The New York herald., 1921-03-13
N. Y. REPUBLICANS
POWER In CONGRESS
Hope to Do More for State
Than Any Previous
Delegations.
SMELL NAMED STEERER
Conference Will BE Called OF
33 Members to Outline
Programme.
SMELL NAMED sTEERER

New York States Republican delega-
ton in tine Sixty-seventh Congress VIII
be a power. IL Representative Bertrand
IT. smell, chairman of its steering COM
mittee, can bring 1t to pass. Never be-
fcre has the Empire State sent so many
Republicans to Congress No other del
egation In that body will equal 1t Tor
size. It will number thirty-three, the
Democrats holding the ten other seats
from this State
This group has conceived the idea
that. if it can only stand together ana
work in harmony, it can make itself
force which will have TO be recl1oned
with by the Congress leaders and VIII
be able to accomplish more for this
State than has ever been put across by
previous delegations. New York has not
always shone brilliantly in the halls OF
Congress-
Under the old custom Representative
Luther w. Mott of Oswego has been
chairman Of the New York Republican
delegation. Toward the and of the last
session it was agreed there should also
be steering committee. Bert" Smell
OF Potsdam, chairman of the executive
committee OF the State Committee. who
has earned the reputation of being
live wire, was chosen to head this COM
mittee. He has ideas which he purposes
unfolding in the next session. 1t may
bethere will be conferences and pro-
gramme laid out before it begins.
Favors Direct Action.
Representative Smell does not believe
In spending all his time patting Repub-
llcan Congress on the back, but will be
found stirring it to more economy and
further usefulness every minute.
II cannot say l am altogether salts
fed with the outlook for economy" said
Representative Smell yesterday. There
are various paternalistio measures be-
fore Congress. some of which have a
chance of passage, fear. Once started
on this programme, there Is no telling
how much money we would have to
spend.
TT looks as though tho sold.sss' bonus
bill would be passed at the riSx1 session.
do not believe shall renew esz2 oppo-
sition. 1t would accomplish nothing.
The leaders are practically committed
TO It"
Representative Smell hopes that direct
taxation will work TO arouse sentiment
for national economy.
Raising money for Federal expendi-
lures now is far different than before
the war. Formerly It was obtained from
n protective tariff and internal revenue
taxes. The burden was not felt. Wnen
a CONGRESSMAN got an appropriation
Far his district Il looked like so much
velvet. His constituents did not realize
that part Of It came directly from them
Now the Government Is getting the bulk
~ its income from direct taxation OF
incomes. I sometimes doubt whether
the incessant clamor for paternallstic
expcnditures will cease until the GOV
ernment imposes a tax on all incomes IN
excess OF $1,000.
Opposes Alabama Dam.
one Of tho projects which Representa-
tive Smell will continue TO bitterly OPP
nose is the Muscle Shoals hydro-eiecIrlo
development In Alabama
80 far we have spent Sllb'ooV'ouu
there" he said, "and the great dam Is
only started. To complete the dam and
tba renarators will cost from $30,00O,0o0
to s4o. oo0. 900 more. to say nothing or
othar expenditures. Col. Cooper, the
engineer in charge, recently testified that
the plant might be oommendaple as
Government enterprise, but as a COM
nnercial venture he would not want 10
take It even IL s17,0oo.Ooo more were
expended.
'.The project. which had been urged
for years, was started under the stress
Of war. on the plea that u would fur-
nis1 nitrates for explosives Since the
war the farmers have been aroused
with the idea that the plant can furnish
Government fertilizer. But I under
slant the process is obsolete We should
not go q step further until we find out
Just what we can really do with the
plant and how much It win cost to do II
rt would be better to lose s100,000,o00
already sunk than double that amount
Of lost money. Because Of seasonal
changes In the water supply. I under
stand the plant could never be operated
10 full capacity more than four or hve
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