The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-10-17
ATTACK
ON DEMOCRATS
Congressman H. T. Helgeser
Declares House Caucus
is Vicious Method.

Declaring that the methods Of the
democratic congress are moro COM
pick and barren of fruit than the old
system, that. tho people of North Da-
kota and the northwest had nothing
to hope for from such a. representa-.
ton, CONGRESSMAN II. T.. Helegsen last
night attacked his democratic COM
peers in the house. He spoke at the
city hall and was greeted by a good.
sized audience.
He bitterly attacked the caucus sys-
tenn. I'm my opinion. the secret eau
u is vicious In, principle" he said,
and wrong In practice and is the
stronghold Of the big interests for
controlling legislation. The democrat
ic party in eliminating 'Cannonism'
substituted 'Aldrichism' by transfer
ring the power formerly welded by
Underwood. who through the secret
caucus, the rules Inc the standing
committees. has as much arbitrary
power over legislation today, as n
speaker ever had"
The speaker then referred to the
methods the democrats had employed
in getting around the rules, which had
been adopted under the republican
control. He said they did not dare to
change the rules, giving to the men,
bers OF congress a chance to be
heard. whether or not the speaker
wished, but, that they had got around
them by having the several commit
tees. which r given preference,
bring in bills at the time which should
be given over to the Introduction Of
bills by members or the bringing up
OF bills, which had been pigeon-holed.
This method, he said, had entirely off,
set the benefit of the rules.
The speaker did not touch upon
state politics or upon the presidential
situation. The greater part Of his adj
dress was an attack on the methods Of
the democratic house. In dealing with
what North Dakota might expect from
q democratic congress. he said:
all members were present, lis demo.
Gratis constitute q majority. The solid
south has liz members. add to these
the is Tammany members from New
York City and you have more than
enough for control, but you can easily
add enough more members from east
ern districts to make more than
enough for a two-thirds vote in the
democratic caucus. Now. just consid-
tricts. from q business point Of view,
have anything in common with the
great northwest; that they consume
what we produce and are interested in
making u products as cheap as pos
sible: that because Of this. they have
not only refused to repeal Canadian
reciprocity, but have openly declared
that II given the power. they will put
all u farm products on the free list.
and you can readily see the absurdity
Of sending democrats to congress
from his section Of the country Tho
representatives Of the solid south and
Of the congested centers Of the east
will always control the democratic
party. and a vote to send a democrat
vote to put the product of your farm
in free and open competition with all
the world, while everything you have
to buy will be more or less protected,
even under the democratic so-called
tariff for revenue only This Is q
business proosition with you. and I do
not think you are going to reduce the
value Of your farm products as we'll
as the value Of your FARMS"