River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-09-18
WASHINGTON LETTER
FROM JAMES A. FaEAA, MEMBER OF
CONGRESS, 10th DISTRICT

WASHINGTON, d. c., Sept. Is, 1913
Many years ago sat in the Sen
ate Gallery during the famous
debate on the Force Bill. Blaine.
Conklin, and other strong men
participated in the discussion, but
the lasting impression on my min
was made by Blaine's magnetic
speech during that all-night's ses-
sion. Something akin to that
memorable discussion occurred last
week in the closing hours of tariff
debate. Senator Warren had been
reading from manuscript to a half
dozen Senators on the Republican
side and two lonesome Democratic
Senators sat in the farthest row.
A handful of spectators were in
the gallery. When Senator Warren
finished, LaFollette was recognized
by the Vice President according to
previous press announcement and
his proposed amendment to the
Wool Schedule was offered.
Tariff discussions are ordinarily
dry and tedious, but before La
Toilette had spoke half hour,
practically every seat on both sides
of the Chamber and in the galleries
was occupied. No one knew how
Wisconsin's Senior Senator would
vote on the bill and his remarks
were received with the closest at.
tention. After denouncing Schedule
K containing wool duties of the
Payne-Aldrich bill, he urged that
the consideration shown by the
Democrats in the Simmons bill to-
wards wooden manufacturers be
extended to the $4,000 farmers of
the country whose sheep valued at
1892 ,000,0 900 were denied protection
In a forceful, eloquent appeal,
that for dramatic surroundings and
intense interest reminded me of the
former occasion many years ago,
LaFollette pleaded with the Demo
cratic majority to do justice to the
farmer by making the reduction on
wool gradual, as proposed by his
amendment. Il am just praying
/ do not know whether | am hoping
or not-that you will give the far
mer a chance to change the type of
his Sheep he said. Most
of you have been in touch with the
farmer and you are aware of
the slow saving and the little
economies that make up the life of
the farmer II there is anybody
who ought to receive liberal treat
ment and not be pushed off from
the cupola of the building, it is the
former Wnen you go through this
bill from beginning to end, section
by section, and see the things that
are produced upon the farm which
You have put upon the free list, do
you not think it would let him down
little easier if you could give the
farmer this slight protection on
wool, where he directly receives
some benefit" If space permitted
! would quote literally from this
impressive appeal found in the
Record of September 9Th but which
in cold type gives no adequate
understanding Of its power in pre-
sentation. However, at its con-
clusion the amendment together
with several other amendments to
other schedules offered by LaFoll-
cite were all voted down, the Demo-
cratic majority acting under caucus
rule. Hundreds of amendments
offered during the long debate were
all rejected by the majority, unless
offered from that side of the SEN
ate, although in secret caucus 676
changes were made in the Under
wood Bill.
The bill was finally passed with
a strict party alignment, excepting
that on the final vote Senator La
Toilette and Senator Poincexter
supported it on the ground that it
is preferable to the existing law.
Two votes from the Democratic
side were cast against the bill bv
Senators Ransdell and Thorton of
Louisiana, who declared their be-
lief in its passage would destroy