Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-09-26
Nebraska
FREAR DISCUSSES
DEMOCRATIC WASTE
Congressman Analyses Finan-
cial Record of Administration
with It's Southern Bias.
SPEAKS 1T HAvELoCK

Havelock, Neb., Sept, 25,--(Spe-
cial)-Congressman James A. Frear
of Wisconsin discussed the sectional
record OF the Wilson administration
and the effect of the Underwood tariff
act on industries OF the United States.
Mr.. Frear said in part:
1--WE are advised by our democratic
brethren that it is unkind to criticise
the Wilson administration. Don't
knock they say. When did the de-
mocracy first learn the new Golden
Rule which would prohibit criticisms
of the bungling and wasteful Wilson
administration? Was it during Grant,
Hayes, Garfield. Harrison, Mckinley.
Roosevelt or Tafts administrations?
All these presidents were assailed by
democratic orators, who now beseech
us not to knock.
History will record that the most
wasteful administration from the days
OF President Washington down to
Wilson is that of the present time.
Business prudence requires the
adoption of budget system to stop
wholesale grabs from the public purse.
The democratic platform of 1912 and
1916 is silent on the subject. The re-
publican platform demands its enact
ment as a check against extravaganza
and waste which characterizes this
administration.
South in Full Control.
No stream can rise higher than its
source. 1t is the southern industrial
and economic policy. or lack of pol
icy, that controls legislation today. 1t
is not sectionalism when | say the
solid south is no accident. 1t is not
waving the bloody shirt to protest
against every important democratic
Craftsmanship being assigned to the
south. Every one knows that no re-
publican or progressive can be elected
in Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, Ar
kansas, Texas, Alabama, South Caro-
lint or other southern states. Only
one ticket generally is offered, and
yet these states and other southern
states which contribute only about 7
per cent of the governments revenues
control every important sommittee
assignment, with one single excep-
ton. They are solid for Mr.. Wilson,
Mr.. Bryan, Mr.. Parker or any other
democrat. They invite northern DEM
ocrats to help gather plums, but when
it comes to determining policies or
legislation thirty-one committee chair
manships from the south determine
the issue.
"a secret democratic caucus, domi-
mated by such influences has been in
control of the congress of the United
States during the last four years.
With limited industrial progress, and
comparatively little high-class labor,
the south absolutely controls the gov
ernments pursestrings.
Underwood Bill Sectional.
THE Underwood bill protected
southern interests, from the Texas
Angora goat to pineapples and pea
nuts. 1t cut to the bone when the
great agricultural interests of the
country were concerned. 1t slashed
deep into tariff protection given to
northern industries. That bill was a
sectional bill. 1t promised to reduce
the high cost of living, but it never
reduced single necessary one cent. |
1t did close factories prior to the war,
but when Europeans left their facto-
ries for the trenches our own factories
were compelled to help supply those
who were formerly our competitors.
Europeans, men, women and children,
will again be competitors, and moth
ing can save US from the logical eff
feet of the Underwood law when that
day comes. Our own factories will
cease filling war orders and the con-
sumner now in the trenches will then
be a competing producer for our own
home market. The democratic plat
form declared the government has no
constitutional right to levy duties ex-
cepting for revenue. The markets Of |
thi scountry are thus thrown open to
the Japanese textile laborer, who
earns Is cents day, and to every |
European laborer, while we seek to |
benefit or raise the standards of |
American labor by limiting hours of |
work and passing laws to raise the
scale of wages.
Will Sure Reduce Hours.
"The Underwood bill will effectu-
ally limithours of work to less than
eight hours as soon as the European
war stops the present abnormal de-
mand. No thinking wageearner,
whether on the farm or in the factory,
can fail to understand the following
fact, taken from official sources:
THE total value of importations for the
year ending June 49, 1916 were $2,1e7 ,000-
900. The total value of imports for the last
republican year of 1913 reached only s1,s13,-
100000. Under the Underwood act importa-
tons increased 1884, 900, 900 in one year, dis
placing many products of American labor;
yet customs receipts to the government fell