River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-09-04
WASHINGTON LETTER
FROM JAMES A. FREAR, MEMBER OF
CONGRESS, 10th DISTRICT

WAsHINGToN, d. c., Sept. 2, 1913.
President Wilson read his mes.
sage on the Mexican situation in
the House Chamber Wednesday
before the joint session. l do not
presume TO comment, because full
information has reached you from
other sources, further than to say
that, to use a homely expression,
Politics stop at the sea shore"
Beyond that point or beyond the
border line, the President has a
united support that knows no party.
That is the sentiment expressed
practically without exception by
Members of both Houses.
A three column editorial review
of the political situation by the
Washington Herald has excited
comment. 1t says that President
Wilson is the leader of the Demo
cratic party and his future leader
ship will depend on the success or
failure of the new tariff bill. OF
course Roosevelt is giving the
directions of the Progressive party's
fortunes, if he elects to remain with
the third party movement. Then
by a process of elimination the Her
aid reasons that Taft is out of
politics; Borah is too little known
and comes from a Western state;
Cummins is not sure of Iowa and
concludes that LaFollette is the
logical leader providing he takes a
vigorous part in the tariff fight.
Whether or not the prophesy is of
value, it may be confidently assert
ed that when the tariff discussion
has closed in the Senate, compre
hensive discussion of the entire bill
and an amendment containing an
equitable adjustment of schedules,
based on difference in cost of pro-
duction here and abroad, will have
been offered by Wisconsin's Sen
ator; that will equal any analysis of
the intricate tariff subject presented
in Congress during the present
session.
Sharp interchanges over the
tariff are of frequent occurance.
Senator Simmons of North Caro-
lima, who has charge of the bill in
the Senate, said in debate last week
that THE President as l happen to
know, regards the bill now pending
in the Senate as fair, just and fall
Interpretation of his position of the
tariff. Senator James of Kentucky
added that the proposed bill is less
oppressive than existing law, and
that is the issue, Senator Bristow
of Kansas, denying that issue, said
he denounced the Payne-Aldrieh
bill in 1909 and voted against it
because of ubiquitous provisions in
the bill, but that it was at least
consistent and protective in char
acter. The Simmons bill, which is
conceded to be an improvement
over the crude Underwood measure,
he said contains many unjustifiable
determinations, and sacrifices the
agricultural interests of the country
in a manner never approached or
undertaken in any past tariff legis.
lation. Brandegee, Smoot. Cum
minis and Weeks also attached
different provisions of the bill on
the same day.
A strong series of articles con.
tributed to the Chicago Record Her.
aid by Elliott Flower, the writer
have been Analysing the high cost
of living Their Importance is evi
denced from the fact that for nearly
three months these articles have
been given the first column of the
first page of that great daily. Not
long ago Mr.. Flower generously
commended some phases of the
writer's work on the Wisconsin
immigration Board which induced
me to ask him to say just whar
particular law he would urge t.
remedy conditions.
Because of Mr.. Flowers standins
as an eminent economist and writer
briefly quote an extract from hi:
letter. He states, Il have no part
ocular law in mind, in fact | do no