River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-07-16
WASHINGTON LETTER
From James A. Frear. Member Of Congress
10th District.

cans are going to make the same
mistake when they get back into
power, that the Democrats have
made by attempting wholesale
revision of the tariff" This state
ment was made to me last week
by a prominent Northern Demo-
cratic Congressman who added:
when We get in again, We will
turn the matter over to a commits
sion." His statement presumes a
return of Republicans to power to
be followed by a tariff making
blunder.~
When the Underwood bill was
before the House, an amendment
requiring the approval of a tariff
board was offered by Republicans
and also an amendment creating
a permanent tariff commission.
Even Speaker Clark took the floor
in opposition and both amendments
were unceremoniously killed. APP
parently the folly of political tar
if rate making is becoming gen
orally appreciated, and We are be-
ginning to realize that partizan
tariff tinkering is about as safe
as watch repairing with black
smiths tools.
1t is a hard task for the major
ity party to keep quorum III
Washington these days. Many
Members have grown tired with
the constant long drawn out ses-
sions, and the Democratic major
ity is making efforts to hold it's
members here although no i'm
portant legislation now confronts
the House. Southern Democratic
Members have been missing, and
two Texans, one of whom assumes
been repairing political fences
down near the Gulf during the
past three months.
Conditions at the other end OF
the Capitol are not much better
in the matter of attendance. Siren
uous efforts have been made by
Senator Simmons and other Ad-
ministration Democrats to switch
the $93, 100000 pork barrel bill in
ahead of the Trade Commission
bill which is part OF the Presidents
Legislative program. Republican
Senators went after the propO-
sition like hornets and the effort
to force the vicious, eXtravagant
river bill has been temporarily
withheld. 1t has been playing hide
and seek on the floor for several
weeks, but some opponent goes
after it every time it hobs up.
Although every effort is being
fight against it is now assured.
Senator Burton of Ohio who has
talked against it for several days
has cancelled trip to Europe in
order to stay right in the fight.
Among many kind words received
by the writer, brief extract from
letter is quoted: "The fight
which you commenced and con-
tinued in the House is now bearing
fruit. / note an important news
item on the front page of the
New York Times yesterday; also
editorials in the New York Sun
| and Philadelphia Ledger and
Record" This expression of APP
probation comes from the dis
tinguished Ohio Senator who is
known throughout the country az
| the best authority on rivers and
harbors in Congress.
The Indian Appropriation Bill
| has been before the House for
| long time. Bills are considered by
| virtue of their character or place
on the calendar so that sometimes
| single bill will be taken up Oh
a particular day of each week
| during several weeks.
Speaker Clark showed his ex-
ceptional fairness last week when
Burke of South Dakota demanded
recognition, received it for the
purpose of making parliamentary
inquiry and then claimed the floor
as a matter of right. The speaker
refused the request and was sup
ported in his statement of what
occurred by the reporters notes.
However, Burke's contention left
doubts in the Speakers mind and
| he resolved the doubt in Burke's
favor giving him the floor for an
hour. Amid applause following
the decision, Burke refused to ac-
cept his parliamentary advantage
and yielded the floor to tn COM
mittee chairman. Clark's popular
| ity with all Members is based on
his absolute fairness, without re-
gard to partizanship of favoritism.