The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-08-11
HON. JAMES VI. BAKER
REVIEWS AIkEN'S RECORD
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ~

minded and fair and could accept the
honors and work that come T. l1im,
and who could discharge his duty to
himself and to nis constituency BY
measuring up to his responsibilities.
Mr.. Aiken, during his i've terms in
congress, has not measured up to this
standard, and his official record dis
closes the fact. Let us examine the
record and see. From the 58th to the
Sind congress, being five terms, there
were 991 yea and nay votes in the
house cf representative, as shown by
the house journal. Out of this num-
Der ne is recorded as not voting 2o3
timAs, which is within traction OF
cne-third of the total roll calls. In
the 5Sth congress, second session, ne
was an advocate of unlimited immi-
grafton, in order to distribute cheap
foreign labor over the South and in
his district, who live on little and
tend to reduce cotton mill wages to
a lower level, as we'll as to reduce
farm wages. He went to Charleston
to meet the "Wittekind, an immigra-
ton vessel, and he wanted to be there
in person to get mis- allotment of these
selected immigratnats to scatter them
over his district. The cotton mill
operatives and the farm laborers were
very much opposed to this kind OF
immigration. On December "A, II and
IS, 1912, and January Il, 1913, when
the immigration bill was before the
house for action, Mr.. Aiken tailed to
vote on the question at all. In this
same session Of congress he is re-
corded as not voting on the admission
o. New Mexico and Arizona, which
bill was considered as very important
to tie Democratic party.
Did Nothing for His Own Town.
In the 6Gtl congress, there was a
public buildings bill that passed the
house of representatives without a
provision for the public building at
Abbeville. 1t remained for the Hon.
Frank B. Gary, who was then serving
the unexpired term OF the late Senator
Latimer, 10 put in the item for pub
lib building at Abbeviile as a senate
amendment. Senator Gary had been
in tie senate but a SHIRT time, and
his success in t2is matter brought out
tie narrow minded and jealous spirit
of Mr.. Aiken to such an extent that
not a few of the people at Aboeville
commented upon his ,mulish sulkiness,
because he could not lay a just claim
and get credit for the successful work
OF Senator Gary.
Against Pure Food Law.
The Pure Food law has been con-
sidered one of the best laws passed
by congress in recent years. The law
was enacted for the protection and
benefit of farmers and consumers OF
the country. Mr.. Aiken voted against
it on it's passage on June %, 1906,
along with 16 others, the vote being
241 yeas to II nays. r His statement
at Newberry that he first voted against
tie bill and afterwards Tor it is not
verified nor proven by the record. The
confe- ence report was agreed to in
the house June 80, 1906 (see Record,
page 9740), thus showing there was
no yea and nay vote, nor division
vote.
Individual Pension Bill.
Mr.. Aiken introduced number OF
individual pension bills, and approx
imately one-third of the number pass
ed. The very idea Of a member Of the
house from the Third congressional
district devoting his time to such a
class of legislation. Such work in tae
aouse and senate is d ne by the clerks
to the committee on pensions.
Dams Across Savannah BY Unanimous
Consent.
The bills introduced by him for
dams across navigable streams were
passed upon tae approval of the army
engineers, and, as a rule, they usual
ly go through by unanimous consent
in both houses.
Votes Against President Wilson.
On the passage CT the Panama canal
tolls repeal bill Mr. Aiken voted
against the repeal, and against the
Democratic administration policy as
outlined by the president in .lis special
message to congess: Which -ae deliver
ed in person to the house urging its
passage.