The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1913-05-09

be holding open caucuses. Inls h1"'
not seem at first blush to be q very
startling statement, but it is full Oh
significance of the change which mas
come over the minds of the leaders
of the parties on the subject of taxing
the public into their confidence Wnen
they are caucusing on matters OF leg
islation or upon the question Of wna'
men shall be given the chief oh1ces
in the house of representatives.
Never in the history of congress
until the present session has there
been an open caucus of any party III
the house of representatives on any
vital matter Already this year there
have been two open caucuses, one u
the Progressives and another OF the
Republicans, the members of the lat'
ter party having elected to open their
second caucus of the session to the
public
The Democratic tariff caucus was
held behind c4-sed doors, but the
doors were not ordered to be kept
shut until several of the Democratic
leaders had urged vehemently that
they should be open, and the press
and public should be admitted in order
that there could be no misunderstano'
ing of the minds Of the Democratic
members towards the great subject OF
tariff reform. If the tariff bill, which
the Democrats had under cOnsidera'
ton in caucus for about two weeks,
had been one affecting any legislation
except the customs the chances are
it Is said, the doors would have been
thrown wide open. The insistent de-
mand by many Democrats that eau
cuses hereafter shall be public II
seems almost unquestionably will re-
suit in wide-open proceedings when
the next caucus of this session comes
but If the leaven does not work al
quickly as that it probably will WORK
with sufficient strength to force open
Reasons for Secrecy.
There are particular reasons why
the Democrats wanted their tariff con
ference kept secret. 1t must be re-
membered that the tariff is local
issue" and one or two other things
must be remembered in order to ap'
preciate the reasons given for Demo-
cratic secrecy in conferences at this
stage of the legislative game. In re-
| cent years members of congress have
come to realize that the country
thinks a senator and a representative
have duties to perform outside the
domain Of legislation affecting only
the states and districts which they
represent.
In the Democratic caucus local de-
mands that the tariff must be main
tanned on this thing or that thing
have been urged insistently.
It is possible, even probable, that
there are other reasons why the
Democratic tariff caucus has been Sc
cret, and this reason will hold true
for all past secret caucuses OF other
parties. Members Of congress d. not
like to have 1t said of them thS1a hsy
are the representatives of special In
terests. Not many of them are In
this day, but some of them were IL
times past, charge which would liz
more truly against the senate ola few
years ago than ever it would agains'
the house. A representative pleads
for the retention Of the duty on Ger
tain articles made in his district. Al
he views it, and as other members
view it, it is an easy thing for tn
public to put the special manufactur
ing concern in the place Of the repre-
, sentative's constituents and to ga!
! that he represents the particular IN
terest involved in the case.
In the secret caucus also trades ar
/. made, or If not actual trades, comb1
!. nations are formed between the reI
Z resentatives of one manufacturing dis
, trict and the representatives of an
; other so that by the coalition dutie
|. valuable to the districts representa-
by the members of the combination
J. may be kept in the bill as it is to b
!. reported to the house. 1t Is possibl
e that not as much that will not stan
!. the light of day is done in the secre
d caucuses as most people suspect, bu
/, the throwing open of the doors an
n the consequent full reporting of tn
}. proceedings will do a good deal. man
If representatives claim, to lift the clou
O of suspicion and to check the rain {
e criticism.
10 VIII Not Hurt Farmer,
e The Democrats in the house and sci
ate seemingly believe that the tart
bill when it has the effect of law wi
st not injure seriously the agriculture
[e interests of the country. They sa
% that they realize a reduction in tt
IN duties on the products of farm, plal
o, tation and range may cut little som
IS thing from the profits of the men OF
le gagged in getting livelihood from tt
I'd soil, but they claim that reduction
If. the duties on things which the farmel
as use will more than oftet any damal
IT. done by reduced duties on farm pro
a. ucts.
n In the Democratic house caucr
to there was a strong effort made
IS. raise the duties on things which al