The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-02-13

OF the. room OF the COuithttscS -
and means which was discussins
the tariff schedules and buttonnoieo
every member of congress who wen.
In or out. holding him until there nao
beef time to plead for the retention
of high duty on certain line Oh IN.
ported goods No representative %
big business, whether he be forms.
member OF congress or not, viii stanu
this year at committee room doors "
ply his insidious calling.
RooseveIt's Way Effective.
Theodore Roosevelt came pretty
near putting pernicious lobbying out
of business, and he succeeded In 90
ing. it without ordering a lobby ~.
vestigatfon." When he learned Una.
lobbyists were at work he would put
forth some presidential pronounce
ment which would bring the country
instantly to the support OF the meas
ure which was involved. and In put
ting It forth he invariably had some
thing to say about malefactors OF
great wealth who knew what tney
wanted and who took nefarious means
to get it.
The result OF the Roosevelt metnou
was that congressman. hearing rom
home, did not dare pay heed TO tne
| opportunities Of those who had come
to Washington for the purpose OF
thwarting the endeavors OF the presr
dent of the United States. The lobby
/ lists found that their occupation was
| still there, but that 1t was all WORK
without pay.
Must Find New Issues.
The present intention Of the Dem
ocratic members in congress Is TO
4 bring about an adjournment In
June Within a month or six weeks
thereafter the congressional cam
paigns are fought out as rule
on the issues which entered into the
last preceding presidential campaign.
What are the Republican and the Fro
gressive candidates going to talk
about in order to arouse the enthusi-
asm of the voters and to secure their
support?
This question Is before the Repub-
lican and Progressive congressional
committees for an answer today. They
must find the answer. or better. the
answers, within the next few months.
Two years ago the Republicans
pledged themselves to antitrust and
banking and currency legislation
They favored the establishment of a
parcel post, a liberal policy toward
| ALASKA rIaaa fnr Aond nrotanfinp and
many other things. The Democrats
have dealt with all these matters and
apparently to their own satisfaction,
have settled them.
1t is perfectly true that the high
hope of the Progressives is simply
that the party can increase its mem
I bership in the next house OF repre-.
sentatives. The leaders of the new
party have little or no thought. SO far
as one can determine, that they can
secure a sweeping victory in the cleo
tions of next November. They do be
lieve, however. that they can gain ad
ditional members in IS or 20 districts
now represented by either Democrats
or Republicans.
Must Find New Issues.
The Republicans, as has been init
mated. must look for new issues In
the next congressional campaign. be
cause the Democrats have taken q
them. Now. of course, II the legisla
ton passed by the Democrats. anC
which they have intended as a set
Element of these issues, shall fail O
its purpose, the Republicans can go Il
the country on the basis of their op
ponents' failure. The laws. however
which the Democrats propose to enac
or which they already have enacted
do not go into effect in some instances
for considerable time to come. Ii
the cases of the laws which have gonl
into effect, 1t will take a long time t
prove whether they are efficacious o
not. So 1t would seem that the Demo
cratic party is fairly safe. until som,
time after the next congressional cleo
ton.
The Progressives seemingly are
little better off than the Republican,
In the matter Of issues. They sa,
that tn Democratic legislation show
an origin in the Progressive party, an,
that Mr.. Wilson and the congress dom
mated by his party have been steal
ing the Progressive material. Thu
Progfessives, however, will not sim
ply cry Thief" for they have a dis
} tinct issue in their plank which Gale,
for an interstate trade commission
with plenty of power to regulate tn
trusts of the country
The Democrats have prepared a bill
} establishing an interstate trade com
} mission. but 1t is given nothing lik
the authority which the Progressive
| think should be given to such body
The Democratic effort apparently i
} to restore competitive conditions o
many years ago. The Progressive
, say that failure to do this is ineyita
: Bile, and some of the Republican
! agree with them.
Progressives and Child Labor.
The Progressive party has made
| pond deal 0f ftS pr000rol