Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-10-03
SUFFRAGE AS THE EXCUSE

states where the women vote, SCI their defeat for reelection in the
failure of the suffrage amendment to pass the senate. Democrats
now freely admit their control of congress is threatened.
While the vote on suffrage may have some effect on the fall cleo
ton, there is no reason for placing all the blame there. The trouble
with congress today is that it is dominated entirely by a small coterie
of congressman and senator's from the South, men who are 50 narrow
and sectional in their views that they have proven themselves utterly
unfit to occupy the responsible positions they now hold.
A great many worthy Democrats are going to suffer because of
this narrowness o the part of the present congressional leaders A
striking instance is right here in our own district where Congressman
sculy is a candidate for reelection. He has asked that he be re-
turned to congress on the ground that he helped by his vote to get
the nation into this wal and he would like to see it through. Mr.
Scally is fully justified in this position. There are very few con-
kn, either Republican or Democrat, who can boast of such a
cohhleht prowar record rs MI. ScuIy has. He has been 100 per
cent. American in every question that has come UP. The National
Security League, which has applied the acid test to every member
of congress as far a his wa record Is concerned, has placed Mr.
sculy on the honor roll. The league heartily endorses him for re-
election.
The people of the third district ire proud of this record and as
far as Mr.. scuny personally, is concerned, he deserves the best that
the people can give him.
But a vote for Mr. sculIy means a vote to help keep Champ Clark
speaker of the House, and Mr. Clark is not on the National Security
Leagues honor roll Mr.. Clark voted against declaring a on Ger
many and he went out of his way to try to defeat the draft law.
A vote for Mr.. Seuny means the retention of Claude Kitchn-he
of the metropolis of Scotland Neck, North Carolina-leader of the
House and chairman of the Ways and Means Committee where he
Yields great influence in framing the tax bills o that the burden of
Mr. kitchin also voted against declaring war on Germany and
A vote for MrcScuIy means the retention of S Herbert Dent, Jr,
Of Alabama, a eharmGn Of the Committee o Military Affairs of
the House Mr.. Dent voted against declaring wa 0 n Germany and
was SO bitterly opposed to the draft measure that he had to sur
render his leadership in military affairs to a Republican, Congress
man Kahn, of caifOrna, for the time being in order that the measure
might be passed a the administration wanted it. Naturally, the
I~sV. "AN' = "P"DH no y" oO ShhSe "Oh ioi wal
legislation is needed, why not have a Republican in charge all the
clark, Kitchin, Dent and others of their kind, will be retained
because they arr the ranking Democratic members of the House, and
it is a precedent long established, and one which no party seems will
Ng s4 fSs no matter how great the proyocation, that the man who
a pp%a@ they he when the party to which he belongs is in control.
i to g t. to n he South returns the SAM congressman and senator's year
issue it'll the result that they are the ranking mel when Demo-
' s4s, today t%' o %ths majority; The reelection Of Mr. seully a worthy
al "a v t0 make make ssw Jersey is helping to keep such men as Clark, Kitchin
10 very "s"Sn men utterly out of harmony with the sentiment Of the
-~~-~~who devote their time to seeing that the cotton planters
DAJusssll,a escape their just share of the burden caused by the
N0MRters all over the West and North realize this situation
e not inclined to play into the hands of the South any
would be decidedly different if the Democratic party
S wewmskfx its best men for the responsible places regardless of
dong we'll hop is no desire to discriminate against the South, a a sec
same No doutivi War has passed into history and the old differences
1t is a very beaol of congress the southern members, who Immediately be-
TRY " e are iahairmen of all the important committees because of their
lot amS on P Sor ed and capable of looking at national problems from a
H. Tom, how Jew of the whole nation. They have been tried out and
V in der 0aaing.
1s me I picked IAN Ktchin, as we have already said, openly boasted that
and sw a Pirman of the Ways and Means Committee, where all the
ssisfhe war taxes. Every time any effort has been made to tax cotton a
little more in proportion with other commodities, o to regulate the
price of cotton as the prices of other necessities have been regulated /
the southern Democrats who now control congress, have used all their
influence to prevent such action.
Added to this sectional feeling is the fact that the great major
ny of these Democratic leaders opposed the war, voted against
everything pertaining to the war, and blocked every effort of far
forced upon US.
The people all over the country realize this and il looks like . |
change at Washington. In making this change some capable and
loyal Democrats will have to suffer The Democrats from the North
K and West realize that they re likely to be defeated In eeort 10
now being made to blame the defeat of suffrage in the senate, This
a may nave something to do with it, but suffrage o no suffrage, the
is gpeople want men at the head of affairs in Washington who re ia full
e. athhyympathy with the W a and who have shown that sympathy from the
Franfnnnnlng- men with broad vision who IN above petty sectionalism
m Ne al there could be assurance that Democrats like Mr.. Scully would
sm9 months pmlg rsaders IN congress, there would be excellent reasons for re-
i them wig such Democrats and W e would be glad to give them our
? HFs support But the ways of congress are hard to change. mol
e dares tar anything to upset precedent. The result is. the people
'are turning ITO the Republicans knowing that the ranking memberso of
'a party ar IN fui accord with the spirit of the times. |.
IL