The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1912-04-12
AFFAIRS AT WASHINGTON

I1RnL WHICH was stdrUtu ny RcpiS-
sentative Esch of Wisconsin two
years ago against the use of the
white PHOSPHORUS matches, the VIC
tory has finally been won. Mr.. Tow
ner of Iowa, Mr.. Longworth of Ohio,
and Mr.. Esch of Wisconsin, were
among those who made the principal
speeches upon the measure in the
House. It appears that the new
method by which matches are made,
was originally controlled by the pat
ents of the Diamond Match compa-
ny, and this institution surrendered
all their rights to the exclusive con-
troll of this form of manufacture. The
restriction against the poison match,
which produces wh9t is known as
"phossy jaw" terrible disease
among the workmen, will operate in
the same manner as the olemarga-
rine statute, which simply places a
restrictive tax upon the manufactur-
err. In the case of the match people
this tax will be prohibitive, and drive
the man ,facturer to the use of tho
new and harmless form of matches.
Some objection was raised in the
House, against this class of legisla-
ton, and such men as Underwood
and Mann, leaders Of their two par
ties, voted against it because of their
general opposition to the principle in
volved. They hold, as did their op-
ponents to the measure, that the
states have entire power to legislate
for the safety of their employees, and
could without the act of congress
control the situation. Mr.. Esch of
Wisconsin, said that 1--WE have waited
for forty years for he states to do
this" He therefore believed that
the government must take the matter
in hand. He asserted that every ma
ton in Europe forbids the use of
white PHOSPHORUS in the manufac-
ture of matches, and said that the
United States was even behind degen-
crate Russia in this matter. Mr.
Payne of New York, came to the de-
Tense of the legislation in the House,
and helped to pass it. In the SEN
ate, Senator Bailey of Texas, stub
bornly opposed it on constitutional
grounds, and Senator Hepburn made
the remarkable discovery that the
senate itself has been using these
"phossy" matches. The senate, like
the House, gave its sanction to the
Legislation.
Mr.. French of Idaho, has succeed
ed in telling his fellow representa-
tives in the House little more about
wool than most of them had known
before. He comes from the country
where there are sheep, and where
sheep have wool on their backs, and
where the owners of these animals
regard them as source of livelihood
rather than mere source of amuse-
ment for tariff makers. Mr.. French
introduced several amendments to
the Underwood tariff measure, and
revision on the wool schedule. He
called the attention of the members
to his position last year when it be-
came necessary for him to vote with
the Democratic side of the House on
the wool bill, and he showad wherein
subsequent results, including the re-
port of the tariff board, had war,
ranted his course. TIL leaders of
the House, Including Mr.. Mann, gave
their close attention to the Idaho
congressman, and asked him many
questions, and he gained the entire
Republican support.
That the recall of judges is a ques-
ton bound to be fought out in this
SouhIiy, uuo d6diA OCCu OupudolLCu
by the introduction of bill, the au-
thor Of which is Representative Tay-
lor of Colorado. 1t provides for the
recall of federal judges whose offic-
ial acts do not meet with public ia
vor. The Taylor bill specifies that
federal judges may be recalled every
four years in the event that they are
guilty of misconduct in office.
The cap stone on the tariff revis-
ion pyramid is exemplifi d in the I'm
derwood wool bill which has passed
the House by vote of 189 to 50.
Among the Republicans who voted in
favor of this measure were: Akin,
New York; Anderson, Lindberg, Nye,
Stevenson, Volstead and Miller, of
Minnesota; Hanna of North Dakota;
Haugen and Hubbard of Iowa; jack
son, Murdoch and Young, of Kansas;
Kent and Stevens, of California, Laf-
ferty, of Oregon; Lafollette and War
burton, of Washington; Nelson, of
Wisconsin; Norris, of Nebraska. One
Democrat, Francis, of Ohio, who