River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-07-09
WASHINGTON LETTER
From James A. Frear, Ma nasr OF ConafsSs
10th District.

Automobiles were finally voted to
the Speaker and Vice President by
a Democratic houS that had once
refused the same perquisites to
Cannon and Sherman. In my last
letter it was stated the proposal
was killed, but through parliament
tary jockeying it again bobbed up
and enough votes we're changed to
give each off oial a private car III
token of true Jeffersonian simplici-
ty. Enough time was consumed in
getting the appropriation through
the House to pay for several cars,
although the principal objection is
occasioned by granting perqdisites
in addition to salaries 20 a rapidly
increasing number of off Gals in
Guiding cabinet off GERS aud soma
bureau chiefs-for the use of their
families.
A corrupt practices. act contain
ing a 5000 limit for congressional
campaign expenses was up for con-
Sideration and amendment on calen-
dar Wednesday. The law is general.
ly regarded as a joke for the reason
that it is not enforced by the men-
o9rs of the m 1 ority party. Ia ths
Whaley case from South C4rolina
evidence offered by over two score
Of witnesses tended to show WlIley
had spent $4,000 in his ra:e for
Congress waile Hughes, the de-
feated candid ate, al nitted using
SIS 5000. No Investigation or prose-
cution could be secured, alth ough
all these facts were laid before the
House by the writer, Ol9 hundce1
members asked for the investiga-
ton, but it was overwhelmingly
buried by the m 4jority party man
oers including all those from the
5 o b.. Congress legislates for
others and should respect | a
passed for its own government.
X X X X
Assemblyman John Chinnock and
E. L. Peet of the Wisconsin Com.
mission and GOV. Eoarhart an!
Senator Sullivan of Minnesota we're
before the Army Engineers last
week presenting the merits of a
proposed Duluth-St. Paul waterway.
The matter was taken under advise
ment by the engineers, wh) have
been asked to complete al ab4n-
doned survey in order tn at full ar.
ticnlars may be had as to the FEAST
bility of the project.
X X X X
Senator Burton of o 1io has b.el
oelaboring the rivers and harbors
bill in the Senate. He is one Of the
best authorities in the country on
the subject. and when he declared
on the floor of the Senate that the
1914 bill was the worst bill ever be :
fore Congregs, it was a complete
~1stification of my owd statements
made when the bill vas before the
House. 1t is also true that several
IF the worst items in the H )use bill
have been stricken out by the Sen
ate Committee, while Burton's criti-
cisrn was directed toward the x
purgated bill. Even the Senate re-
fused to stand for the stream that
is dry eight m)nChs in the year and
ought to be insured against fire half
the time.
0 lie of the worst abuses occurring
in milit airy and naval a IF is
caused by the work of the ~plucking
BOARD. This board is empowered
to sumnarily retire off tials when
they reach the legal age limit. with :
out regard to fitness to remain IN
service. In order to make vacancies
for a few ambitious off ers looking
for PROMOTIONS, this board has re-
Gently retired fifteen naval off GERS
With generous allowances of pay.
che pIucking creates scandal be-
cause aside fro n it's nl1ifest pur-
pose to m IKE vacancies for pron)-
lions, a m ore serious objection rests
Ia the present sh )rtag4 OF ex)9ri :
eaced off GERS in b)sn arnY All
navy. TIE practice Of pl1cking
mas been frequently con1em led be-
cause it is a form Of indirect graft
Jag that measures up with improve
ments for dry river beds, automo-
oiles for the families Of nu n,ro1
officials and other legalizsd but