The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1911-08-23
MINORITY LEADER SHOWS HOW
THE MAJORITY BADLY
BUNGtED LEGISLATION.
DIRECT ELECTION SPOILED
Party in Power Succeeded in Mussing
All Chances for Popular Choice Of
senators-Almost 0ueered Statehood
for Arizona and New Mexico
Showed Lack OF Information.

Washington Aug. 2a--Represcnta-
tive Mann OF the house In n statement
issued today giving the minority re.
port of the work of the extra session
of the democratic house, declared
that the net result vas to strengthen
the president and weaken the DEM
ocracy and that the democrats trying
to put the president In hole" In
tariff revision Legislation, had been
"hoisted by their own petard"
The special session." said Mr.
Mann, "was called by the president In
the fulfillmcnt OF the obligations, with
his agreement with Canada to consider
and pass on the Canadian reciprocity
bill. That bill passed and has become
law.
Bunolinu.
"The democrats In the house would
have been wise II they had confined
the special session to the consideration
OF the reciprocity bill. Instead Of
that they set out to show how they
could bungle legislation. They pre-
vented the passage OF the constitu.
tional amendment for direct election OF
senators by insisting on coupling II
With another amendment TO the con-
stitution to deprive the general gov
ernment of one of It's necessary pow
crs.
They fought against publicity OF
primary election expenses until We
strangled them into yielding. They
nearly defeated statehood for Arizona
by insisting that congress give prac-
tical approval to the recall of judges
They prepared tariff bills without
knowledge either of form or substance
They brought In tariff bills In great
form. with plain avowal that they
never knew or cared what the effect
might be on the Industries of the
country and planted themselves
squarely on platform against protec-
tion and In favor of tariff for rev.
enue only without knowing what the
effect on the revenue would be. They
have declared in favor of larger i'm
portations from abroad regardless OF
whether we have idle factories and
idle men Who might 'produce similar
goods.
Declined to Do Good.
While entering on the domain OF
tariff legislation they have refused to
consider other needed legislation. They
declined to consider a bill fixing the
tolls on the Panama canal, matter of
urgent Importance. We were unable
to force them to take up conservation
legislation, especially bills to protect
and utilize the resources of Alaska.
while they have attempted to cast
od.um on the tariff board and have
denounced that board In unmeasured
language. they have taken no steps to
provide themselves with information
of the much needed tariff legislation.
Legislation Enacted.
"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 yas drafted by me and enacted
exactly as ] had drafted 1t. Their ac-
ceptance Of that provision was the
wlsest thing the democrats have done.
The special session has developed the
broadness Of Pesident Taft's states
manship and also the incompeteney OF
the democrats when II comes to Leg
islation. They have tried to put the
president in a hole. They have been
holsted by their own petard. The net
result of the special session has been
to strengthen the president and weak
en- the democrats before the country