Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1913-07-11
KING CAUCUS


itorial in his magazine, says in part:
For the first time in the history of
tariff legislation a bill is to be writ
ten into law by a secret caucus. Re-
gardless of the character of the
measure this proceeding merits the
severest criticism" The procedure
i'll the Senate on the Tariff Bill is
a repetition of the action of the
House on the same measure. Such a
partisan course on any but a tar
lff bill would not be tolerated by
Congress or by the public. 1t pre-
vents the scientific treatment of the
| tariff as an economic subject and
makes it a mere pawn in the polit-
ical game.
Legislation is public business. Cau-
Gus control of legislation means mi
nority rule. This is vicious in prin-
clple and fraught with the gravest
danger to democracy Caucus con
troll destroys all independence and
forces a legislator to submit it's con
scientiOus convictions to the party
bosses who through skill in manipu-
lat1on, dominate the party caucus.
Caucus control in practice is secret
control. Trades and deals and dick
ers and corruption thrive best in
the dark To take the public busi-
ness into a corner to be transacted
under a seal of confidence" is the
first step toward public betrayal.
The only purpose in resorting to
the un-American, un-democratic meth,
od of a caucus rule, is to coerce
some Senators into a violation of
conscience as to certain provisions
of the bill, on penalty of being out
laWed as members of the Democratic
party Better far that such provisions
should undergo radical change if need
be; better far that such provisions
should be defeated altogether than
that a secret caucus rule of legis-
lation should become enthroned in
the Congress of the United States
It cannot be maintained that the
end justifies the means referred to.
Tariff revision downward-and sharp
ly downward too-is demanded for
every economic reason But tariff
revision, important as it is, and
even more important, the legislation
dealing with the combination that
control our markets, and more i'm
portant still, the legislation of free
money and credit from the money
power; one and all are but phases
of the long struggle to make the will
of the people the law of the land.
To that end the caucus and conven-
ton system, the ready instruments
of the political boss and the political
machine, have been torn down and
cast aside. To that end the direct
primary and the direct election of
Senators were established. The peo-
pie have the choice in the selection
of the representatives.
The Democrats in Congress have
re-established the machine system
in order to control the votes of
these same representatives 1t is
not that the Senators from western
states are in danger of betraying
their constituents and voting for the
eastern tariff interests that resort
was had to caucus, coercion to cline
them up" On the contrary, it is be-
cause these Senators would otherwise
vote to serve the thousands of far
mers and laborers who grow sugar
beetS and sheep and cattle and grains
in their respective states that they
are to be made to feel the caucus
| lash.
Even though legislation of great
| public Importance were to be enacted
! by such methods, it is too dear