The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1911-12-29
AFFAIRS AT WASHINGTON

OhSS 80
tatives has passed a general pension
bill, this time endorsing the Sher-
wood measure which establishes the
following basis. Service for ninety
days to six months, SIS a month;
from six to nine months, $40 a
month; from nine months to II year
$25 a month; more than one year
$50 a month. This is the, measure
popularity known throughout the
country as the dollar a day pension
bill" 1t differs from the Sulloway
bill passed by the last Republican
House, which, instead of recognizing
length as a basis, fixed the varying
amount of pensions according to the
age of the p%ensioner. The Republic
can members made a persistent eff
fort to substitute the Sulloway meas
g for the Sherwood bill. Anoth-
er point c%ontended for by many con-
gressmen was for the straight dol.
lar a day pension bill. While the
measure was generally supported,
and commanded most of the Republi-
can vote, there were eighty-four
Democratic congressman recorded as
opposed to the measure; among these
were a large number of southerners,
including Leader Underwood. ctr.
Fitzgerald, chairman of the commit
tee on appropriations, has about the
same notions as were entertained by
his predecessor, Tawney, of Minneso-
ia, regarding spending too much of
he peoples money, no matter how
m%eritorious it may be. He warned
his Democratic colleagues that the
passage of this bill meant farewell
to their hopes of making a record for
economy. Speaker Clark was among
the Democratic leaders who voted
for the measure. In the Senate
champions of the old soldiers like
Senator Curtis of Kansas, McCumber,
of North Dakota and Smoot of Utah,
can be depended upon to get some
sort of pension legislation, whether it
be the Sherwood bill or not, before
tbo cocc;oD ;c finichod In tho 1act
Congress the Southern Democrats eff
fectually prevented any pension leg
islation whatever, and there have
been all sorts of illusions to the
playing of politics since this meas
ure was brought before the present
Congress; and Notwithstanding these
charges and counter charges, the
true friends of the veterans of the
civil war, who supported both the
Sulloway and Sherwood measures,
are greatly pleased at the outcome,
and it is generally believed at the
capitol that favorable action will be
secured in the Senate, and the long
deferred reward of the old soldiers
will be accomplished.
During the long debate in the
House many western members spoke
in support of increased pensions for
veterans and finally voted for the
Sherwood bill. Among the number
were Messrs. Taylor, Rucker, Martin,
of Colorado; Dyer, Russell Bart
holdt, Hensley and Rucker, of Mis-
souri,; Mcclure of Oklahoma;
Campbell, Murdoch, Taggart of Kan
sas; Norris, Lebeck and Sloan of Ne
braska. These gentlemen, as well as
other members, like La Toilette of
Washington, Pray of Montana, An
drews of New Mexico, French of Ida
no, and Mondell of Wyoming, have,
through their championship Of the
old soldiers, performed a great SER
WIG W luO 0ul NiNlhS NOtCI vi IL
civil war.
The way Congress went after Rus
STA and demanded the abrogation OF
the treaty of 1882 because of that
country's action in refusing to honor
passports issued by the United States
government to American Jews, indi.
Gates that the day has passed when
it is proper to manufacture all of the
jokes concerning the dominance Of
the Irish race in American politics
it having been made clear that the
Jew is branching out, and besides
commanding commercial prominence
he is able to tell a good many mem
bers of Congress how to vote. Of
course, there is a grievous against
Russia, and there is great merit in
the demands of the Jews, but a vote
of three hundred to one asking fol