Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1914-01-16

4
poseu 70 government ownership propo
sl'lons think that they find in the
recommendation Of the postofice com.
ihielee the starting point Of govern.
ment ownership and operation of +ha
railroads. No one can tell vat ~
course whether there is any basis for
This Tear of the conservative ones of
tue ulnerent parties, but it is q fact
.nat washington expects one Of the
OItterest contests of the winter will
come over this seemingly minor proyi.
sion OF an appropriation bill which ia
intended to allow Uncle Sam To huv
a few mail cars for the use of the nost.
Office service.
Inc average of opposition to govern
nlent ownership is just as great in the
democratic party, as it is represented
IN congress, as it is in the ranks CT the
republicans. The Democrats are put
tlng through what they consider pro-
gresslve legislation, but many of them
are casting their votes with the feel
lngs OF men who are being driven to
40 things they do not want to do.
Caused Warm Debate.
When the postofice and post roads
committee was considering the propo-
sition to buy the cars outright there
was debate in the committee room
which for warmth eQualed the temper
ature of any recent debate in the
open house. The majority in favor of
the proposition was bare one. 1t is
expected that the minority committee
men will voice their objection to the
bill from the floor, and it is possible
they may get enough support from
their own and from the Republican
ranks to negative the committees rec.
ommendation
1t already virtually has been decided
that congress shall take up this win
ter the matter of government con-
struction of a railroad in Alaska. Al
ready opposition to the plan has de-
Veloped and the conservative Demo
Gratis are trying to rally the forces Of
opposition. When the committee with
a large Democratic majority splits as
evenly as the postoffice committee did
on such small matter as the pur-
chase of few railroad cars by the
government some indication may be
had of the strong opposition which is
likely to develop to the Alaskan plan.
Reused by Whitacre's Charges.
Members of congress have been
pretty well stirred up over the re-
marks made by Representative J. J..
Whitacre Of Ohio, in a speech which
he made in Canton. o., not long ago.
Mr. Whitacre was reported as having
said that "the man who wants to be
intellectually honest has not business
in congress-"
What Mr.. Whitacre meant unques-
tionably was that congressman fire.
quently are compelled. because of
party pressure, or because Of pressure
from their constituents, to vote on
measures against their convictions,
and it may be that he meant some OF
them actually are compelled by the
same kind of pressure to vote against
their consciences. Mr.. Whitacre is
said to have declared that he would
not run for congress again because ne
could not make the service square
with intellectual honesty.
Whether or not Mr. Whitacre made
the statement In exactly the words re-
ported makes little difference in the
application OF his reported words 10
the condition in congress. One OF the
broad criticisms of the actions OF In
dividuals In congress when the time
comes to vote, has been that mem
Der seems to think that he represents
first his district and second the coun'
try at large.
District Versus Country
In standing by the needs of his con-
stituents against the seeming needs
of his country, is a member intellectu-
ally dishonest? That is, Is he intel
lectually dishonest if his own convlc-
tons lead him to vote for the good
of the country, while his desire 10
serve his immediate constituents, ana
perhaps his desire to be reelected,
make him cast his vote for the inter
ests of the specific locality rather than
for the interests of all his countrymen
outside of a small cdrcumscribed dlS'
trict?
II can be said that more and more
congressman are coming to vote Ior
the entire country rather than for
their constituents. This was shown
to he true when the last tariff bill was
put through Men from lumber as
tricts voted to put lumber on the free
list and some men from sheep ais
tricts voted for free wool. Now u
might be said that these men voted
seemingly against the good OF tneir
Immediate constituents because they
thought their so voting would be gooo
for the entire country.
What other Members Say.
Representative Charles H. Burke o.
south Dakota is quoted as saying on
this matter Of intellectual honesty
my fourteen years experience IN tne
house has impressed me that the con-
~ xxyhifaora'S statement is