The Washington herald., 1916-04-28
A BeIIigerent New Member.

Representative NCArthur. of Portland Orcg
is a member OF the House but he appear,
to have a veteran grip on the English language
when he gets into a controversy with his poti-
cal opponents His first extensive use. Of the
Congressional Record is the print Of an open
letter to the Ant-Saloon League OF Oregon in
reply to an attack because he refused to pledge
his vote for national prohibition. The league
charged Mr.. Macarthur with bad faith and the
betrayal Of the cause so dear to the Oregon
heart, and it has circuarzcd the district against
the new member, saying many uncomplimcntary
things about him. But this new member ap-
pears to be seasoned for controversy OF that
kind Perhaps his training as newspaper man
and lawyer has made such attacks welcome.
and his experience speaker Of the Oregon
assembly has given him the parliamentary knowl-
edge to express himself vigorously without get
ting outside the rules. Whatever the reason Mr.
Macarthur put the gloves with the Anti
Saloon League without trcpidation and some
OF the old members who have read his extended
remarks, inclined to think that he came as
near using the old hard gloves Of the davs
when real prize fighting was permissible under
the law, any one who has not had his re-
marks expungcd
Since Oregon voted for prohibition at the
same election that sent Mr.. Macarthur to Con-
Cress, the league assumed that the new member
was instructed by that State vote to support pro-
hbition at all times and everywhere But there
IS where the new member drew the line He
was not elected by the State at large but by the
one district in the State which voted against
prohibition, and in Congress, he has that par
tIcular constituency to represent. The people
OF his district had prohibition forced upon them
by the rural districts of the State and they prob
ably expect Mr.. Macarthur to vote in Congress
as they voted at home. 1t is logical assump-
ton and it was not even in harmony with the
position OF the prohibtionsts to- take issue with
him that point
If the State of Oregon can dictate to all the
Representatives in Congress from that State. the
same rule would apply to New York, Ohio. Iii
nois, Missouri, Texas, and California which have
refused to adopt prohibition In these States
the prohibitionists have complained that the
large cities controlled the vote of the States.
If that be true and the States are to control
the Representatives from the rural districts and
compel them to vote as The cities dictate. we
should soon have loud complaint from the pro-
hibitionsts that the government was under the
control of the wicked cities Mr. McArthurs :
contention that he must look to his own constitu-
ents for guidance in his votes in Congress. ap-
pears to be the only safe rule for either new
member old one.
The league has however, aroused this new
member from the metropolis of Oregon, and he
does not stop with mere defense He appears
70 enjoy the offensive even more than the de-
fensive and goes after his opponents as though
his name were Young Man Not Afraid. He
accuses them Of libel perjury, suborning perjury.
and attempts at bribery, all under the laws Of