The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-05-20
C0NGRESSMEM DISSATISFIED,
FEW MEMBERS KICKING ABOUT
CAUCUS ACTION.
Ragsdalc and WingO Insist For Ru-
raj Credits-Levcr Would Like
Futures Bill Passed.

Washington, May 15.-Insurgency
is threatening congress and there are
signs that a militant half dozen DEM
ocrats-among them Representatives
Carter Glass Of Virginia, chairman of
the house banking and currency COM
mittee; A. F. Lever of South Carolina,
chairman Of the committee on agri-
culture; j. Willard Ragsdale of the
same State, a member of the bank
ing and currency committee and SEN
ator Morris Sheppard Of Texas-may
manipulate such we'll planned fill
buster that the administration slate
will be smashed into fragments before
the present session ends. Add to the
list Of those named Representative
Wingo Of Arkansas, who, also is list
ed in the filibuster class and the lead
ers in the movement have been
named.
| Here is what the trouble is about:
The administration does not want a
long legislative campaign spread out
before the people now, believing that
the country has had enough Of con-
gress for the time being. 1t does not
desire any action at this time on cot
ton futures or rural credits, two sub
jects which are close to the hearts Of
many Southern congressman. When
it was decided that there must be no
action on these matters now at the
Democratic caucus Tuesday night
there was an uprising, so to speak,
among those who have been clamor-
ing for rural credits and cotton fu-
lures action. AS a result insurgency
is the order of the day.
Chairman Glass states most en-
phatically that he will not accept as
final the acion Of his colleagues in
caucus that the programme for the
remainder of the session should be
limited to antitrust legislation and
the regular appropriation bills. He
believes that congress, in spite Of the
| caucus decision, will enact some kind
Of rural credits legislation almost i'm
mediately.
Representative Lever, although
much disappointed at the action of
the caucus, is working among his col
leagues in the effort to create SEN
timent which will demand action now
on his cotton futures bill.
The position Of Mr.. Glass is that
the federal reserve act responds in
large measure to the suggestions
made by the president for rural
credits legislation. In it's farm mort
gage provision alone it affords facili-
ties amounting to more than $685.
100000. while in it's rediscount pro-
vision it gives unlimited credit IA
cilities. 1t givs peculiar privileges 20
the agricultural interests by extending
the maturity of notes and bills for
agricultural purposes to six months in
cOntradistinctiOn to a 90-day maturity
as applied to commercial and indus
trial paper.
MIR. Wingo and his colleague from
South Carolina. Mr.. Ragsdale, go fur
ther than MIR. Glass. They believe
there should be rural credits bill
separate and alone from whatever
may be the result of the newly en-
acted federal reserve law. They want
quick action on rural credits for the
farmers of the country, who are suf-
fering, they declare, because Of the
eXorbitant and excessive rates of in
terest they are made to pay on their
loans
In the senate, Senator Sheppard is
preparing to lead fight for prohibi-
ton. Thousands of good Democrats
all over the country, he maintains,
demand that congress look this i'm
portant question squarcly in the face.
1t is time to stop handling the situa-
tion, he also claims, with long han
died tOngs, whatever the result Of
action on the part Of congress now
might be to the individual members
voting either for or against ma
tiOnal prohibition law. His is the
most difficult part Of the present plan
to force action on other than the ad-
ministratiOn slate. There may be
rural credits legislation and there,
likewise. may be action on cotton fu-
lures. but it is more than apparent
to those who follow legislative mat
ters closely and who keep a finger on
the congressional pulse that there will
be no prohibition legislation now-if.
indeed, at all any time in the near fu-
ture. 1t is a dangerous proposition
AMI none know this better than the
congressman themselves.
Robbed and Murdered.