Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-02-17
SENATORIAL FARM BLOC
Facts About Distributing New Power
In Congress.
SOUTH CAROLINA SENATORS BELONG

Bipartisan Organization That Seeks
to Secure a Fair Deal For the Farm
ers-only Twenty Members But
They Exercise Powerful Influence.
William Atherton Du Puy in Washing
ton Herald.
1 walks right into the office of Sena-
tor Arthur Capper, of Kansas. and l
saws to him that l was looking FOR
what they calls the agricultural bloc
and has been directed to him ard can
he tell me if It Is ice or that what
farmer uses to think with, or some
thing to keep crops from growing.
And he just smiles in his dry way
and he says that it was none Of these !
that it was a newborn legislative
baby; that it had been left on the door
step of the United States senate; that
they had took it in confident like in
long experience with infants.
But this here baby had got obstrep-
erous right off; had developed COM
plexes. 1t didn't seem to care what
sort of company 1t kept; had no reVer-
ence for gray hairs nor established au-
thority; wouldn't follow along beaten
paths.
The first thing they did every morn
ing was to get together over at the
senate and make discreet inquiries OF
the conduct overnight Of this baby.
Had it gone quietly to sleep or had II
been out gallivanting? Had 1t broken
out with any new rashes or had 1t put
any tacks In the seats of the conVen-
tional? Where might it turn loose
next?
Then, along in the late summer, the
senate proceeded as usual to get ready
for the taking Of It's vacation. But just
as It was walking out here stood this
agricultural bloc with its hand uplifted
like a crossing policeman. 1t talked
Just like the poilus at Verdun. 1t Is
sued the famous do or die pronounce
ment 'They shall not pass" At least
IL there were any passing done IL
should be on bills, agricultural bills,
half dozen of them. The bloc had lts
way.
Then a little later Mr.. Secretary Mel
Ion made up a neat little list of taxes
that should be lowered and those that
should remain just as they are. he
sent this over to the White House ana
Mr.. Harding gave it the once over ana
sent Il forward to congress. 1t was ac-
cepted as the administration tax pro-
gram. The proper committee gave II
the right Of way.
But there stood the orphan with hand
uplifted, palm forward. 1t looked to the
orphan as though this bill lowered the
taxes of the rich, but left the poor to
worry along about as they had been
doing during the war and after. IL
must be fixed up quite differently. Pay
ments upon large incomes ought not 10
slide down so fast. And there was the
matter Of inheritances. Why not take
over lot Of the money that rich men
left to their sons? What had these
here sons done to deserve that wealth.
and why should they be deprived OF
that great boon, the necessity OF work?
The agricultural bloc felt that the ad-
ministration program ought to De
changed bit.
And it was The orphan had Its way
1.-The agricultural blox," Senator Cap
per was explaining, "is not to be COM
pared with the old Progressive wing OF
the Republican party, 1t has no inten-
tion Of breaking party in two, put
merely of insisting on the measures
that are in the interest of farmers.
And it was. The orphan had its way.
THE agricultural bloc, as it is at
present constituted, consists of twenty
members, ten Of whom are Democrats
and ten of whom are Republicans. Thus
it is obvious that the bloc is quite non
partisan, or is bipartisan. 1t Is an
interesting fact that of this bloc there
is not a member who lives further east
than Ohio. The group is made up en-
tirely of Western and Southern men,
most of the Westerners being Repub-
llcanS, ana virtually all tie oou'heih-
ers being Democrats"
1 stopped to scan this list Of men who
stood together for certain classes OF
legislation. 1t was headed by Senator
William S. Kenyon, of Iowa, the six
foot-two campaigner, who was more
responsible for the passing of the red
light districts from American cities
than any other man. There was Ar
thur Capper of Kansas, who owns more
farm papers than any other man in the
world, and Edward F. Ladd, Of North
Dakota, the only scientist in the senate.
There was Charles L. McNary Of Ore
gon, who dslikes newspapers and
newspa apermen, and Peter Norbeck OF
South Dakota; John w. Harreld Of Ok
lahoma, who was an impecunious law
yer ten years ago, but who is now an
oil millionaire, and Robert NJ. LaFol-
lette Of Wisconsin, who has the knife
OF trust control up his sleeve for the
present administration. There was
George W. Norris of Nebraska, and
Frank r Gooding Of Idaho, who was