The Sentinel=record., 1911-12-10
COLLEAGUES
 ARE COWARDS
so SAYS REFRESHMENTS DIES OF TEXAS IN DISCUSSING THE
 NEW PENSION BILL.
Accuses Members of Voting for PoIiti- cal Safety Rather Than voicina Their Honest Convictions
 Politically.

Washington, Dec. -charaeteriz- ing his associates in congress as no litical towards on the subject of pension legislation, and declaring that Sherwood pension bill is a s5n 0na enn campaign contribution, Representative Dies. a Texas democrat. swung the pension debate IT the ii,iis7 .. rep fsss;se resentatiyes out of its routine cnan- nels for Il half hour this afternoon.
 Mr Dies declared that members were not voting their conviction CT the pension subject, but were auf porting an increase of pensions for fear of losing their seats. "Flsanei mouthed oratory on the tariff ques ton, said Dies, will not save demo- crats from the charge of having in- creased the federal appropriations by passing the Sherwood pension bill.
 The democratic party abounds in just as much cowardice cn this qnes tion as does the republican, party. said Mir Dies. Some Of my friends say that If we do not give the sold. iers this money we will nea he re- turned to congress. There has been rivalry between. the democratic and republican partiesF ever ssace the war IS to who shonld give the most 10 the soldier. Ii has not been q ques- ftion of giving them what they wanted. put of seeing how much they would take.''
 Representativa Dirs said he appre. ciated the fact that ei,1E or a,o0o rension holders after a scared cen- gressman leaves 20 room for argn- ment."
 What will it be when we nave q civil list?" he demanded. ssTbere are bOoO,0oO employees of the govern ment now demanding to be pension ed. The president has capitaIated. 1 take it that uitr tenders ois the ,ieiii ocratic side will capitulate as readily as he did.
 It may be that to be honest upon .hese questions would beat us for the presidency: it may be 1t would De 10 leave some of our democratic seats vacant. 1 have come to the conclu sion that there are a great many seats here On both sides of the cham Der that ought to be vacant.
 ''I don't doubt the honesty end in tegrity of this body, but ] have small respect for it's courage. There are ots here of yos who are not willing to vote your honest convictions for fear of defeat. l think decapItation for a good many cowardly staIemen nere would do this republic goea
 Mir. Dies said that although the son of Confederate soldier. he wanteu liberal and fair pensions for all north ern soldiers who held the states to gether and preserved the republic ' Both parties had gone too lar. he said
 Presently we are going 10 have good dehl of mouthed ora tory on the tariff question: said Mr. Dies Some of our yocifermis leaders are going to talk about free wool and lower taxas and lower tariff Do they not known that in voting for this bill to increase pensions from s2O,00000O 10 s50On0 000 year. that they will vote for higher tarlffsg have not much patience for our fal- lows who are going to talk about lower tariff after having voted flor this bill.
 We stand face to face with pen sians aar policamen pensions for teachers. for government clerks, pen. sions for everybody: and sometime the old farmer will come marching in with his rake on his shoulder and hayseed in his hair and say:
 z I've fed you fellers for years and now I'm broken down in health ana II waat pension How will you ans wer himgs
 MT. Dies addeJ that he was ''poll tioai coward like the balance Of yoa but that he expected somebody to arise some time 1hrave enough to risk his hide and ston some q tAls notorious legislation.
 It may be President Taft'' he aa ded fife may veto the shermoof blll. if so, say:
 Strength 10 his arm