River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-01-29
VOL. 81
WASHINGTON LETTER
FROM JAMES A. FREAR, MEMBER OF
CONGRESS, 10th DISTRICT

Washington, D. c., Jan 17.-Pres
ident Wilson's trust message was clear
and forceful 1t had an old fashioned
Wisconsin Republican flavor as cham
pfoned by La Toilette in his celebrated
eighteen-hour speech in the Senate
against the Aldrich-Vreeland bill. He
then presented irrefutable statistics
regarding interlocking directorates and
their startling ramifcations Private
monopoly, he always declared, SHOULD
be held in damages by the business
concerns that were cxterminated.
These are leading features in the
trust program which is based on legal
and legislative battles fought during
the past decade, and therein lies
President Wilson's skill in it's treat
ment. He does not claim any patent
for his ideas, but adopts advanced
thought on the subject which comes
to him after Aldrich, Platt, Morgan
and Hartman with their financial
methods. have passed off the stage,
1t follows Supreme Court decisions
that fail to "unscramble eggs" sue
cessfully, and everybody here is ready
to give fair, well considered legisla-
ton their support. The trust ques-
ton. like currency legislation, will
not be determined on party lines.
The post office appropriation Dill
contains two riders, one which propos-
es to take assistant postmasters from
out the civil service law, making them
political appointment; the other adj
yances the good roads bill carrying
a S25O00,000 federal aid appropriation
to be divided up among the different
states. 1t is a sugar coated plum
to carry through the removal of as
sistant postmasters from the merit
law. President Wilson and Postmast-
er General Burleson are opposed To
the riders, according to statements
made upon the floor of the House;
but the overwhelming Democratic
majority, especially members from
the south, are fighting for patronage.
This has been evidenced when rev
enue collectors and employees pro
vided for in the new tariff law for
income tax duties, were exempted
from the merit law. The same treat
ment has occurred with other new
government positions which have been
recently created. 1t will be serious
proposition for the president to veto
the appropriation bill If these riders
are retained, but that is his threat to
his own party members. Republicans
and third party members are unitedly
opposed to the bill in it's present form.
Bill H. r. 1851 for aiding agriculture
al demonstration in states has passed
the House. 1t provides for an in
creasing annual appropriation for fed
eral aid until at the end of ten years
It amounts to $3,000,000 annually. 1t
has the support of the Wisconsin
College Of Agriculture and of agri-
cultural interests generally. To those
who criticise legislation for agricult-
ural purposes, one or two facts are OF
interest. These matters were pre-
scented to our people in one form or
another while l was chairman OF the
State immigration Commission.
In 1880, 70.5 per cent of the coun-
try's population was classed as rural.
In 1910, after period of thirty years,
the proportion had decreased to 53.7
per cent or nearly % per cent loss,
based on the proportion in 1880. This
classification, however, includes as