The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-20
ICBELIGHTS faL 49,
.\NATIONAL ISsiI
oCAPlTAL %gG:sA

The first essential of compost
tion is exact expression. The
man who cannot say whSt he
means so that child may un-
destand is no writer even if his
style be as ornate as that of De
Quincy or his speech as melliflu-
Gus as that of Demosthenes.
Senator Borah declares that an
ambisu in the constitution
precipitated by the Civil war. and
that the doubt was never elimi-
mated until the earth had been
drenched in blood" :. If all men
could write acceptabiy. there
would be little requirement for
the interpretations of the supreme
court.
1t is beyond all question true
that Southern senators desired
and actually tried to put calcium
arsenate, boil weevil poison, on
the free list of the Fordney Me
Cumber tariff act.
1t was the expressed purpose of
congress that calcium arsenate be
admitted without duty. When the
bill was perfected" customs of
ficials required the payment OF
duty on the first cargo of calcium
arsenate to reach American shores
A howl Immediately went heaven
ward Quick resort to the text
was had.
1t then developed that white ar
senic was on the free list, but not
calcium arsenate. There is a diff
ference between the two, although
the former is the chief ingredient
of the latter.
Southern senators appealed 20
the president to take into consid-
Grafton that which congress ac
tually intended doing, IL was ar
gued that even the supreme court,
when in doubt (as it often is, of
course) refers to the stenographic
ascertain what congress had i'll
mind when it acted.
The kindly president gravely
shook his head, but agreed to ask
the attorney general for his opfn-
ion. The attorney general, repre-
senting the administration which
frequently declares desire to
serve the farmer, and no doubt
aware of the intention of congress,
finally concluded that duty, I'M
der the law, must be collected be-
fore calcium arsenate may be APP
piled to infested cotton.
1t would have been SO simple
had congress resorted to the sim
pie form of speech. 1t would have
required no more effort of mind
or body to write calcium arsenate
than was required TO write white
arsenic.
Then why did the farm bloc
slumber? Its members say, we
thought we had covered the
ground" But it's members could
not, certainly did not. translate
Into language that which they had
in mind.
Senators are not immune from
erroneous procedure, of course.
But they so frequently blundcr
along labyrinthrine paths when a
child could succeed over an ever
open and inviting highway.
1t is recalled that Senator .Smitr
of South Carolina introduced Hn-
put through the senate a bill Gre
ating a s1O.000.O0O revolving fund
for the purchase by the govern
ment of sodium nitrate 20 be sold
at cost to Southern farmers. His
bill fell into the hands NJ UNI
friendly house leaders AMI they
killed it. Had Senator Smith OF
fered his idea as an amendment tn
the agricultural appropriation bill.
which was pending when his idea
was conceived. it would have been
preserved beyond all question of
doubt. No agricultural appropria-
ton bill was ever destroyed be-
cause of single amendment to
which a few leaders of either
house declared objection.
Whatever might be the limita-
tons of members of congress.
there is no excuse for them
egregiously to blunder. 1t is true,
but not generally known cit is not
generally admitted as matter of
fact, that each house employs
and handsomely remunerates
man to assist members in the
preparation of their bills.