The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1913-07-08
DEMOCRATS SHOW
THEIR INSINCERITY
BIZ Holding Secret Caucuses
Which They Denounced
in the Campaign.
nv Charles Brooks Smfth.)

tarIR bill is ready to be reported by
the senate finance committee. Prob
ably IT would have been done before
now had the leaders, backed by the
White House, been successful in get
ting q hard and fast caucus agree
ment. one which ties up every Demo-
cratic senator to vote for each and
every amendment sponsored by the
committee, as wen as the measure as
a whole. This was successfully done
IN the House, where the majority sur
rendered their conscience and opin-
ions 10 the dictation OF the executive.
branch and the bill was rushed
through with little opportunity for
debate, and none whatever for max
ing change in the original bill In
any particular.
The secret caucus, denounced with
such vehemence and with such dis
astrous results to the Republican par
ty at the polls. and to the persons of
Cannon. Aldrich and other congress
ional leaders of that time, has been
used and abused by the Democrats
themselves to such an extent as to
nulIify and render ridiculous their
former criticism of it. President VIII
son, himself, many of whose political
writings forcefully and convincingly
inyeighed against the use of the arbi-
trary secret caucus, looms largest
now as the high priest in the temple
in administering it. Uncle Joe Can
non has nothing on him in that re-
spect. Wilson, with his great power
and tremendous patronage has inn
proved on this policy of coercion in
a way. that makes the old cannon-Ald-
rich congressional organization look
tame
However. in the Senate It has en-
couraged opposition. But it will
probably succeed in the end, and that
VIM ddntribute much of interest to
the lengthy tariff discussion that will
ensue, for the manner of the max
ing of the now rechristencd Under
wood Simmons bill, will be attacked
and exploited by both Republicans
and Progressives. and the slipshod,
reckless, ill-considered composition
OF the bill will be held up for the
careful scrutiny OF the country.
When the House had the Underwood
bill under consideration, there was
not Democratic voice raised either
in committee or on the floor in be-
half of West virginia's interests-and
no state is more vitality affected by
tartfF changes. The two Democratic
eoagresEmena Davis and Brown, were
fnportGned bS business men, farmers.
and laboring men to guard West Vir-
ainia's products Ffrpm PIashiag reduc-
'tions, more so lilely than the Repub-'
lican representatives, because the lat
ter are of the minority. That must be
true for the 1atteE were. -deluged with
letters and petiaehs, and appealed to
personally by delegations from home
to an extent Overwhelming. They
could do nothing however but adj
dress the House in behalf of protect
ing West virginia's products Of the
farm, the mill and the mine, and
Offering amendments which were
promptly voted down, Messrs. Davis
and Brown, bound and gagged by tho
secret caucus, helping to strike the
blow at their own states prosperity.
The minority members of the dele
CATION stood by their state and its
people, and the record of that caucus
restricted debate in the House con-
tains the unquestioned sentiment OF
tho majority of the people OF West
Virginia on the tariff question ex-
pressed in strong argument, telling
statistics and logical periods deliv-
cred by Congressman Sutherland,
Avis. Moss and Hughes as well as
amendments proposed by the first
two. The Democratic party in West
Virginia, SO far as its congressional
representatives are concerned, gave
no voice-only votes, and those votes
expressive of a southern controlled
caucus rather than the sentiment of
their own constituents.
what part West Virginia will play
in the tariff drama in the Senate is
coniectured so far as the majority
members is concerned. Senator Chill
ton may follow the silent eAatnp4e Sc
Ey Davis and Brown in the House,
and he may not. Taking the horn of
either dilemma is going to prove em-
bnrrassing for him. II he speaks at
s.ll he must speak as he must vote;
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