The Washington herald., 1914-05-15
ABUSE
NATIONS MENACE
Barnhart Directs Fisry Crit
icism Against La Folettes
Special Speech.
RATE CASE HIS THEME
Representative Says If Talk that Cost
$l2.466.62 Was Rule Daily Bill
Would Be $500. 1000.

name Of Senator La Toilette. Of Wiscon-
sin, that cost the government more
than $1,000 to print formed the subject
of a hot speech In the House yesterday
afternoon. It was delivered by Repre-
sentative -Barnhart. OF Indiana, who
roundly scored Mr.. La Toilette for this
abuse" of the printing privilege. deciar-
ing that II all members followed Mr.. La
Foiiette's example II would cost the gov
ernment ss.5oo.00o q day to get out the
Congressional Record. Mr., Barnard. who
is chairman of the Printing Committee,
was called to account by Representative
Murdock. OF Kansas. who charged that
the Indiana member had transgresssd
the rule that forbids criticism In the
House Of the Senate or any Of its MEM
bers. Mr. Barnhart kept within the rule
name. described him as - member OF
Congress-"
The Record, with .he La Toilette
speech, 10 the bull<iest document Of the
kind ever turned out Of the Government
Printing ONCE. Senators and Repre-
sentatives gasped Yesterday morning
when copies Of the volume were laid on
their desks Before Mr.. Barnhart took
the floor TO speak the House cloakrooms
had been busy with gossip about the La
Toilette speech"
"h0le Cost t1BsHocsOBs
"The extension of this members re-
marks in the Record" said Mr.. Barn.
hart. has cost q, 4AsS2 for printing. ana
the binding and other work on the
permanent edition will cost $3.sis, total
Of S2.4sss. II each one Of the 81 MEM
bers of Congress were ito abuse the print
ing privilege in this way II would amount
to the colossal sum OF N.0o.0oo daily.
Never since I have been q member OF
Congress- has there been 20 gross an
abuse Of the printing privilege. The sole
purpose of the publication il to exploit
. name as an Issue at the expense OF
the taxpayers"
The La Toilette speech deals with the
rate case pending before the Interstate
Commerce Commission. It included an
the papers on the subject recently trans
mitted to the Senate.
Representative Mann, Of Illinois. ths
Republican leader, defended Senator La
Toilette. -.
He is convinced that . conspiracy
exists to influence the Interstate Com
merce Commission in the biggest prob
lem IL has ever had presented to IL,
said Mr.. Mann "The cost of this vol
ume-$1a, ,0Oo-is nothing compared to the
amount Of money involved before the
commission. I have seen lots Of matter
printed in the Record merely for polit-
ical purposes. The printing Of this
speech should not be. characterized a.
an abuse purely on account Of its bulk.
II presents one side Of o case In which
there Is large public interest. and its
printing may have been justified,
In the 3s5 pages OF agate which Sena-
tor La Toilette occupied IN the special
edition of the Congressional Record he
crowded not only clippings of editorials.
interviews from daily newspapers and
trade journals. but has reproduced many
telegrams and letters sent tc the Presi-
dent and TO the Interstate Commerce
Commission direct. Among the exhibits
are manp circulars put out by Midden-
dorf, williams 4 CO., Of Baltimore. Q
firm dealing in securities, q member OF
the hrm being q brother to John Shelton
Williams, Comptroller Of the Currency.
There are also a number OF letters signed
by Lansbourne Williams. of Richmond.
who Is said by Senator La Toilette to be
a brother Of John Skelton Williams. Mr..
williams wrote to nearly every member
of the commission, and some Of his let
tiers were rather peppery.
Plea for Increase.-
He insists that the railroads should
have the increased, rates. He claims 10
be a large shipper, and says that 1t Is
no beneft ito have low rates II only
run half blast as a result Of low rates.
The writer says that he has evidsnce
that over a million men are idle. Right
here in Richmond we have the Richmond
Works. who, under normal
conditions employ about 5000 men or
more, but today / am informed mat
there are about $50 men only at work"
Appeals for increases came from ship
pers, bankers, commercial organizations,
and economics. Joseph H. ONeil. presi-
dent of the Federal Trust Company OF
Boston. a Democrat and former member
Of Congress, wrote Secretary Tumulty
March p:
IT have written Judge Clements and
Secretary McAdoo. urging them to do
something to hasten the case OF railroad
rates. For the first six months Of the
business was frst-class;
for the second six months, fair; but to-
day It is dragging. For years / have
believed that when the railroads were
the country was prosperous.
While 1 admit that the railroads have
done many. many things for which some
body should. go to jail. do not see why
the present generation should be punished
for the faults of those who have gone
before.
Significance for 1915.
do this thing, and in my opinion, the
party need not nominate a
candidate against us in 1916; do not do
1t, and / do not think there 10 the least
OF our nominating one"
Walter H. Wilson, OF Chicago. who
signs himself as the acting Western
treasurer of the Republican National
Committee during the last Presidential
election" writes one OF the most re-
letters, urging, the President
10 help alcng the increase. saying:
Republicans, Democrats, and Progress
sives have been won to your side be-
cause they like what they believe to be
sincerity OF purpose, combined with
strength to accomplish. In respect to
politics. ! am free to say that 1t 10 best