Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-08-02
MR. PRICE
His Views on Presidential Candidates
and Wisconsin Politics.
CHICAGO, July 20.

CHICAGO, July 70.
Congressman w. 7. Price, Of the
Eighth Wisconsin district, stopped
here on his return from a trip to
Washington. He thinks Washington
abounds in laziness. Speaking Of the
government clerks he said: ''Why,
bless my soul, they don't do any
work. [ have boy in my office who
does more work in one day than any
twelve of them. They move as If
life was too short for any undue eX-
ercise, and it makes a western man
sleepy to see them doing on their
stools and gently propelling their
pens over the pages as if they were
handling the hair springs of a watch.
The city is vast nest Of mendicants.
The women get SIS month, and l
am told they put the last cent Of it on
their backs, and if they are ousted
they have not dollar and a half to
their names. It must be the climate
that enerVates those people, and |
would favor moving the capital to
some place where they could inhale
some good fresh air"
"You may say" said he, "that the
present campagain will be fought
out on the all absorbing issue-pro-
tective tariff against free trade, That
is the only important question now
for national consideration. Locally
we have the liquor question. Upon
that the Ohio Republican platform
represents my views exactly. If the
party in Wisconsin is wise enough to
take a similar stand. we will have
things all our own way"
"Who will be the speaker of the
next house?'
cit is very probable that Randall
will be the successful candidate. If
/ were Democrat he should have
my vote, because his position on the
tariff suits me to a dot. If there is
anything like deadlock [ shall vote
for him anyway. When [ have ex-
pressed such purpose [ have been
reproved by my Republican col,
leagues. They say, why, we must
help them to elect free trade speak
er; then we will beat them next year
but [ don't believe in making an op-
position party follow a course that
would be detrimental to the best in
terests of the people in order to better
our own party prospects. That thing
has been done too much in the past,
and it is high time that we were ris-
ing above mere partisanship."
''Who is Wisconsin's favorite for
president?''
"Our delegation will undoubtedly
be unit for Lucius Fairchild; not
that we have any expectation that he
will be successful, but he is our choice.
Ii Fairchild has no chance his sup
port will probably 60 to Arthur, who
is daily becoming more popular. The
people are we'll satisfied that the
president has worked for the best in
terests of the entire country. He has
lost sight Of party and factional dis
tlnctions, and has shown himself to
be the president of all classes, seek
ing the common good. IF he contin-
ues as he is now doing. he will be
nominated almost by reclamation.
Have the Wisconsin Republicans
recovered from their defeat last fal?"
L hope SO. That defeat was due
to two things. The Republican party
moderated the strength Of the prohi-
bitionists and the latter overrated
their strength. The prohibition ele-
ment never asked the Republican
party to favor prohibition; all they