The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-10-23
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Washington, Oct. 20.--Special Cor
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF the embar-
RAISING things members Of congress
will have to face in their campaigns
for reelection next year will be the
necessity Of explaining their long alb
sences from Washington during the
special session this summer. The
house transacted considerable bust
ness without quorum, because the
point Of no quorum was not made.
When the issue finally was forced it
was found there was only a small
percentage of the membership in
Washington and kilograms were sent
to the absentees to return Immediate
~. Five of the republican members
from Iowa, Congressman Haugen Of
the fourth, Good of the fifth, Prouty
Of the seventh, Green of the ninth
and Scott of the eleventh were back
in Iowa when the first kilograms were
sent, and the sergeant-at-arms was
directed to issue warrants for the ar
rest Of the absentees. When this
did not bring a quorum, although
several members, one of the Iowa
republicans, Prouty, among them, re-
turned, the sergeant-at-arms was in
structed to notify the absentees
again to return. Congressman Good,
who recently had an attack of ty-
phoid fever, was excused from at
tendance because of the condition of
his health. T..
Congressman Sisson, of MISSISSIPPI
pi, in the debate before the adoption
OF this motion again calling for a
summons of the absentees, was bit
ter in denouncing the members who
were back home.
try again to bring back the absent
members" he said, "and let the pa
pers carry it the country again that
they were compelled to be brought
back here and stating that there has
been an order issued for the arrest
OF all absent members. 1t seems to
me the membership of this house
who have remained here should be
getting tired of absenteeism."
Mr.. Sisson held it would serve a
good purpose if notice goes out to
the country that members are not
here attending to their business.
He said that chose of us who have
been here all the time are being
punished by members who are abb
sent "
Congressman Pepper, Connolly
and Kirkpatrick, the three democrat
ic members from Iowa were present
on all the roll calls when it was
sought to get quorum and when
sufficient members finally were
rounded up to pass the urgent
deficiency bill.
Congressman Pepper of Iowa, sec
rotary of the democratic COMPRESSION
al committee issued a statement
when returns were received from
West Virginia to elect congressman
in which he declared that the cleo
ton of Nealy, the democratic candi-
date, after a campaign waged solely
on the tariff issue gave strong in
dorsement of President Wilson's ad-
and of the Underwood
tariff bill. The first West Virginia
district had always been republican
until President Wilson carried the
state last year over Roosevelt and
Taft, polling 47.71 per cent of the
vote of the three candidates COM
bined. In the special election last
week Nealy, the democratic candi-
date had a plurality of 1913 over
the republican nominee, and polled
1857 of the total vote of the three
candidates, lacking only a small NUM-
Der of majority. The fact that
this campaign was waged on the tar
if issue and that it was the first cleo
ton after the passage of the tariff
bill is significant as showing that
The people indorse the tariff said
Mr.. Pepper. The decline IN the per
centage Of the combined republican
and progressive vote, he said. would