The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-01-26
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
BY j. f.. Jones

The republican leaders have been
obliged to confess that the independ-
ent voters " now not only votes at the
polls, but also votes in Congress. The
discovery of these leaders is rather
tardy, because this condition, which is
no longer a theory, developed in the
last year of Mr.. Wilson's administra-
ton. "Old Guard" newspapers are
printing appealing editorials calling
for party solidarity" in Congress,
and right now the party whip is being
used in t he National Capital. But
those who are observing say that the
whip has lost its Cracker" The queS-
ton as it exists today is not SO much
of party loyalty as it is the audacity
of an Independent group to challenge
the right Of any group Of officials to
make a definite party program. Ma
turally the President is the party
leader, but Mr.. Harding is not stub.
born in any demands or requests that
he is making On Congress. He takes
the logical position that the party pro-
gram as set forth in the last cam
paign must be lived up to. The con-
ficting elements exist in the Senate
and in the House. The "old guard
always has made the program and
they have made it for this Congress.
The Independent groups constituting
principally the men who represent the
cold guard".programs and served not
ice that these schedules will not do.
Apparently they are paying no atten-
ton to the crack of the party whip.
The American Farm Bureau organ
ization claims to have a paid member
ship of more than n million MEM
bers. The central headquarters in
Washington is a tremendous affair,
as is shown by the fact that it spent
$492,393 during 1921. Even Wall
Street would admit, if asked, that
they r "going some" The Amer
lean farmer feels aggrieved, inasmuch
as his product is a raw material,
which under the operation of the eco
nomic law is the first to feel the fall
of prices. The American, farmer
therefore told Congress definitely
that the packers and the grain eX-
changes must be regulated and con-
trolled, and their demands were en-
acted into law at the last session.
The Federal Aid Road Bill was made
to order by the farm bloc" in Con-
gress, and they punched holes in the
tax bill and when it came through
the Legislative processes it measured
up to all they asked for. Finally,
the tariff bill that was promised last
year has been subject to their objec-
tons, and everyone knows that the
bill cannot be passed without the
votes of the agricultural Senators.
There is a good deal of an outcry
against the control of Congress by
groups, and the discussion as to
whether this is right or wrong is be-
ing debated in the press and by pub
lie officials, including members of the
Cabinet, two of whom have condemn
ed it. But all this seems to be rather
fatuous, for the simple reason that
the American farmer has actively
entered into politics in an apparent
ly practical way. These farm groups
have the votes. beyond question, and
they are using them to shape legis-
lation the way they want it. There is
nothing so unusual about the condi-
ton but it is unusual that everyone
should know about it Congresses US
ually are controlled by somebody, the
farmers unlike their predecessors
who have been bossing the job, be-
cause they are Dragging about it.
Another round is due in the battle
between the Wisconsin senators when
Mr.. Lenroot sought reelection he was
opposed bitterly by Senator La
Toilette, but he won out, neverthe-
less. Now Senator Lenroot is to have
his inning, and he has declared war
all along the line against the senior
senators. Senator Lenroot went so
far as to ask the senate republicans
to disown his colleague as a men,
Der of the party, but the suggestion
was not acted upon. Both men are in
the senate as republicans. but when
they speak of each other it is US
ual for Senator LaFollette to des-
cribe Senators Lenroot as a "reac-
tionary," while Senator Lenroot is