Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-01-24
STAND ON THEIR MERITS.
Prospects for Passage of the Army
and Ship Subsidy Bills in
the Senate.
GREAT MEASURES NOW IN DEMAND.
Have Been FavorabIy Reported On
by Two Successive Copgresses-
Undeserved Opposition AttI butR-
BILE Only to FiIibustering Tactics.
Especial Correspondence

Washington, Jan. "a
Before these words will reach the eye Of
the reader, doubtless, the army reorganiza-
ton bill will have been disposed Of in the
senate. At this writing the majority are
so wrought up over the flibustering tactics
pursued by few populists who have been
discredited by their own home states, and
by few renegade republicans, who feel that
they must oppose everything that will in any
way strengthen the hands of the admins
tration, that there is every indication Of
some vigorous talking, and, if that don't
work, then some vigorous action, that shall
efectually squelch these hypocritical enc
mics of American progress.
As matter Of fact, when the people, by
their votes, in last November, Endorsed the
administration and reelected President Nc
Kinley, the people also Endorsed the prin-
ciples and the polices advocated by the re-
publican party and by President Mckinley.
These senators, however, who are now OPP
posing administration measures, like the
army bill, for instance, know very well in
deed that they are attempting to thwart
the will of the people in taking whatever ac-
ton may be necessary to force to the rear
where they belong these discredited pops
and renegade republicans.
The assertion has been repeatedly made
that the flibusterlng against the army bill
in the senate is not SO much directed against
that measure as it is against the shipping
bill, the latter being another great measure
] L. l,oir cA TO Il
national conventions, year after year, and
which has been before two successive con-
crosses, and twice favorably reported for
passage by both the house and the senate
committees having the bill in charge. But
it is being seen, now, that the shipping bill
does not deserve this aspersion. The army
bill, on its own merits, is opposed by the
flag ends of repudiated and discredited and
bobtail parties, solely to embarrass the pres
ident, and to give aid and comfort to the
nations enemies in the Philippines.
The shipping bill, too, stands upon its own
merits, and will, by the time this reaches the
readers eye have been restored to its po-
sition of precedence as unfinished business,
if it has not been passed by the senate,
After the experience which the members of
the senate have undergone in the discussion
of the army bill they will be in no kind of
a mood to sit tamely and permit the So
called "kickers' in the senate to occupy
time i'll flibustering. And after the ship
ping bill has been finally passed, it will be
discovered that the flibustering tactics Of
the pops and renegade republicans will be
just as much in evidence, no matter what
the measure that they may have under dis
cussion.
In short, the real purpose of the flibus-
terers is to delay action on all administra-
ton measures, even the appropriation bills,
in order to embarras the president and
compel him to call congress in extra ses-
sion. If this despcable plan is successful,
then these very people who have caused the
extra session by preventing action upon i'm
portant measures during the time available
will be the first to excoriate the president
and the republican party, for what they will
charge as extravaganza, and desire to put
through all sorts of indefensible measures.
The worst of it all is that, although the sim
cerity of a number Of these directors has
long been questioned it is only recently that
their personal honesty has been impugned,
but such pointed suggestions have been car
ried from them to those in control of af-
fairs on the other side that ''for consid-
Grafton" they would cease their ''opposi-
tion," that the most unworthy of all mo-
tives now seems to be at the bottom of some
of the most active and malignant of the OPP
pOnents.