River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1921-02-03
Our Weekly Letter
From Washington
EyJames A. Frear, M. c.

appropriations for the support of the
Department and for many items to
cover experimental work with stock,
grains, soil and different diseases that
confront the agricultural producer
from the Lakes to the Gulf. Origin
ally the bill carried a small amount
for routine work, but in late years it
has become an important part Of the
governments activities and the Secre-
tary of Agriculture is now a busy
Cabinet officer with multitude OF
duties to perform. The emergency
tariff bill prepared by the Ways and
Means Committee and put through
the House to help the farming inter
ests has been debated in the Senate
for long time. 1t still holds fire
there. Southern Senator'S who are
most vigorously fighting against the
bill are the ones who led the fight for
the Muscle Shoals $160,000,000 Ala
bama water power project ostensibly
to produce fertilizer and on which q
large part of $100,000,000 spent on
the Tennessee river during the war
by the government was thrown away.
The writer has recorded vigorous OBJ
siections for several years but the pro-
iect, like a chameleon, changes each
year from canal proposition to a
water power, then to a nitrate plant
for explosives and then to fertile
err plant. Those who have closely
followed the campaign feel that the
power plant sought to be built at
enormous government expense is to
be taken over by the Alabama Power
Company for a song when completed.
Meantime, Southern Senators and
Representative from Alabama and
surrounding states who have urged
the Muscle Shoals as fertilizer
plant show their love for the farmers
of the country by busily opposing the
Emergency Agricultural Tariff bill
passed by the House to relieve pres
ent critical agricultural situation.
Bankers Suggest Tax Bill -
Several New York bankers and
brokers' have come from that city to
tell Congress what kind of tax bill
they want when revenue legislation
is taken up by the Ways and Means
Committee next session. They are
all unitedly opposed to paying any
corporation profits tax and are equal
w insistent that surtaxes must be re-
duced or repealed. They demand that
a consumption tax or turnover tax
must be passed in order to shift the
tax now bourne by corporations over
to the general public to be paid on
what we eat, drink and wear. The
writer has discussed this matter IN
the House and gave many high au-
thorities against the sales tax 1t IS
an expensive luxury for the Members
now to print long speeches, but any
one who desires copy and will write
for same. viii be remembered as soon
as the speech os received from the
printer.
Pork Barrel Is Reduced
The River and Harbor Committee
are to be congratulated on holding
down this years appropriation to fif-
teen million dollars. Last year it was
$4,000, 600. When wicked extrava-
gance in the old pork barrel was first
pointed out several years ago, it met
With shouts Of derision from all sides
ard at first was criticized BY both
Republican and Democratic leaders.
The first bill opposed IS reported to
the Senate reached $53,000.000 over
half of which was waste and pork.
II Yves defeated in the Senate. Year
after year the old time crowd Of lob
bvists and treasurery looters were
bowled over while the writer, altho
generally fighting alone on the Floor,
saw the vote against the bill grow
RAPIDLY each year. A River and Ear-
Dor lobby recently met in Washington
asking for $100,000,000 for this year s
bill. Advice was asked of those who
have stood against the bill in the past
and a fifteen million dollar passed
last week is the answer Those who
question individual Efforts or at
tenpts to compel public economy have
something to learn Of the result OF
persistence, although fifteen or thirty
million dollars annually saved is only
a drop in the bucket compared with
war expenditures and enormous waste
in the name Of war expenditures "
INT Shipments
Several letters have been received
protesting gainst shipments Of INT
now in Sparta, Wisconsin, to New
Mexico. Protest has been lodged for
nlally against transferring it outside
the state and am informed the pro-