The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1913-07-01
Air Full Of I'VE, the People,
Talk, but Caucus Controls.
BUT THAT'S NOTHING new.
Doubtful Whether Tariff Bill or Cur
rency Bill Could Have Been improved
by Free For All Discussion With
Attendant Observation-Disclosures Up
Wiison-Anti-s uffragists Busy.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

Washington. July 1.-(Special.1-
While there is so much said about the
rule of the people. the initiative and
referendum and other matters looking
toward giving the people more active.
direct and personal interest In the
business Of government. 1t is interest
ing to note how it works out in actual
legislative procedure.
Already it has been demonstrated
that the tariff was formulated by
very few Id the recesses OF commit
tee room. It was considered by eau
Gus and put through the house without
change. The procedure In the senate
has not differed to any extent up to
the present time.
The currency bill was even more
closely kept. Not even the majority
members of the banking and currency
committee had anything to do with II
and made complaint on that account
Chairman Glass, Chairman Owen, Sec.
rotary McAdoo and the president
formulated, drafted and presented the
currency measure to congress for &C
ton.
Not New Method.
The manner In which the important
Of the present congress has
been conducted is not new. 1t has al
ways been a very few who took hold
and formulated bills. But the interest
ing part of 1t is that the present con
gress has been more inclined to Few
men power" than any OF its predeces
sors. And this in day when there
has been such a clamor for machine
smashing and for allowing the people
more voice in their affairs
Naturally the question will be asked
whether better tariff bill or d better
currency bill could have been forum
lated had both been thrown into the
hopper and q free for aIl discussion
with the privilege OF all sorts Of
amendments allowed. It Is doubtful
whether the measures could have been
improved III that way. but the repre-
sentatives Of the people would have
had real opportunity to initiate leg
fslatiOn. .
Gallinger inquiries.
what is peyote?'' asked Senator
Gallinger during the considera don Of
the Indian bill
THE senator from New Mexico can
explain replied Chairman Stone
Bat would prefer To have the sen
ator from Missouri explain persisted
Gallinger, who saw little fun in It,
But Stone turned to Senator Fall.
who told the senate that peyote was a
drink which the Indians made from
cactus. which was not so. intoxicating
as whisky. but fair substitute.
A Lone Figure. 81.
Martin Maginnis, who was last a del
egate from Montana back In 1887, was
In the house recently and wandered
about the back rows looking over the
members to see IL there was any one
he knew Only Serene Payne and
Fred Talbot were IN the house when
he was last here. and the major looked
very lonely He felt like q real has
BEEN when he saw only two familiar
faces.
His Occupation Gone.
Congressman Roddenbery Of Geor-
gin Is still ID the house The fact that
he has not appeared In print nor en-
livened the pages Of the Congressional
Record is because there has been no
pension legislation thus far during the
session. If the house keeps back. all
bills save very few which have been
agreed upon by the Democratic eau.
Gus Roddenbery's occupation will
surely be gone But there Is the reg.
ular session next winter. Then there
must be pension legislation, and the
Georgia member can renew his fight.
Applauded Wilson.
The Democratic members applauded
President Wilson when he concluded
his currency message. and yet there
were mighty few among them who In
private had not kicked vigorously
against taking up currency legislation
1t this session. Most OF them believed
It was unnecessary. that time should
be given to study the question or that
The money trust Investigation should
30 forward before actfon Is taken. But
still they applauded. The Democratic
party Is standing solidly behind VIII
son.
The Ants Are Working.
The woman suEragists are not going
to have everything their own way IN
the coming contest before congress, Il
there Is q real contest to amend the
50 as to permit women to
vote The ants are we'll organized In /
and are working hard 10
prevent any action being taken.
Getting Ii tho Record.
1t in observed that considerable IT.
sratnre Of one kind or another Is get
silg into the Record which points out
hat this IS no time to give the Philip
lines Independence II President WI
on mikes Philippine Independence 1 ]
ntrts his program III the next session
4 eongress he fl lkely a hess ! -