Morris tribune., 1914-10-30

congress, Wnlcn QlSClOS6S LudI'
/. He has been one of the most in.
active members, doing the very mini
mum Of public work;
2. His affiliations and attitude in
crucial questions of organization and
procedure have been reactionary;
3. He has displayed little indie
pendence, being always regular or
ganization man, working through ma
chine methods; and
1. His votes, directly or indirectly,
have usually been on the side of the
special interests, excepting where
public opinion made it politically un-
safe to be against the people.
Both For and Against Free Tolls.
In a speech on the Adamson tolls
repeal bill, March 81, 1914, Mr.. Ham
mond said:
''It is a subsidy, indirect, but none
the less a subsidy. 1t is a special
privilege"
The shallow pretense of this posi-
lion is shown by the fact that
May %, 1912, he voted for free tolls.
If vote for free tolls in 1914 meant
4 ship subsidy, it must have meant
the same thing in 1912, when he sup
ported that side. And
April 10, 1918, in the Democratic
caucus, and again May s, 1918, in the
Hnal passage of the tariff bill, he vot-
ed for per cent reduction of the
tariff rates on importations hauled in
American boats. This amounted to a
direct ship subsidy and everybody so
understood it.
Canadian Reciprocity.
Mr.. Hammond posed as an oppo-
aent of the Canadian Reciprocity Bill
On the other hand the official records
convict him either of insincerity or
Of helplessness.
The Canadian Reciprocity Bill was
considered in the Democratic caucus
April II, 1911. Hammond made no
protest to the measure as a whole, OF
any provision of it. That was the
time, and the only time, when the bill
might have been changed, but Ham.
mond offered no amendment. When
the caucus vote was taken Mr.. Ham.
mond voted present"
On April 81, 1911, when his vote
had to be cast out in the open and
entered in the Congressional Record
hammond voted against the bill; but
ne and everyone else knew that his
vote could then make no difference
He had done nothing when fighting
might have counted, except to protect
himself politically.
A Do-Nothing Member.
Considering the time he has been in
Congress, and the opportunities he
has had by reason Of being majority
member of the Ways and Means Com
mittee, Hammond's general inactivity
and lack of influence are almost unbe
uevable.
8 i
Here is a condensed summary
of bills introduced by him in his
four terms to August %, 1914:
g. Private Pension bills. Bills
for Public Buildings at New
Um, Fairmont and Pipestone.
Bill to authorize Mankato to
build dam across the Minnesota
River. Bill to create Volunteer
Honor Roll in the War Depart
ment. Bill to grant pension to
volunteer army nurses. Bill re-
lating to funds of Chippewa In
dams. Bill to amend laws re-
Iating to the judiciary. Bill au-
thorizing national banks to
make loans on farm property.
Bill authorizing national bank
Ing associations TO create a spe-
ciaI fund for real estate loans.
9
There Is no evidence in the officis
record that Hammond made any effor
to pass any of the few public bills |
this list, or that any of them Wer
ever acted upon by a COMMITTEES
Hammond's name is connected wit
no legislation, nor has he ever ident
ded himself for or against any mea
ure In a way to emphasize his att
tude. He has missed 80 per cent {
the roll calls, and has been a do-not
ING member from start to finish.
In reply to a question Gibson Gar
ASl, IAO well n1oWu AAOW 0p1pO1 WA1IS
said: "Hammond has been a none
Ity down here. cannot recall a thir
that he has DONE"
Record On Conservation.
At a meeting Of the Ways ar
Means Committee, Jan. 4, 1913, he
to select a chairman of the Commi
tee on Public Lands, Mr.. Hammer
voted with southern re-actionari
and opponents of conservation,
elect Scott Ferris, of Oklahoma, all
an opponent of conservation, and d
feat ]. N. Graham, of Illinois, Il
ranking member Of the committee al
a friend of conservation.
On August %, 1912, Hammond W