The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1913-09-25
CANNON STANDPATISM MILD,
COMPARED TO NEW GAG RULE
Democratic Senator Hitchcock in Genenay but Force
full Manner, Tells of Shocking Gag Rule Enforced
Against Senator's

open senate to introduce a legitimate
amendment for the taxation of trusts,
and that privilege was denied me. I
asked 1t not only for myself but /
asked 1t for other democrats on this
side of the chamber who believe in
the principle and want to see 1t en-
grated upon the pending bill. Those
men, If compelled to vote against my
amendment, which l am here to-day
to urge, will have difficulty In ex-
planning to their constituents why
they have done so. 1t Is not right
for the party to put them In that posi-
ton when no great party issue is In
volved.
ut has been an unpleasant sight to
me, as 1t has been to many democrats
during the last few days in this
chamber, when senators on the repub-
lican side Of the chamber have pro-
posed amendments to the income-tax
provision that appeal to the sense OF
justice and appeal to the judgment
of senators on this side, but who,
because of the caucus rule were COM
PEELED to vote against such amend
ments. l do not think that Is q
worthy sight In the senate of the
United States / do not believe 1t
is right to bind individual senators
and compel them to vote against
their conscience and their Judgment
upon such amendments when no party
policy is involved.
''Mr. President, in order to justify
myself for the position / am taking.
shall go a little further, and per-
haps verge upon the improper in ref
erence to the democratic caucus of
which | was a part. Like all caucus
es, believe the fact to be that our
democratic caucus degenerated into
a political machine, and | do not be-
lieve that upon the vote upon my to-
bacco amendment the real sense of
the caucus was evoked. | did not Of
fer my tobacco amendment; | merel
asked the caucus to leave me free to
offer it in the senate of the United
States as an amendment to an addi-
tion to the revenue bill.
"Mr. President, it might be said
that | have the privilege of offering
a separate bill for this purpose. That
is not SO. The constitution of the
United States, as is we'll known re-
quires that all revenue bills shall
originate in the house OF representa-
tives, and there is no chance for a
senator of the United States to offer
a provision for the taxation of trusts
except as an amendment to a bill
which comes here from the other
house This was the only opportun-
ity | would have, or that any other
senator would have, to offer such an
amendment at this session or probab-
ly at the next session. | did not,
however, ask the caucus to approve
my amendment; | asked to be left
free to offer it here in the senate,
and | asked the other democratic
senators to be left free to vote for
it according to their consciences and
their judgment and | was refused. The
senator from Arizona (Mr Ashurst). +.
however, offered my amendment and
after a heated controversy it came to
a vote in that caucus. The votes
have been published, so | am reveal
ing none of the secrets of the caucus
when | say that Is members of the
senate voted for the amendment and
23 appeared to vote against it. | say
appeared because it is a fact, which
shall take the liberty of stating,
that the nine democratic members of
the committee on finance voted as a
unit, regardless of their convictions.
SO we have a wheel within a wheel,
machine within a machine. The
inner machine controlled the caucus.
The vote cast was not the correct
expression even of the caucus.
'Mr. President, under these circum
stances l felt that was justified and
that l could still maintain my demo
, cracy in leaving the caucus and com
, ing here and offering my amendment
as l do to-day, to this bill.'