The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1913-10-24

washington, Oct. ~, 1918. --
Immediately after the signing
of the tariff bill by the president
on October 3rd, "the boys" who
had had a six months strenuous
session scattered like deer taking
to tall timber and found them.
selves at home earnestly engaged
in repairing their political fences.
This sudden depletion of the
ranks of the faithful left the
House without sufficient mem
bers to constitute quorum, and
Minority Leader Jim Mann, ever
ready to put the democrats in a
hole, demanded a yea and nay
vote upon every question that
came before the House. The
sergaant-at-arms got busy with
the telegraph wire and notified
the truant ''boys" at home that
writs were out for their arrest.
In three or four days the battle
scared veterans found them
selves again in the midst of the
turmoil and strife at the capitol.
During the three days in which
the House remained in almost
continuous session without a
quorum, Montana was among the
few states represented by a full
delegation. On every roll call
every member from Montana
answered here" Of course,
the distance from Washington to
Montana may have had some
thing to do with the diligence
and regularity of the Montana
congressman, but nevertheless
they were here, even if they
were only "here because they
were here
Since his return from a short
visit to Montana, Congressman
Evans has been closely observ-
ing and studying the critical
comment of partisan newspapers
on the tariff bill, and the things
he has heard and the things he
has read have been laden with
such uncalled-for criticism that
he has been prompted to issue
the following statement:
In accordance with the dem
ocratic party's platform of 1912,
a tariff bill has been passed and
signed by President Wilson. 1t
marks the fulfillment of a definite
pledge made by the party and
for which the people voted in
1912. The democratic party has
the honorable distinction of hav-
ing kept faith with the country
upon a subject on which the re-
publican party two years prior
thereto had broken faith. From
now until the next presidential
election the country will be SUBJ
jected to an excessive amount of
grossly partisan and often ill-ad-
vised and erroneous information
on the score of the tariff. There
will be thousands of people and
hundreds of newspapers knowing
little and caring less on the sub
ject Of the tariff, yet assuming
to advise the people as to what
the results are or are going to be
under the act; but discerning
men will know how to estimate
all this gratuitous comment and
will no doubt place on it it's real
worth. The law itself may have
its imperfections, and no doubt
it has, as has every law in the
past, and as will every law in the
future be subject to imperfec-
tions which are always the result
of human hands and human
brain. But | believe the Amer
ican people will stand opposed to
a hasty, frivilous or partisan
judgment until the law has been
fairly tried. The most partisan
commentator upon this subject,
if he be honest, will say, as did
Mr.. LaFollette, that the bill is
an honest attempt to carry into
effect the pledges of the party
platform on which it attains
success, and to meet the wishes
of the American public. A dem
ocratic administration has re-
vised the tariff, and revised it
downward, and thoughtful and
patriotic men of all parties will