River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-01-28
WASHINGTON LETTER
from James A. Frear, Msn1ber OF conuress
10Th District.

p used by the House last week. Il
carried SOL 900, 900 for annual ex
penditnres on this branch Of the
service alone, and with the nav al
bill will approximate $25O.0O0, 900,
IT over ten dollars on the average
TOR all heads of families in the cOun.
Try. This does not cover other tx
0enditures relating to the same
general subject. We have a large
country, but this is a good sized
bill in times 0 peace Nobody
questions the necessity for provid-
ing adequate national defense, but
between manufactured sentiment in
army and navy circles, and self.in
tefest of private supply concerns,
it Is not always easy to get at the
ictual facts. This years bill con,
AIMS practically the same amount
as the bill passed last year.
After several DAYS debate over
he Rivers and Harbors $34 600, 900
dill, 1t was finally passed, although
for the first time in the history of
the bill, covering over thirty years,
record vote and strong opposition
vas registered against the new pork
barrel Representative leader Mann
a d Bull Moose leader Murd ock
01th voted against the i'll, which
was opposed by 81 members in ad-
dltl0n To GA pairs or AS votes against
the bill. 1t contains many waste
ful aud extravaga items that were
exposed on the floor.
Democratic e a Underwood
earnestly for an $18, 700 600
private water power project on the
tennessee river, but it was defeat
Sd For the first time within the
recollection of any member, an item
was struck out Of the bill, Hereto
ore the committee has always been
nvincible.
Lenroot, Esch and Stafford took
Up different phases Of the bill, while
light members from Wisconsin vot-
ID against il. A substitute bill will
DC proposed in the Senate. Con-
,ratulations over the House fight
lave come from Senators and from
v ann, Murdoch and many other |
members. My purpose has been to
INIT waste, not to cripple any le-
Ultimate waterway mprovement,
Members Of the committee say
he exposures this year will knock
ut attempts TO pass future pork
'arrels = That is improbable, bat
very member comedies it will m axe
water power, land reclamation and
ther interests more careful in their
aids on the Federal treasury under
he guise Of helpful navigation.
X X
A large meeting of earnest indie
thinkers met last week in
his city to discuss economic prob
ems including Jobs for the job
ess" and kindred topics. Senators
>iapp, Kenyon, Norris and others
rom the Capitol joined with Charles
Russell, Gibson Gardner and leading
writer's in urging that political and
e 'nomic problems should be work
d out together. Russell prides him
elf on being socialist, but he is
me of those who declare the world /
S growing better and reforms will |
Ome from the people themselves,
athcr than through political par
les. Senator Clapp took time to
ell me he had just come in from
lis farm and expected to return
'ver Sunday. Clapp's father was
St. Croix county farmer, but Nose"
irifted into law, then politics, and
low he is getting back to his first
ove-the farm-incidenta giving
he maj n portion of his time 10
senatorial duties.
X
DIR. Frederick Cook, the explorer,
5 trying to interest Congress in de. |
erminipg whet her or not he dis
covered the North Pole. Every few
DAYS some member makes a speech |
On the subject Just what would
&c accomplished by SO doing, no
body knows Just what was &C
by either Cook or Perry
for the e 0 d Of humanity, few
people know.
When Greeley started for h e
North Pole MANY wears ago the
writer was youth in the Signal
Corps of the army, in which branch
ry,c NH4a~