Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-07-02


power as leader of the opposition he
did not neglect his Texas interest. Thus
in 1926 he appeared before the House
Committee on immigration and Natu-
radiation to permit cheap Mexican
farm labor to cross the border for work
without paying the $l8 visa fee
There are meager data in the legisla-
tive record to indicate how Garner would
solve the two questions his presidential
supporters say he regards as the greatest
issues of the next few years-the farm
problem and unemployment.
During the 20's the farm problem
was presented in the form of various
McNary- Haugen bills. He voted against
these bills in 1924 and 1927 and voted
for the one in 1928
While he was in the House he was
generally regarded as friendly to organ
lied labor, but in recent years John L.
Lewis and his C. l. O. have been suspi-
cious, to say the least.
In 1882 he introduced what was then
known as the 80 800 100000 pork barrel"
building expenditures. The object of
this bill, he declared, was to offset the
Hoover depression by public spending.
President Hoover vetoed the bill.
Balanced Budget Advocate.
Garner has consistently favored bal
anced budget even If such course was
seemingly inconsistent with his past
voting record. In 1882. when President
Hoover was still in Office, he made a
dramatic appeal to the House for bal
ancing the budget even if the revenue
bill required sales tax. He said: Il
am now opposed to a sales tax. but,
gentlemen. If I find it impossible to
balance this budget and restore the
confidence of the world and our own
people in our Government without some
such tax, I would levy any tax, sales or
any other kind, to do that. (Applause.)
l think more of my country than I do
OF any theory of taxation that I may
have, and the country at this time is
in a condition where the worst taxes YOU
could possibly levy would be better than
no taxes at ALL
This same year he was William Ran
dolph Hearst's candidate for the Demo-
cratlc nomination. The deal between
Roosevelt, Garner and McAdoo for the
vice presidential nomination in return
Tor the Texas and California delegations
is now political history But in the pre-
convention campaign Garner refused to
commit himself publicly on most con-
troversial issue prohibition. He had
voted against submission of the eight
zenith amendment, but had voted for
the Volstead and subsequent enforce
ment acts. 1t was nationally known that
he was not personal dry" and that
he privately favored repeal
But when the party went on record
against prohibition in the 1882 platform
Garner took the lead in Congress for
repeal He sponsored the bill for SUBJ
mission of the twenty-first amendment
in the House in December, 1892, which
was defeated by bare six votes in the
lame duck" Congress.
Votes Little Now.
This account of Gamers legislative
record has not taken into consideration
his activities while Vice President. He
has cast only one or two unimportant
votes to break a tie. Nor does it take
into account the many news stories, most
of them accurate, rejecting but not
quoting his adverse views on the New
Deal, New Deal advisers and the No.
New Dealer, Mr.. Roosevelt.
The gist of these views is that the
Vice President after more than IS years
in Congress believes in legislative SUI
premacy. This is natural. Almost all
his adult life has been spent in legislative
work Sometimes he has been militant
LIBERAL" at other times conservative"
at still others "compromiser."
He/has been nationally and parochially
minded as the occasion demanded. Until
he publicly announces his program, his
advocates and his opponents can find
much in his record to support their
claims for and against his presidential