The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1922-08-18
WASHINGTON LETTER
BY Wallace Bassford

special News Correspondents
Washington. d. c., Aug. When
Senator Wadsworth. reactionary. OBJ
iected to the consideration of the
Caravan resolution providing for an
inquiry as t. the personal pocket
book interest which Senators might
have in the pending tariff Dill, he ac-I
complished nothing in the way of
checking a movement which is des-
tined to go forward until the people
wine out disgraceful condition
which exists in both Houses and Sen
ate. He did, however. more definitely.
if possible. align himself with the
forces of reaction which believe that
the good old DAYS" of spoils are still
here and that lobby can still exist
among the members of the Senate
itself.
Again Senator Caraway has rem
dered the people of the country
great service by bringing out into the
light the fact that wealthy gentlemen
sit in the Senate and braZenly vote in
matters in which they have d direct
pecuniarv interest For a judge to sit
on the bench to try his own case
"Oulu very DIbtClI - ~ 4447 '''+iN ii''
peachment. and Senators. in voting
tariff rates on their own products.
are equally indecent and shameless.
The great jefferson. who saw with
fine Clearness and prophetic vision the
various contingencies which would
arise. stated the case in his Manual
of Parliamentary Procedure. which
for more than a century been accept
ed as a guide for both House and
Senate and in each Congress reprint
ed for the use of the members. He
said: When the private interests OF
Il Member are concerned in bill or
question he is to withdraw. And
where such an interest has appeared
his voice has been disallowed. even
after a division. In a case so contrary,
not only to the laws of decency. but
to the fundamental principle Of the
social compact. which denies to any
man to be judge in his own cause.
it is for the honor of the House that
this rule of immemorial observance
should be strictly adhered to-
When Senator Caraway arose to in
trUduce his resolution providing for
an inquiry to determine if, Senators
had been voting in the interest of
their own business occupations. he
read from an editorial in the New
York Herald a Republican newspap
er which had been shocked out of its
partisanship by the attitude of the
Wool Senators as they will be known
hereafter Senator Caraway did not
read the names of the Senators. but
the Herald referred to SmOot of Utah.
Warren of Wyoming. Gooding of Ida
no. Stanfeld of Oregon, BurSum of
New Mexico, Cameron of Arizona and
eddie of Nevada. And every mothers
son of them d Republican of the In
ner Circle. Their braZen votes con-
stituted the majority of which a great
burden OF wool taxes was fastened on
the hundred million Americans who
use articles made of wool during eve
ry year of their lives. from the cradle
To the grave. Had thew possessed the
decencv to decline to vote in mat
ter where the interests of their own
pOcket-bOOks are alleged to be involv-
ed. the high wool tariff rates would
have been defeated and untold mil
lions would have been saved to the
people IN those unseen but deeply
felt indirect taxes which surreptiti-
ously ease upward the selling price
of every article into which wool en-
tiers or is even alleged to enter.
whether the article is made abroad
and shipped in here. or whether it is
made here and the price fixed under
the protecting wing of the high i'm
port duty.
In that connection it is suggested
that Senator Wadsworth. represent
ing a State containing teeming mil
lions of users. manufacturers. job
bers and retailers of articles made of
wool. has thrown his lot in with Sen
atOr eddie of Nevada. representing
10000 people. a few of whom are
making their living. like eddie rails
ing sheep. Wadsworth has hardly
constituent who will not suffer finan-
cially, disadvantage or less by reason
of the action of the Wool Senators.
A few years ago Wadsworth's
friend. Lucius y. Littauer, got him
self elected to Congress from the
Gloversville, n. Y. district Littauer
was a manufacturer of gloves. and
while in the House, with bold effrOnt-
cry, he obtained from the Ways and
Means Committee engaged in making
up that colossal collection of special
legislative favors known as the Payne
Aldrich bill, the privilege of writing
the tariff rates on gloves. The Demo
Gratis stood aghast. but the Republi-
cans, with a brutal majority such as
they now have. ran it through. and
every man. woman and child in the
United States had to pay more for
gloves of every sort and description.
but Littauer waXed fat.
And so it is said to be with Ford
ney, of whom it is common talk that