The Washington times., 1913-07-06
FORGET CONGRESS.
7 MARSHALL ADVICE
Agrees With Hill, That U. S.
Could Get Along for Ten
Years Without 1t.

tOrget the existence OF Congress,
ship the lobbyist. and branch out bold
ly-this Is the advice of Vice President
Marshall to American business He de-
fends the lobbyist as a natural and
needed product on the ground that
business, with its timidity. must have
some one at the Capitol to watch leg
islation But big business needs nerve,
he declares.
Business can run without Congress,
and minus lobbyists. he says,
In an interview in Camden, he strong
ly agreed with James ]. Hill. railroad
king. that Congress should be abolish
ed for ten years, although he modified
the Hill plan by advocating that big
business forget the existence Of Con-
gress in that time.
AS American business is being run,
the business man is bound to spend
money and to have a representative
near the Capitol" is one of the most
startling of the Vice Presidents state
ments in his arraignment vi present
conditione in the business world. Il am
not saying whether this money is spent
honestly or not but there is such
thing us legitimate expenditure of
money for lobbying ..-
Is Hinge.
Big business regards Congress as the
creature that opens and closes its doors
every day. says the Vice President, and
just SO long as business maintains this
attitude just SO long are business men
going to have their representatives.
around the Capitol.
Mr.. Marshall sounds a sharp note of
advice to business interests to learn the
lesson of the lobby probe, now under
way in the Senate-tne lesson, he de-
clares, that business need not depend
on legislation for prosperity.
The American business man ought to
forget the lawmakers, the Vice Presi-
dent advises.
Il will say that the spending Of money
about the Capitol by the men who stand
ior big business is only the natural
outgrowth OF the business mans atti-
ttude," he said. 1t is only to be eX-
pected that business men will spend big
sums when they think their interests are
SO closely wrapped up in legislation
These sums may be spent properly, and
they may not. The point is that they
are bound to be spent; and that II is
part OF the business system as con-
quoted under the present ideas OF the
american 4tclI SASS 80
spent The business man does not need
TO depend on this law or that. 1t only
hurts him as producer.
Natural End.
The Vice President predicted that the
lobby would end naturally when the
business msn stands on his own feet,
and is ready to give and take with the
whole world
There is no need for alarm in re-
gard to our business" he continued.
Markets being opened in South and
Central America will give us enough
trade to keer every factory in this
country running twenty-four hours
a day six days in the week.
The lobby investigation and the |
rev tariff are simply going TO force |
the American business man to show /!
what he can really do and to get rid |
of the idea that his business depends |
on Congress"
The Vice President was reminded |
that James J. HILL of the Great
Northern railroad. recently declared !
that the best thing for this country !
would be TO get rid of Congress for |
said the Vice President. though / |
advocate different means. We do not
want to get rid of Congress, out we /,
want the business man to throw the |
bugaboo of Congress off his shoul-
ders.
Il do not think we shall ever have
free trade. NY idea is that we shall !
reach the level of the Walker tariff. |
in force before the civil war, in which
the duties were on basis of 90 per |
cent ad valorum. This much tariff is
necessary for revenue.
While the income tax can be varied |
TO meet any revenue need, as l under
stand IL, il is at present intended to |
make up the revenue loss due to free |
trade. The Government can tax my l
shirt off my back for its own pur-
poses. but II cannot tax me a dollar |
10 help out the business Of any other
citizen" II