The Idaho recorder., 1920-03-19
A M e M MORABLE
IcoN0REs.

Each succeeding congress has point
ied with certain amount of pride at
the conclusion OF It's work 10 soua
achievement and certain legislative
lenactments which are worthy OF
praise. and The Recorder sees no rea
son why the present congress should
not also point with pride" to the
great work 1t has done.
Already the lower house of con.
gress has passed tariff bill which
Tor protection to monopoly and the
absolute closing OF ports to any kind
lOf foreign competition makes the
Payne-Aldridge bill look like n free
trade measure. That II will pass the
senate containing It's trusr ridden fea.
lures there is little doubt.
II has passed the leasing bin under
the terms OF which practically all
that remains OF the public resources,
In The way Of coal, oil and timber,
pass into the hands of private mo-
nopoly for little or nothing. THIS
Dill provides that the government is to
get the munificent sum OF five per
cent of the profits from the natural
resources while the consuming public
gets IL In the neck
II has passed the water power oiii
under which the monopolistic inter.
ests are given In perpetuity all of the
great water power sites in the coun.
Try. including those on the St. Law
renee river and Niagara falls For
this private interests are to pay III.
government mot to exceed 25 cents
per morse power per annum" Can
you beat It? A camouflage section
provides that states. counties, munie-
ipalities and irrigation districts have
tho same right To develop our water
power as private corporations, bur
before the machinery could be put IN
motion for such action and the re-
strictlons on legal indebtedness could
bo removed, every water power site
worth farthing TO the public would
be gobbIad up. Senator Nugent tried
to pave the way for the pulic owner
ship where desired by offering an
amendment providing that the bill
should not become a law until thrice
years after its enactment, but hts
amendment was speedily voted down.
Another of tho notable achieve
ments of the present congress Is the
passage of the Cummlns railroad bill
Dy which the rate making power OF
congress has practically been dele
rated TO the Interstate commerce
which has baen notori-
,usly under the control of RAILROAD
for the past five years |
mother outstanding feature of this
Measure is that which guarantees |
he owners of the railroads six per |
'ent net profit on the book value or
he roads. which includes eight bill
lon dollars in watered stocks, after
'etting aside funds for the purchase |
Il new equipment. the making OF re-
airs and betterments and setting
side reserve fund to be used In
he making of extensions. Again can
ou beat Il?
Big business most certainly Is In
he saddle and has been riding con-
ress with whip and spur. That our
ational representatives have been
rilling steeds and have never even
lackened the mad pace is evident
'om the damnable record made, and
here should be. placed In the hall OF
.me q tablet containing the name or
ach supporter of the program IN ac-
ition to an inscription something
Ike this: Proved recreant to every
lterest of the people who elected
lem, gave to monopolies billions In
oney and property and turned deaf
ars to every plea of those who would !
ave preserved our resources and our
berties for posterity."