionment plan for which Crum
packer and Burleigh are now making a
desperate fight, is to change this coun-
try from a billion dollar country to a
mo limit land" Just how Mr.
Tawney will explain the rapid increase
of the drain upon the Federal treas
ury, we are not informed
With such a man as President Taft
at the head of the government, and
every department infected with the
Taft religion of economy. we cannot
see how Tawney's gospel of paternal-
ism can infiict largely added expenses
on the government. THE rapacity of
members of Congress chosen to repre-
sent the people" as Mr.. Tawney speaks
of it. has been recognized for years,
and more and more Federal executives
have been checking it, until the pork
altogether. We have no reason to
doubt that if the representation is held
down to the 391 and Maine conse-
quently loses one of her representa-
tives. that the three men who con-
stitute her representation to the next
Congress will demand just as much at
the hands of the Federal government
as four would do. 1t is not a question
of demand. according to the Taft plan,
but of necessity. The President would
leave such matters of expense as are
usually subjects of log-rolling in the
national law making body, to COM
petent commission, who will carefully
examine every claim made by the va
rious- states for Federal assistance.
We do not believe that more menu
bers means greater expenditures, in
any outrageous proportion. but We do
believe, if the country is becoming a
wo-billion- dollar country, that Con-
sress and the people should recognize
t. and not attempt to squeeze a two
dollar nation into a one billion
dollar coat of mail. because of the un-
founded declaration OF man posing
before the country as a watch dog Of
the treasury.