New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-03-05
RIVAL LEADERS TELL
OF WORK OF CONGRESS-
Senator CalIinger Decres Accomplishments and Ophold
Attitude of Mnority-Kern Praises Both Legs
lation and Wilson Administration
BY SENATOR JACOB II. GALLINGER,


Republican Leader In the senate.
he CID Congress closes to-day win
record of legislative achievement
which, 10 large extent, VIII not re-
ceiye the Endorsement OF the American
people The passage OF the ohueI
wood Simmons tarf law - OF user
enough to condemn the party to wen
deserved defeat. The enactment OF an
income tax law and slOO,OOO,o0o IN
ternal revenue tax burden, when mas
been placed upon the people, coupled
with a rapidly growing dehclt "hiSh
will probably have to be met in the
near future with a bond issue, are mat
ters that the voters of the country VIII
not be slow to resent, and which VIII
play an important part in securing
Republican victory in 1916.
The currency legislation Is yet 70 DE
fully tried out. IL l. possible that IL
will work out in way that Will com
mend itself TO the people, but tnat Is
not vet an assured fact. The so-called
antitrust legislation can accomplish
little except to further agltate and DIS
turb the business condition OF the
country. 80,
The inclusion in the Clayton bill OF
the provision exempting labor unions
from the provisions of the antitrust
laws is without excuse or paliiation
and many other provisions in that law
will simply prove "a matter OF ve%atloh
TO the business of the country.
When an attempt is made to enforce
the provision that deals with unfair
methods Of competition" II VIII be
found to be either an empty declara
ton or vexatious piece OF leglsla-
ton. 80.
The rivers and harbors bill that was
submitted TO the last session was a
piece of legislation so utterly vicious
and indefensible as to break down. OF
its own weight. the opposition 20 IT,
saving the government the more IMAM
sSO,O0O,OOO which the Democratic
party wanted to squander on incohse-
quental streams IN the sOuthelh sec-
ton of the country. 49,,
The Trade Commission bill, OF when
so much is being heard, IS another
piece of legislation the chief purpose
of which will be to annoy business men
and create unrest IN the INDUSTRIAL ana
/ commercial world. When an army OF
inspectors and detectives are sent out
to look up the methods upon when
! the business of the country IS being
/ conducted il requires no spirit oil
prophecy &c discover the fact that IN,
, fnjtelv more mischief than good Will
be ACCOMPLISHED. The personnel OF
/ the commission will not receive the
D. plaudits of the American people, anC
/ The result of their efforts will, in all
/ human probability, lead to the 'pea'
/ Of the law in the near future.
In connection with the bills passec
/ bv the Democratic majority during the
/ G3d Congress the significant TACT eNlsIs
F that in every one of them an assault
has been made upon the civil service
of the country. The army OF employees
that is provided TO administer the stat
utes is 20 be selecte outs De or the
classified service, and Will Doubtless
he composed Of men who have rendered
nolitical service and have little else to
their credit.
The treatment Of international ques-
tions has been a monumental failure
The Mexica fasco will go down INTO
history as one of the most serious blum
ders that any administrator has ever
committed, and the administration OF
the State Department along lnterna-
tional lines has failed to gain the re-
spect of either our own people or those
of foreign nations. 80,
The ship purchase bill, which the
Chief Executive undertook to force
through the Congress, was a measure
absolutely without merit and deserving
of the defeat that 1t received al the
hands Of the Republican minority IN
the Senate. The bill demonstrated that
the Administration is socIallstlc In It's
tendencies and willing TO force upon
the country government ownership III
its most obnoxious form.
ha nave
had a spectacle that the country Will
condemn in the efforts Of the Executive
20 control legislation. Nothing like 1t
has ever occurred in this or any other
country, except possibly Mexico or
some Of the South Amer can republics.
The President, with tenacity OF pur-
nose and with almost brutal methods
forced the Der ocrats of both houses
Of Congress to do his bidding whether
they wanted TO or not.
The defeat Of the ship purchase bill
was the first rebuke that has been
administered to the Executive, and it
is to be hoped that it will be sgarded
as a lesson that may well be observed
in the future.
The reputation Of the planks in the
Democratic platform adopted at Bal
timore has been the most fragrant dis
regard OF the promises of great
party that the country has ever known,
and it remains to be seen whether or
not the declaration in favor Of one
Presidential term is to be disregarded
as so many other platform promises
have been.
On the whole, the record is not one
that will commend itself TO the Amer
lean people, but will be condemned at
the first opportunity that the voters
Of the country will have to express
their sense Of disapproyal.