River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1922-01-19
Our Weekly Letter
From Washington
written for last week.
FROM JAS. A. FREAR, M. c.

"A T1Rny OI dCtiOh Dy ALi0eAs~o - sf.S
deceased against the county IN Wnicn
tho lvnching occurs and holds crimin-
ally responsible the sheriff or other
officers who do not make reasonable
efforts to protect prisoners in their
possession Representative Dyer said
that in East st. Louis in his own dis
trict lynching occurred five years ago
that resulted in mob riot when over
100 people were seriously injured or
killed. He then read list of lynch
ings by mobs that reached total OF
1896 covering a period of 80 years or
over 100 a year on the average. South
ern Representatives oppose the bill,
claiming it is directed against their
section and if passed will license to
the criminally inclined who are gener-
ally victims of lynchings in the south.
Over asserted the measure affects the
entire country and that his own state
was not a Southern state yet 1T mas
been the scene of one of the worst
race riots ever known in this count
try. The bin gives right of way to pr1-
yileged appropriation bills which are
now before the House. Several Of the
latter. including the Treasury bill
carrying about $4,000 were started
on their way during the week. !.
Lincoln and other great men OF
rugged type employed plain and hom-
civ expressions common among men
of those DAYS. The other day when
things were at stand still IN the
House during filibuster ! asked Un-
Gle Joe Cannon, one of Lincoln's as
sociates, what he advised and he res
ponded we'll ~ don't know h. is to
nav and no pitch hot" The express
sion is not offered as an evidence OF
roughness, or bruskness because Un-
Gle Joe is courteous and kind to all
but he has a frankness and bluntnesss
of expression which was acquired
many years ago but not in finishing
school. On New Years day the writ
er's wife said to Chief Justice Taft
at Speaker Gillett's home that. she
first shook hands with him at a New
Years reception when he was Presl,,
dent. Judge Taft chuckled and used
a colloquilism when he said "A good
deal of water has gone over the dam
since those days" At the WHITE
House this year over 5000 people
shook hands with President and Mrs.
Harding. Ex-Congressman Hazleton
Of Wisconsin, aged 81 attended. lie
was a colleague of Judge Humphrey
who represented our district 40 years
ago. Congressman Cooper, Judge
Hazleton and the writer went in to-
gether and Hazleton said to the Presi-,
dent that in that same room he had
shaken hands with President Lincoln
over a half century before. Notwith-
standing the line was growing impa.-
tient Hazleton was stopped and spent
three or four minutes giving old time
impressions to an attentive listener.
The Newberry Senatorial case from
Michigan hobs up continually and is
expected to reach vote early IN the
Session. The charge against seating
the Michigan Senator-elect grows out
of an expenditure of some 100000 IN
his primary and election, whereas
the Michigan statute fixes limit OF
S3.75O according to the contention or
those opposing his admission to the
Senate. Practically all the Democratic
Senators and several Republican
Senators are among those opposing
Newberry's admission.
A strange fatality seems to affect
PENNSYLVANIA Senators. Senator Knox.
one of the able men Of the country
died in harness a little over two
months ago. His successor Senator
Grove appointed by Governor Sproui
is reported critically i'll and has been
subjected to TRANSMISSION of blood sew
eral times in an effort to save his life.
Senator Penrose known as Senate
leader for many years died suddenly
during the Holidays. He was chair
man Of the Finance Committee of the
Senate that has practically the same
duties as the Ways and Means Com
mittee of the House and in this capac-
ity of Chairman, Penrose had charge
of the Revenue and tariff bills which
he actively handled against medical
advice.
Chairman Fordney Of our committee
promised to get to work this week on
a soldiers compensation bill which
has been practically agreed to by Ad-
ministration leaders. A measure
similar to that passed by the House
last year will probably be re-enacted.
The question of financing the bill is
being actively discussed. New York
business interests insist that COM
sumption tax shall be levied on the
people to raise three times the
amount required for a compensation
bill, the remainder to be used in re-
ducing taxes on large incomes. In
remarks placed in the record last
week, january OIu, thC WiieCl oN6
gested many plans for financing q
compensation bill, none of which in
clude a sales tax Opinions from Some
of the strongest tax authorizes in the
country and from leading agricultural
labor and other organizations were
submitted in opposition to consump-
ton tax. This Congress, over oppo.
sition has repealed the excess profits
%av ord rad,1cad tho c,Irtay on higher
incomes for an aggregate of over one
half billion dollars in annual taxes
The majority rules and the majority
may be able to force through con
sumption tax. but it will meet witt
active opposition as it did when Ell
minated from the former soldier:
compensation bill after strong pro
tests by the writer in committee ant
in Republican conference, aided bl
others during that session. The com
yoy,co4soy, hill will he nocSed in form