American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1916-09-14

fNoo W.
have done so in decency and in effect
iveness and in comprehensiveness?
No severer indistment could be
drawn against the patriotism and the
character and the intelligence of
these men than to say hat nothwith-
standing they had put in action all the
great powers of the government they
declined to give the powers of the
government an equal opportunity to
intelligently pass Upon it and would
rather than do so enter a state of an
archy? Those who so charge would
in my judgment livel these men.
No, Mr.. President, they would not
have done so; and these men who here
say they are powerless and who ap-
preached, as they said, their Geth-
semane If they should take a side
step in regard to it, would have been
aided and supported by the great rank
AND. file Of the men whom they repre-
do not speak entirely, MIR. Presi-
dent, without knowledge in regard to
that. l have not The honor of know
Ing the heads of these organizations;
1t has never been my pleasure nor my
privilege to meet any of them, but /
have ONE knowledge and some COM
munication from some representing a
considerable number of those whom
they purport to represent, and we
should have been within safe lines
and on sure ground to have proceed
ed with this matter in circumspection
and after investigation and with full
information to the settlement of it.
Mr.. President, proceeding as we do
now, we proceed without information;
we proceed without any facts what
ever upon which to form a Judgment.
We have no information which leads
us to one conclusion or another. We
know nothing with reference to these
wages in their relation to other wages 4;
we know nothing, as the able senator
from Iowa (Mr. Kenyon) says, as to
its ultimate effect upon the other
people whom we represent.
We are not permitted to know the
facts. : / should like to ask how legi3-
lators a legislate without facts upon
which to form al opinion, unless We
assume, as | indicated last night, thai
We are legislating by reason of tbs
dictation of other powers? If we
have no knowledge, no information
and yet write the law, we must be do,
ing so at the will of some outside
power.
Suffered From High Rates.
| represent in part, Mr.. President, 9
portion of the country which has suf
fered, and which does still suffer, by
reason of high freight rates. There
is many an industry in that region o
the country which either remains un
developed or which languishes by rea,
son of its long distance from the mar
ket by reason of the high freight,
which We pay coming in and goin,
out.
This has restrained development II
that vast northwestern empire fol
years, and l presume We must contin
ue TO bear the burdens to a large ex
tent. Many a man In that countr,
will bear witness TO what / say.
wanv to know, Mr.. President, before
vote to increase freight rates-be
cause ultimately that is what thi
means-irst, that these men are actu
ally entitled upon the facts to hav
their wages increased; secondly.
want to know. If I can what is tn
present income of the corporation
from which they will hos immediate
Iy receive their pay. and TO what ex
tent 1t must necessarily be passed o
to those whom l represent as well a
union labor. | represent all; and
will not. to my knowledge, sacrific
one to the interests of another.
information Denied.
weaot permitted TO nave I'M
Information II is said to me that "
must pass this bill before Saturda
night or that these men will bring o