River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1921-03-10
Our Weekly Letter
From Washington


h fAii cNCAAliui NSth tltuiiiE Win MON
March has passed and has witness
ed general housekeeping politically
far beyond anything ever known be-
fore 1t illustrates the Old saying,
The King Is Dead, Long Live the
King" President Wilson and his
cabinet are all "ex's" now and many
subordinates, some of whom were part
of the new war machine will await
! the arrival of the final executioner.
| President Harding and the new cabi-
net We're installed with simple, quiet
ceremonies and all went to work with
i he avowed purpose of putting into
effect new policies. No student of
! politics believes President Harding or
| his party or its platform gained such
a sweeping victory last fall because
Of politics alone, for every intelligent
citizen realizes Mr.. Wilson was GUST
ed and Mr.. Harding elected largely
because of public sentiment against
the outgoing Administration, wheth-
! er justified or not. Mr.. Harding's
Administration may not meet all ex-
pectations because those who look for
immediate return of prosperous times
or are expecting political changes
can transform bad business conditions,
/ should know worldwide conditions
are also responsible for what now ex-
lists.
However, a program has been pro-
/ posed that will start the legislative
wheels again within several weeks.
Mr. Wilson's veto of the Emergency
Tariff bill IN the closing hours Of the
session will require the preparation
and passage of a new tariff bill to
supercede the existing low Underwood
| tariff rates. One of the first acts de-
manded by industry is protection
against cheap European and Asiatic
labor. No tariff exists today against
many materials that effect trade and
foreign surplus stocks may be dump
ed in this country unless the bars are
raised to reach the difference in cost
i of production. On the other hand,
prohibitive tariff rates will not be ac-
ceptable to the people. The Ways
and Means Committee must work
throughout the recess and must have
| ready when the extra session is call
in April tariff bill to meet the pres
ent emergency. Unprecedented con-
ditions in exchange and other COM
mercial complications will be encount-
cred but this bill will be drawn and
passed early in the summer and will
be followed closely by tax or rev.
enue bill. That briefly is the present
plan.
The soldiers bonus bill, the Naval
bill which was swelled by 100000
600 additional in the Senate, the bill
fixing the size of the House Member
ship and other important bills died in
| the Senate and will be passed in some
i form at the extra session judging
! from present plans. The old $10.00O,-
! 900 Muscle Shoals Tennessee Water
Power project held up great appro-
priation bills until the last moment
and Southern Senators controlling it
agreed to let the Sundry Civil Appro-
priation bill pass if given one more
vote on the Muscle Shoals. Notwith-
standing tremendous backfire on
! Congress, in the name of farmers,
mechanics, ex-soldiers and every 9TH
er interest that could be enlisted the
Alabama Power item was rejected
on the closing night by vote OF 2O7
to 144. This was the seventh or the
eighth vote against the proposition IN
the House which had been accepted
! by the Senate. 1t is now out for the
session. For eight years the writer
has strenuously opposed this project
and the War Investigation Commit
tee of which l am member heard
scores of witnesses under oath and
came to the same conclusion. Good
men favored it, but those who have
studied the facts believed that it
would never produce pound of COM
mercial fertilizer, and would add
scores of millions to tax burdens.
The Inauguration brought many
thousands to Washington, but the old
time civic and military parades with
bands Of music and banners were
missing. President Harding made a
strong address to vast concourse
gathered on the plaza in front of the
capitol and then the inauguration was
over. He promised to give working
administration and that is what every
one hopes it will be. The session
closed with a remarkable memorial
demonstration in honor of Ex-Speak-
err Champ Clark, who died during the