The diamond drill., 1920-03-20
M N N
JAMES VOTED AGAINST RAILWAY
BILL

BILL
That Frank James voted against the
railway bill, as reported by several
newspapers in his congressional dis
trict, Is true, but Frank James in do
ing this evidently didn't abuse the
privileges he enjoys as an independ-
ent citizen, nor did he appear TO
1eopardize the best interest OF his
constituency. In the bill upon which
his vote was registered neither gov
ernment ownership nor government
control were involved. Government
control and government ownership
ceased to be issues when the house
committee decided by a practically
unanimous vote against reporting out
such a bill. Many OF the members
who voted for government ownership
and government control voted against
the conference report.
The railroad men all over the coun-
try were told that there could not be
vote on extension for two years, as
they had desired
The big issue was whether or not
the roads should be turned back with
legislation that would. in effect, per-
NIT higher freight and passenger
rates. According to a member of the
Interstate and Foreign Commerce
Commission, Mr.. Wooley. II will cost
the people OF the United States. about
$S75,OOO,O0O each year on freight rates
alone. Mr.. Wooley is not an advocate
OF government ownership
AS Congressman James viewed II,
neither the administration nor the
present congress had been able to do
anything in bringing down the high
cost OF living, and it was not his pur-
pose to vote for any legislation that
would tend TO put that cost still high
er. He thinks that the bill which
came back from the senate was worse
than the original one. II Is his idea
that II the wholesalers. middlemen.
retailers manufacturers. and all in
trade have to pay out billion dollars
more to keep the railroads running
then that billion is certain TO be added
TO the present cost OF living, as these
interests will surely pass it on to the
consumers, in which contention he is
undoubtedly right.
According to the ideas of Congress
man James capital has the money and
attorneys TO look after its interests
and the same may be said OF It's labor
organizations. and as he sees II, II is
the duty OF congress to look upon ev-
cry piece of legislation from neither
the standpoint OF capital nor labor,
but how it will affect society as
whole.
II Is well known that what congress
IS really voting on is not always what
the people back home think they are
voting on. The newspaper cores
pondents have bad habit OF not pre-
senting the important features OF
many OF the bills. also OF distorting
the facts, We can get an idea OF how
this works by our knowledge Of the
work the reporters did in the Iron
River case, where facts were discard
ed and sensationalism only given place
In the columns OF their newspapers.
We believe the voters OF this dis
trict will uphold Congressman James
in his vote OH the railway bill when
they have learned just what that bill
was and why he opposed 1t. He was
working for the consumer. not for or
ganized labor or capital, but for the
common people, those who pay for the
increased freight rates.
II will be well 10 remember that the
vote was not on the question of re-
turning the railways 20 the owners.
That had already been disposed Of be-
fore this vote was taken. u was on
the matter OF permitting the roads 70
Jump freight rates that would mean
nearly a billion dollars q year in re-
coipts over the present returns, Com
gresham James held that this would
put the cost OF living still higher be-
cause the consumers would pay the
freight.
Iron Ore has always maintained that
ever the people pay the freight. Con-
gressman James knows Il, too. So he
would not vote for the increased
freight rate
We do not think he will stand dis
credited In his district for that lie