The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1913-09-25
"CANNON GAG RULE" VS.. CIVIL
SON REFORM

1t stood for gag rule" "Canponism,"
Misrepresentation of the people,
and this, that, and the other terrible
thing, and that about all that was
really required to usher in the millen-
MUM was to kill off Joe Cannon"
either metaphorically, politically, or
actually. Joe was killed POLITICALLY
but where Is that heavenly state that
was to follow his demise? Has any
one seen it or heard of it in Washing
ton, d. C. since the Cannon trag-
edy?" But what do We find under
the present administration which
came into existence under the pro
gressive wing of the democratic party
and was heralded far and wide by
Messrs. Wilson and Bryan as the
harbinger of peace on earth and equa
rights to all?' Let us not seek an
answer among the enemies of the ad-
ministration, but go rather to Its
friends that the truth may be told as
mildly as possible and with as much
Saving grace" as can be invoked for
the occasion-let Senator Hitchcock,
progressive democratic senator from
Nebraska present his mild protest
against the iron-clad caucus obliga-
ton enforced by the reform demo
cratic administration, under personal
endorsement and direction of the
President himself, which took the
manhood and right of personal
opinion forcibly from each and every
democratic senator under penalty OF
party ostracism and communication
He says:
"Mr. President, 1t has been an I'M
pleasant sight to me, as it has been
to many other democrats during the
last few days in this chamber, when
senators on the republican side have
proposed amendments to the income
tax provisions that appeal to the
sense Of justice and to the judgment
OF senators on the democratic side,
but who, because of caucus rule,
were compelled to vote against such
amendments. do not think that
worthy sight in the senate of the
United States. l do not believe 1t
right to bind individual senators and
compel them to vote against their
conscience and their better judgment
upon such amendments, when no
party policy Is involved In order to
justify myself for the position l am
taking, Mr.. President, l shall 60 q
little further, and perhaps verge up
on the improper in reference to the
democratic caucus of which | was a
part. Like all caucuses, believe the
fact to be that our democratic caucus
has degenerated into a political ma
chine. l left the caucus when ask
ed the privilege of being permitted
In the open senate to introduce a
legitimate amendment for the taxa
ton OF trusts, and that privilege was
denied me. l asked it not only for
myself but for other democrats on
this side OF the chamber who believe
engrafted upon the pending bill
Those men if compelled to vote
against my amendment, which l am
in the senate today to urge. will have
difficulty in explaining to their con
stituents why they have voetd against
1t. 1t Is not right to force them into
that position"
Does this rose smell any sweeter
under the name of democratic re-
FORM than it did under the obnox'
ious name of Cannon gag rule" be
fore this socalled reform took place!
Is it any more palatable? Does il
set" any better ON the stomach OF
either democrat or republican who
was honestly opposed to the arbitrary
enforcement of the gag rule under
the Cannon regime, as was the writer
because it suppressed honest and free
expression of convictions and depriv
ed the senaotrs of their manhood and
independence, now that it is garbeC
in the hypocritical robe of Wilson
reform?" 1t should MOTT Is ever
worse to see such things practiced il
the name of reform, than in the in
dependent holiness of Joe Cannon
who claimed that he did it for the
purpose of perpetuating himself and
party in power. Cannon's action a.
least had the redeeming feature Of
honesty I'm the face of it. What
apology or excuse can be made fol
such action ON the part Of an admin
ktration which was elected ON the
pledge that it would clean out just
such things, and Is now found to be
perpetuating the same old practices
with added penalties for the calci
trant members of its party, and less
fairness to the public?