The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-10
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE
SHIPPING BILL.
Assistant Secretary Of the Treasury
Defends the Administration.

To III EDITOR OF THE SuN-Str. In
THE U Of November s appears an
editorial article which. while not De
rectly asserting that the La Foilette
bill was put through the last Congress
by the Administration leaders rs q
token OF appreciation for the attitude OF
Senator La Toilette and his coterie to-
ward the currency bill, yet ~insinuates
that such IL the case.
On would suppose from this article
hat the wicked Administration leaders
are solely responsible for the La Toilette
bill being placed on the statute books,
and that anti-Administration Senators
and Representatives. fought tooth and
nail to prevent Il. That they could have
prevented its enactment had they so
desired Is shown by the successful nli-
buster made In the Senate against the
shipping bill, In opposition to which
Senators Burton, Smoot. Weeks, Lodge,
Bristow, Cummlns, Gallinger. Smith
others prevented a vote being taken Tor
several weeks.
on the day that the Ia Toilette bill,
passed the Senate. although the Record
shows that a few minute before on an
amendment to the bill, on which the
yeas and nays were called, Senators
Brandegee, Burton. Dillingham;, Jack
son. Mclean. Nelson and Weeks. with
others. voted yea. and Senators Borah.
Brady. Bristow. Clapp, Cummins. Ken
yon. McCumber. Norris. Page. Poin-
dexter. Smoot and Sutherland. among
others, voted nay. yet when the final
vote came no Senator opposed to the
bill demanded the yeas and nays. as
he had a perfect right to do, and which
would have put him the other Sena-
tors on record, and the Record shows
that THE bill was ordered to be en-
crossed for a third reading, read the
third time, and passed.
In the House Of Representatives the
procedure was the same. 1t appears
hat the Speaker announced The qucs-
ton Is on suspcndlng the rules and pass
ing the bill" and the Record then pro-
ceeds: THE question was taken and
In the opinion of the Speaker two-thirds
having voted in favor thereof the rules
ncre suspended and the bill was passed"
although a large number OF Republicans
were present,
When tho Senate passed. on the con-
ference report the same thing hap
pened. The Record shows that Senator'S
Burton and Gall!nger. two Of the
strongest opponents OF the bill. were
present. and Senator Burton had just
delivered himself OF a speech OF some
length in opposition 10 II. The follow.
ing appears in the Congressional Record.
The v!ce-rresidsnt-The question is on
agreeing to the conference report. All in
favor say aye" Ia pause.I Those OPP
posed. IA pausel The ayes have 1t, and
the conference repor; is agreed to.
In the House the Record shows:
The Speake--The time Of the rentlo-
man from Missouri! has expired. All time
has expired. The question is on agreeing
20 the conference report. The conference
report is agreed to.
to Reconsider the vote by which the con-
ference report was agreed to was laid on
the table.
Several things are evident from the
Record. TIN Republican Senators who
voted with Senator La Toilette on amend
ments offered to the bill could have de-
feated the measure II they had voted
against II. There were more Republic
these amendments than there were vot-
Ing against them. Not one senator or
Representative. Democrat or Republi-
can. who was opposed To the bill made
- demand for an aye and nay vote on
the final passage of the bill. as they
We're evidently willing that the public
should remain IN ignorance OF how they
voted.
To !nsinuate that n bill which had the
support Of more Republicans thar were
opposed 10 II, and on the vote for which
no opponent cared to ask for an ave
and nay vote, was forced through Con.
gross by the Administration IL. to say
tho least, disingenuous and misleading.
WILLIAM =. MALBrRN.
WASHINGTON, u. c.. November ..