The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-03-19
WHO OWNS 0oNoRHsS7

! WHO OWNS 0oNo1EsS7
There is no room for doubt % to who
owns congress. The records give the
information in the most conclusive and
convincing manner.
The people, at any rate, do not con-
troll the actions Of congress. They may
imagine they do, but they are mistaken.
About all that is reserved to the people
is the payment Of bills that are being
contracted by the government for the
benefit Of those who own and enjoy it..
The workers have been kicked from
the halls of congress SO often that they
no longer go there asking for consid-
! Grafton. They are content to be silent
if not satisfied witnesses of proceedings
that are scandalously contemptuous of
| what the people may OF may not think
about them. Occasionally a sop is
thrown labor's way in the form of some
petty legislative proposal that as likely
as not will later be interpreted by the
courts as being directly and intention
ally against the interests Of labor. In
the big things, however, labor has
learned to expect little and is not,
therefore, disappointed when it gets
nothing.
Recently the farmers have learned
that they do not own congress or infiu-
ence it in the slightest degree when
they are asking something that the big
interests do not wish them to have. A
few million dollars are appropriated an
nually for hog culture, or for seed test:
ing or some such small matter Of inter
est to growers, but should the farmer
come with a demand that embodies a
fundamental he learns quickly enough
what a small part he plays in the affairs
of government.
A committee Of farmers recently went
to the leaders Of congress and requested
that consideration be given the bill reg
ulating the packers and other measures
that are intended to relieve the wide
distress that exists throughout the ma
tion They argued with Mr.. Mondell,
the leader of the house, and left him
after couple of hours with the fiat
statement that congress does not have
any time to devote TO farmers legis-
lation.
Mr.. Mondell wanted the farmers to
know that the time of congress- was
allotted to the consideration of appro.
priation bills, which will not become
effective until next July. Nothing else
mattcred, he said, and the farmers must
wait until some time in the indefinitely
remote future for any relief that they
feel they should have to enable them
to come through their present Difficult
ties. No argument brought to bear
against Mondeu and other leaders could
bulge them from this position.
But when the railroad lobby got the
car of the leaders they heard another
story. There is always time to devote
to matters that are promoted by the
powerful Hobbies that infest Washing
ton. The coal control bill, the packers
control bill, several farmers relief
measures, all are clogged in the legis.
lative jam. But there are no measures
there that the big interests demand.
There is nothing that they dare ask
that congress dare not give.
Appropriation. bills were sidetracked
and the whole legislative machinery was
started in motion"to grind out an appro-
priation Of, $s50,Oo0,0O0 demanded by
the railroads. In two days it was
rushed through, and, the speaker of the
house and. the president Of the senate
sacrificed their dinner and their social
engagements. that they might sign a
bill that the lobbyists rushed to them
before the ink recording the votes
enacting it had dried.
The haste with which this bill was
rushed through congress proves just
who owns congress. Hundreds of mil
lions are voted out Of the federal treas
ury into the treasures Of the railroads,
while railroad lobbyists held up the
regular legislative routine. But when
the farmers sought to secure just plain,
everyday justice they were advised
that congress "has no time to give to
such subjects.''
1t is time that the people realized
the identity of the governmental power.
1t will assist them to an understanding
OF many things that otherwise would be
inexplicable.
INCOME TAX RULING HELPS,
Recent rulings of the internal reve-