River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-09-25
WASHINGTON LETTER
FROM JAMES A. FREAR, MEMBER OF
CONGRESS-, 10Th DISTRICT

CONGRESS-, 10th DISTRICT
WAsHINGToN, d. c., Sept, q, 1913
The House passed the currency
bill on Thursday by an overwhelm-
ing majority The bill had been
made a partisan measure but many
Republicans supported il because
with all its mperfections, the argu
ment was insistent that it is needed
to prevent any money panic which
may be brought about through the
passage of the new tariff bill Every
body breads panic of any kind and
no more persuasive argument could
have been offered, although it re-
minds me of the young doctor who
argued that no matter what the act
ual complaint might be with his pa
tients he always used particular
medicine to bring on fits. because
he had a sure remedy for fits.
An echo of the old free silver
fight occurred in the House near
the conclusion of the currency de-
bate when an amendment was Of
fered from the Republican side,
that nothing in the pending bill
should be construed to repeal the
law of 1900, providing for a gold
standard of values. 1t was the only
/ amendment of Importance accepted
/ and it precipitated lively discussion
" across the aisle because of obiec-
tion urged by the followers of the
former double standard leader of
Democracy. do not believe any
doubt as to its meaning existed be-
fore the amendment was passed,
but if so, its acceptance insures a
fixed meaning TO the redemption
features of currency issued under
the new law.
a statement of the tremendous
growth of domestic and foreign
business of the country within the
last dozen years shows that the
imports and exports of foreign COM
merce alone reached four billions of
dollars in round numbers or more
than forty dollars for every man,
woman and child ir the country;
while the excess of exports, an i'm
portant element in determining
prosperous conditions, reached over
30 per cent. Comparing the in
crease in foreign countries during
the same period it appears in Great
Britain 68 per cent, France II per
cent, Germany 81 per cent and the
United States, with its much con-
demned archaic laws" reached 10
per cent. In replying to criticism
as to existing tariff and currency
laws, Mr.. Mann, the Republican
leader, said to the Democratic ma
jority, If you do as we'll with your
legislation, we congratulate you
and the country. only hope you
will succeed because you come after
legislation enacted by the Republi-
can party which has proven itself
by its results, the greatest results
that have ever come from any legis-
lation at any time, in any country
in the history of the world.
1t is conceded that under the new
tariff law importations from foreign
countries will be measurably in
creased for time because nearly a
half billion dollars worth of foreign
goods, it has been stated, are re-
ported in bond at the New York
port awaiting the bills passage, but
no one has yet pointed out in what
manner expectations are to be slim
ulated by dropping the tariff bars.
About eighteen to twenty Bull
Moose members are in the House.
The Democrats outnumber them
twelve to one and the Republicans
about six to one, or stated in an
other form, the third party numbers
less than 5 per cent of the House
membership. Several of them were
formerly Democrats and others
were elected as Republicans but re-
nounced their allegiance to the Re-
publican party after election. Prac-
tically no important issue is left for
them to rally on that is not SUBJ
stantially endorsed by a hundred or
more progressive Republicans and
Democrats of the House. Old men,