The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-01-02
BY ARTHUR W. DUNN.

BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.
Washington. Dee 20 Special -
Very earnest canyassing has leen go
ing on among such senators as can be
reached in regard 10 their votes on the
prohibition bill for the District Of Co.
lumbia. That the bill Will pass 10y a
very substantial majority if it ever
reaches a direct vote there has been
no question The crucial test comes
OH the question whether the people of
the District of Columbia shall be-al-
lowed to vote on the proposition before
1t becomes effective
Interest is added to this question be
cause it would be the first time since
1878 that the people OF the District
have voted upon anything. The peo-
pie had 10 he disfranchisci in order TO
give congress complete control Of the
affairs Of the national capital While
there have been desultDry demands
from time to time for restoration Of
the franchise. there is no evidence that
the people really want the privilege OF
voting restored
interest Ia Liquor Question
Interest IN the liquor question was
aroused during the debate. and it was
freely prcdi ted that the time is not
very far distant when not only the na
tional capital. bur the whole country.
will 20 dry 1t is often asserted that
within ten years there will be no
liquor question In this country because
there will be nation wide prohibition
The question whether the national
capital n.ill 20 dry or wet hangs on a
slender thread. II the referendum car
ries it Is likely that a dry capital will
be postponed for a few years
The Salaried Man.
In fighting for an increase Of the
clerks pay in the government service
Minority Leader Mann said everybody
was making more money or getting
more pay than the salaricd man. Ills
pay had not been increased unless. per
haps. he was working for some Of the
money making Corporations which have
made general increases OF pay TO all
employees. But he asserted that the
average man drawing salary was
suffering Oh account Of the high cost
of living and getting no extra pay out
Of the prosperity which the balance of
the country was enjoying
Vardaman's Amende.
When the District OF Columbia pro
hibition bill was being considered I'm
the senate there was one Of those out
breaks that often occur when Senator
MARITIME Of New Jersey gets into ac-
tion. Vardaman Of Mississippi had
been rather severe with MARITIME, caus-
ing the New jersey man to assert that
his own habits were we'll known and
had been known and that he was not
going to change them Finally, when
it appeared that MARITIME felt rather
hurt by what had been said, Varda-
man made this apology:
why. ! do not believe there is a
man in the chamber who is as utterly
devoid ~of malice and .meanness and
those things that make men unlovely
as is the senator from New Jersey. |
think be is the loveliest. dearest old
soul in all Israel"
Country Going Dry.
Congressman Rainey Of Illinois told
the house Of representatives that IL
was only n question Of time when the
country would 20 dry and the govern
ment would lose the S237, 100000 that
Is now annually paid In by the liquor
interests in licenses and fees. He was
pleading for economy and opposing the
increased pay of clerks But the mem
bers of congress were not in the least
alarmed and voted the increase just
the same
A Limit Reached.
Speaking Of nae. hols of raising rev.
enue, Congressman Etainey. one OF the
leading members of the ways and
means committee said that il was very
difficult to say whence would come
the money for the government. He
said limit had been reached in tax
Ing large incomes and that not much
more revenue could be raised by duty
at the custom houses.
There are other sources left which
will make the average person feel that
he Is paying a part Of the waste and
extravaganza in national expenditures.
That Is a renewal of stamp taxes, a
duty on tea and coffee and lowering
the exemption ON income taxes.
Progressive New England.
Former Governor ID. l. Walsh of
Massachusetts told people In Wash
ington that the late election showed
that New England was progressive and