Our land = La Nostra terra. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 191?-1913, 1913-07-12
KING CAUCUS.

the first time in the history of tariff
legislation bill is to be written into
law by a secret caucus. Regardless of
the character of the measure, this pro-
ceeding merits the severest criticism.
The procedure in the Senate on the Ia
ri if Bill is a REPETITION of the action Of
TIE House on the same measure. Such
a partisan course on any but tariff
bill would not be tolerated by Congress
or by the public. 1t prevents the scien-
tic treatment of the tariff as an econo-
mic subject and makes it mere pawn
in the political game.
Legislation is public business. eau
Gus control of legislation means minori-
ty rule This is vicious in principle and
fraught with the gravest danger t. de-
nocracy. Caucus control destroys all in
dependence and forces a legislator to
submit his conscientious convictions to
the party bosses who through skill in
manipulation, dominate the party eau
Gus. Caucus control in practice is secert
control. Trades and deals and d.ekers
an corruption thrives best in the dark.
/ To take the public business into cor.
ner to be transacted under seal of
Confidence is first step toward public
betrayal.
The only purpose in resorting to the
un. American, un-democratic method of
caucus rule, is to coarece some Sena-
tors into a violation of conscience as to
certain provisions of the bill. on penal
ty Of being outlawed as members of
the Democratic party. Better far that
such provisions should undergo radical
change if need be better far that such
provisions should bc defeated altogeth-
er than that a secret caucus rule of lie
gislation should become enthrcned in
the Congress of the United States.
1t cannot be maintained that the end
justifies the means referred to. Tariff
revision downward and sharply down
ward too - is demanded for every eco
nomic reason. But tariff revision, i'm
portant as it is, and even more impOr-
tant, the legislation dealing with the
combinations that control our mark cts,
and more important still, the Iegisla
tion to free money and credit from tht
Money Power - one and all are bu
phases of the long struggle to MAKE
the will Of the people the law of tn,
land. To that end the caucus and con
vention system. the ready instrument
of the political boss and the politica
o machine. have been torn down and cas-
aside. To that end the direct prlmar,
t an4 The direct election of Senator
were established. The people have tn
: choice in the selection OF the represen
tatives.
+ The Democrats in Congress have re
p. established tbe machine system in or
der to ~ontrol the votes of these SAN
n representative. 1t is not that the Sc
s nators from ~restern states are IN dan
y ger Of belaUng their constituents ant
a voting for the eastern tariff interest
that resort was had to caucus coercion
to line them up On the contrary. j
ID is because these Senators would other
q wise vote to serve tire thousands Of ia
mers sand lab7rers who grow saga
= beets and sheep End cattle and grain
= IN their respective states that they ar
a to be made to feel the caucus lash.
Even though legislation Of great pl
e Bile Importance were to be enacted b
81 such methods. it is toe der a price
B pay for it.