River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-12-18
WASHINGTON LETTER
FROM JAMES A. FREAR, MEMBER OF
CONGRESS, 10th DISTRICT

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is the substance of the Committee 5
report. He was peStiferous
nuisance with an exaggerated idea
of his own Importance, and under
his advice money was raised by his
employers to elect or defeat Con-
gressmen. No money was shown
to have been paid'to any Congress-
man, but McDer not, a Democratic
member from Chicago, is scored for
borrowing money from Mulhall and
from everybody else who would
loan him anything.
l stepped into the Committee
hearings on several occasions and
believe h investigation w S
ito cugl, far reaching and con-
scientious. Members of all parties
we're represented and did not hes
itate to probe into any facts that
were presented.
That a diStrust in the popular
mind exists today as to Congress
sional methods was demonstrated
last week in a contested election
case before our Committee, when
six kilograms we're received by the
Chairman of the Committee, signed
by Democratic chairmen of different
county committees and urging the
claims of one of the contestants
These kilograms were read into the
stenographic record of the case in
order that the Committee judg-
mept of such practices might be
understood.
House bill 1889 is bill to author
ize the President to locate, con-
struct and operate a railroad in the
Territory of Alaska and for other
purposes. This bill is on the cal
endar and it will eventually be
passed. It's provisions have been
previously explained and in addition
to the Panama railroad which the
Government is operating at profit,
we are going to the Northern ex
tremity of our possessions to build
and operate the new railway.
Congressman Lewis has complet-
ed draft of his bill to purchase
the long distant telephone lines OF
the country. The measure has not
been introduced, but it is represent
ed that the Government is expected
TO go into competition with the
telegraph companies by buying out
right the long distant telephone
lines and using them for the trans
mission of telephone and telegraph
messages for the public through the
Post Office Department. 1t Is
estimated there are approximately
$500, 900 miles of these wires which
will require $20O,OO,0OO TO buy. A
man who has been working with
Lewis told me that Lewis was work
ing Is hours day on his PROPOSE
lion and should be expelled from
the Union" a parcels post sys-
tenn has been successfully institut
ed that is driving the express COM
panies into other business. The
long distance telephone proposition
will be worked out SO that telegraph
messages can be sent by the Govern
ment for a nominal sum, and the
Government is now studying the
railway proposition by undertaking
the experiments before mentioned
in this letter. Verify the world
moves.
A public announcement that Ell
liott Nash was recently appointed
assistant superintendent of the
Northwestern railway system re
calls many years ago when the writ
er, then small boy, lived near the
outskirts of Hudson. Only one
other house was in the block, and
that adjoined my home with three
board fence between.
Two boys, Tom and Allan Daw-
son, lived there. In the next block
north was another house in which
lived the two Nash boys, one a
tousled headed youngster, just out
of skirts. Only one or two other
boys lived in the entire neighbor-
hood. A few days ago while talk
ing with member of the South
American embassy, was informed
that our Tom Dawson before his
death was regarded as a great
diplomat in the judgment Of the
South American countries. Before
his recent death he served at Rio
de Janeiro and afterwards success
sively as Minister to Santo Dimin-
go, Panama and Chile. Tom s
brother Allen is TO day part owner
and editor Of the New York Globe,
a paper whose strong editorials are
frequently quoted in the Literary
Digest and other reviews. George
Nash is one of the leading business
men of Eau Claire and Elliott, the