The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-05-29
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

WhsnlnBtont may ~. lSIetiaLl
Next In importance to the declaration
OF war, the war loan bill and the army !,
bill and perhaps the navy bill was the
bin relating to the food supply of the
country. 1t seems rather unfortunate
that congress should have spent 50
much time on the revenue and espion-
x bills when food prices were mount
ing so rapidly and the whole country
was In danger OF a food panic.
OF course everybody realized that
food was going higher, and those with
means and opportunity bought and
stored as much as possible. All the
time this has been going IN congress
has spent much time In discussing leg
islation which might well have waited
Patriotism invoked.
Protests against the heavy taxation
are met with the words patriotism
and patriotic" In fact, every time a
man protested against any particular
tax he was asked If he was going to
be patriotic and pay his share of the
great war, or was he going to show a
lack OF patriotism In this great crisisf
Perhaps the people who charge lack
OF patriotism do not realize that In
spite OF every effort made thus far
there Ia a real lack of enthusiasm for
the war.
Airy Psrsilfiass.
When Chairman Kitchin first brought
his revenue bill into the house. there
was a sparrlng match between himself
and Minority Leader Mann. Kitchln
expressed the hope Of passing IL In two
days.
rs the bill so bad az that that YOU
do not want anybody TO have a chance
to look at it?' asked Mann.
1T In SO good that everybody ought
to vote for IL unanimously without any
time being wasted upon It," replied
Kitchin.
There ought to be some debate in
order to give us an opportunity to look
Mt some of the items said Mann. "Of
course / suppose 1t will be easier to
pass the bill before the country knows
what Ii In 1t than afterward."
II should think nobody I'm the coun-
try would oppose this bill" smilingly
retorted Kitchin.
CIoture by Unanimous Consent.
Although the senate adopted cloture
at the beginning Of the present session
the rule has not been invoked. The
senate goes along as before and pro
vides a cloture hy unanimous consent,
fixing a time for voting and also limit
ing speeches to ten minutes in order TO
reach n conclusion. IL is doubtful about
invoking the cloture provision except In
extreme cases. 1t could not be lone on
any question where there was anything
like an equal division of opinion on the
question under consideration.
Rainey In a Playful Mood.
No one ever discovered that Congress
man Rainey OF Illinois was a humorist
or a funny man until he tried to be
facetious In discussing the second class
postage provision Ia the revenue bill.
Drawing forth one of the cheaper pub
lications devoted to light literature and
melodramatic love scenes he regaled
the house for some time with extracts.
Curiously enough, there are a lot or
people In the country who like to get
that kind OF reading matter. If Rainey
should turn to what are now some or
the old English classics he will ind
similar language and a great deal or
smushy" conversation between lovers.
Liquor Must Pay.
Efforts to tax liquor out OF existence
failed In the house. Just now con-
gress. while perhaps a majority would
vote for prohibition on a direct issue
In times gone by, is not disposed TO
drive such a good taxing proposition
out OF business Liquor must pay and
pay we'll during this war.
Consumers viii Be Hit.
In the discussion Of the war revenue
bin there was a well defined line of
l~emarkation between those who want
ed TO tax the rich heavily and let the
burdens rest as lightly as possible upon
the poor. But when it vas all sum
med up and when there was II discus
sion about passing 1t on" TO some 9th
err person 1t was found that In most
cases the consumers must pay. The
people who use the articles taxed must
pay for the increased taxation.
Why They Hate Us.
Ex-senator Root once explained that
the swashbuckler and cheap buccaneer
from the United States, staggering
and clustering through South and
Central American republics, had done
much to make those people dislike this
country. Perhaps there should be add
ed to the class Root described such
thoughtless remarks as uttered by
Senator Hardwick in the senate not
long since. I'VE might get into a war
with a teapot republic in South Ameri-
ca said the Georgia senator, little
thinking that such a remark Is print
ed in the southern countries In papers
~antagpnistic to the United States and
increasing the bitter feeling.