Gilpin observer., 1913-05-15
WASHINGTON NEWS
BY Edward Heating.

the house has established some new
records in the legislative history of
this country.
1t was the first tariff bill ever
passed without the application, Of
"gag rule. Four years ago when the
Payne-Aldrioh bill was under consid-
Grafton, the rules committee brought
in a rule which permitted the Demo
cratic minority to offer just four
amendments to the more than 1900
items in the measure. This time the
bill was read paragraph by paragraph
and the Republican minority was per-
mitted to offer as many amendments
as 1T saw fit and the discussion was
only limited by the application Of
the five minute rule.
II an orator could not complete
his remarks in five minutes he was
given unlimited space in the Con-
gressional Record, and his constitu-
ents thereby received the benefit of
his veiws.
Many Democrats urged that we
give the Republicans at least a dilut-
ed dose Of their own medicine. and
that some limit be placed on amend
ments and debate.
Speaker Clark and Leader Under
wood wisely rejected the suggestion,
and patiently bore the verbal assaults
of the minority The wisdom of this
course was amply vindicated, when,
toward the conclusion of the debate,
the Republicans and the Progressives
joined in prolonged ovations to the
two great chieftains CT the majority.
Throughout the discussion there
terness which has marked other tar
iff debates. The Republican attack
was stubborn and we'll sustained and
the Democratic defence was brilliant
and convincing, but when the daily
''talkfests' were concluded the COM
batants linked arms and found their
personal relations unimpaired.
These tariff debates offer splendid
opportunities for the making or mar
ring of political regulations. To my
mind, many men on both sides have
added to their laurels, but one fig
ure looms far above all the rest.
/ think it was Paul Jones who used
to boast that he was captain Of his
ship by virtue Of the fact that he
was the best man aboard the ship.
So Oscar w. Underwood, of Alabama,
might say that he was the leader
OF the Democratic majority by virtue
CT the fact that temperamentally
and Intellectually he Is without a
peer in the house, with the possible
exception of the beloved speaker.
At this supreme moment OF its ma
tional opportunity, the Democracy is
blessed in its leadership. Wilson, Bry-
an. Clark and Underwood have APP
parently put aside all thought of self
ACKNOWLEDGMENT and of the sharp diff
fereIces which have divided them
in the PAST and are working should
er to shoulder for the redemption
of Democracy's platform pledges.
l came down to Washington just
a little predjudiced against Under
wood. He had clashed with Bryan
and we Of the west more than half
suspected he was a reactionary. We
were disposed to hold him at arms
length and put an unfriendly con-
struction on his acts and words. He
had to win his way to our hearts and
he has won it.
] do not think there Is a man on
the Democratic side today who does
not trust Underwood. And among the
warmest OF these supporters are the
men who have unwaveringly follow
ed the Bryan banner for the last
twenty years.
Underwood is not a great orator,
but he can say more in five minutes
than any man in Washington. He is
patient and diplomatic but when 1t
Is necessary to fight he can strike
harder and oftener than any member
on either side Of the chamber. His
courage is Of the calm, unshakable
variety. He smiles and rs adamant.
His home is in Birmingham. Ah.,
and the greatest steel interests in
the world are in his district When
the steel schedule was under consid-
Grafton these interests attempted to
put the screws" to him. They call
ed on him to protect his home in
terests", they had the Chamber Of
Commerce promote protest meet
Ing and finally they threatened to
close their works and throw thous-
ands out Of employment.