New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-10-21
DEMOCRATIC LEADER IN
SENATE ADMITS POLICY
ONE OF OBSTRUCTION

: Washington, Oct. lS.-In the course
of Senate debate on the new tax
measure Senator Pat Harrison, of
Mississippi, Democratic floor leader in
the Senate, gave official confirmation
to the general belief that the policy
OF the Democratic organization and
the Democratic party is to be sim
ply policy of opposition to anything
that is proposed regardless of the
merits of the proposal, thus living
up to the Democratic party's tradi-
t;olal record of being a party of oh
struction rather than of construction.
Senator Harrison outlined the po
sitior OF his party during a colloquy
on the floor of the Senate with SEN
ator Watson, of Indiana. Senator Har
rison was complaining that the Re
publican majority did not have any
program or policy, and did not know
where ], was going, nor what it was
going to do. The official repor. OF
the dialogue between Senator Har-
risor. and Senator Watson at that
point is as follows:
Mr.. Harrison, | was just wonder-
ing if you were making any pro-
gress toward getting together on the
other side You have been at odds
so often, and you ate getting apart
So much, and you have no policy ani
no fixed program about anything |
was in hope that you might have one
touching this revenue bill.
Promises to be Redeemed
Mr.. Watson, of Indiana. There is
this difference between the two par
ties. There was time when the De-
mocratic party were told wha. to do
from the White House, and the! did
not have to get together in litti, knots
or cliques or groups or caucuses they
simply followed the wish of the Pre-
sident.
We have a very different way OF
doing things We are discussing the
tax proposition. the excess-prot'ts
tax, and the surtaxes, and the cor
poration taxes, and the Smoot sub
stitute. We are considering all those
propositions every day-and / may
say every highland we propose fin.
ally to evolve a tax bill which viii
not only relieve business to very
great extent, but we hope to revive
industry in the United States, to rein
vest capital, to reemploy labor, anl
t. do the things the Republican par
ty promised in the last campaign
would be done. We probably shall
be compelled to do all those things
without the aid and assistance OF the
Senator from Mississippi, because he
intends to oppose the tax bill, no mat
ter what we put in 1t.
Mr.. Harrison. | do not know.
My,A,oo AoA ba sntepds m
oppose the railroad bill.
Mr.. Harrison. The senator can not
speak for me in that way.
Mr.. Watson. | say no matter what
we would put in it.
Mr.. Harrison. | think the Senator
from Mississippi would oppose any bill
the Senator from Indiana would write.
Nr. Watson. | have not any doubt
about that in the world, and he would
honor me by so doing.
Mr.. Harrison. | thank the Sem
ator. We are still far apart.
just Against Everything
Mr.. Watson. The Senator will op-
pose the railroad bill when il comes
up.
Mr.. Harrison. certainly will.
Mr.. Watson. And that is on the
program.
Mr.. Harrison. Yes
Mr.. Watson. And the Senator vii
oppose the foreign debt funding bill
when il comes.
M. Harrison. certainly will.
Mr.. Watson. And that is on the
program.
Mr.. Harrison. Yes.
Mr. .uf tWosa .nAtadnnhc hkMM,
Mr.. Watson. And the Senator will
oppose the tariff bill when il come
up.
Mr.. Harrison. certainly will.
Mr.. Watson. And that is on the
program.