The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1914-02-17
Democrats May accomplish Hitherto
Impossible And BE Sent Back To
cinsres. 4, Majority Party
WORKS FOR SOCIAL RETIREMENT
Mrs. Wilson And Daughters Give Up
Society To Aid Washington Poor
Bill Now 1efore Congress
rom Congressn1n g. H. Tavenner.

1890
ing the tariff and being returned to
Washington as the majority party
in the House. Since the Civil War
any party which has touched tariff
legislation has been defeated at the
next succeeding election with one
exception, in McKinly's adminstra-
tion, when there was a foreign war
to complicate the political situation.
The reason is that not single
previous revision has been done in
good faith. The people have always
been deceived, and thy have showed
their resentment at the polls.
The Underwood Simmons revision
was an honest one, and Democratic
strength, instead Of waning, has held
it's own. The several recent bye
elections have shown the Democrats
polling as heavily as they did in
the presidential election of last year.
The best example is the recent ell
ection in the second Iowa District,
in which Henry Volmer, Democrat,
was elected to be the successor to the
late. Irwin Pepper, Here was an
evenly balanced district showing nor
mally a slight Democratic majority.
1t was the sort of district in which
any anti-Democratic sentiment caus-
ed by the tariff legislation. would be
sure to show. Volmer was elected
by a comfortable majority.
This election was an index to show
how the political wind will blow
next November. 49,
Social Betterment For Washington
While the country knows a great
deal about the activities of President
Wilson, due to the open-door public
ity maintained at the White House, it
hears but little about the modest,
sincere and active Interest 81 the la,
dies of the White House in the So
cial betterment of the city of Wash
ington. No publicity is given by the
White House to the charitable work
that is winning for Mrs. Wilson and
her daughters the love of the poor
and wretched OF the capital city.
A recent illustration shows the
devotion of the White House ladies
to- good works. Miss Margaret Will
son was invited to attend a diplo-
matte dinner and reception given by
Secretary Bryan, one of those affairs
which makes Washington official
society so delightful to the average
girl who has the entree to it.
But Miss Wilson declined the in
Vitation that she might attend in
stead a public welfare committee
meeting held in q small down town
hall and attended by a score Of earn
est welfare workers. She made a
15-minute talk at this meeting out
lining her views on the problem of
doing away with the alley evil in
Washington. That she had chosen
this meeting above attending the
brilliant reception was learned ac-
cidentally later. ..>.
A plan to abolish the alley dwell
ings in Washington, where the death
rate is terrifying, has been submitted
to Congress by the commissioners of
Washington. It is approved by
President Wilson, and embodies in
large part the ideas of Mrs. Wilson
and her daughters formed in their
study of alley conditions. The bill
provides that one-tenth of the alley
slums shall he wiped out each year
for ten years, new streets to replace
the alleys and sanitary homes for
the poor.
It ds to he hoped that the commit
tee in taking up consideration of this
bill will study the system of rent
penalties by which money is extored
from the poor Of Washington by land
lords. G"s