New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1905-10-21
THE MAN WHO PROPOSES TO COM
PEI RAILROADS TO ADOPT THE
BLOCK SYSTEM.

| through all history. American pOllt
ical life has been peculiarly rich i
its examples of this fact. The grea
prominence of railroad rate legisla
tion in the closing session of th
Fifty eighth Congress brought to tn
notice of Washington and the countr,
several memers of the House VIII
had Heretofore been scarcely known
outside of their own States. Anon,
these was Representative John J
Esch, of Wisconsin, who took lead
ing part in the deliberations of TIN
House Committee on Interstate ant
Foreign commerce, of which he was ,
member, and was one of the author
of the Esch- Townsend bill for Govern
ment control of rates. This measure
is still prominently before the coun
try.
Until last winter, Mr. Esch wa.
known in the capital but slightly, and
although he had been hard workine
conscientious member of the House
since the Fifty sixth Congress, he had
compelled no notice in other States
than his own. The consideration of
rate legislation, however, served to
focus attention upon him in all sec
tions of the country where the rate
question was being given acute
thought.
1t is the general tendency of the
American citizen to look at Congress
as band of politicians, each one
lending his attention to the public
welfare and much concern to his own
personal and political advancement
1t is frequently forgotten that in
House and Senate there are numerous
men who are giving days and nights
to the most careful study Of great pub
lie questions with the same devotion
other men give to business affairs.
Mr.. Esch is pre- eminently one of this
class of members. He is prominent
on two important committees, Inter
state and Foreign Commerce and Mil
itary affairs. No member ,zof either
of these committees is more attentive
to laborious details of committee
work than Mr. Esch.
Committee work in all legislative
bodies is wearisome grind, too often
neglected by Legislators who have
high rank in the work of The legisla-
tive body itself. Yet it is of prime
Importance, for it is here legislation
is mapped out and details shaped for
final consideration. In all his COM
mittee work, Mr. Esch has brought to
bear his studious habits and his thor
oughness in getting at details, and
has impressed upon his co-workers a
deep sense Of his painstaking methods,
his honesty, his forcefulness and his
patriotism. He has note
worthy talents as a public speaker,
but he has seldom appeared in the
of affairs in Congress. In
deed, his closest friends critisite him
for pursuing his work too modestly,
and for not making effort to imprint
his true measure upon the House in
its public sessions.
Mr.. Esch has always been a close
student. He became interested at All
early age in railroad problems, and
he is one of the best informed man
in Congress on subjects relating to
10 railroading. He represents the
Seventh District of Wisconsin, his
nome being at La Crosse He was
BORN in Monroe County. Wisconsin,
n 1861, of German parents, and lived
With them for time at Milwaukee,
md later at Sparta. He was gradu-
tied from the Sparta high school, and
ook degree with the class of 1882 |
# the State University at Madison,
the modern classical course.
10 taught school, studied law, was
omitted to the bar. and has since
'een in the practice of law at La
)rosse. Until he entered Congress,
he only elective Office he had held
vas that of city treasurer of Sparta.
lie was elected to the House from his
istrict in the Fifty-sixth Congress,
nd has just entered on his fourth
term.
In Wisconsin, Mr.. Esch followed
atural bent he had for the military
nd did much hard work in the Wis
onsin National Guard. HE organized
company when in Sparta and be-
anne its captain, and when he re-
loved to La Crosse, aided in organic
1g another company, Of which also
Q became captain. He served two {
ears as judge advocate general of the +,
tate. He has never lost interest in 5
ilitary matters. and this explains
by he is serving on the Military At i
lirs Committee of the House, and +,
by he finds his duties on this COM q
ittee of the keenest interest. He r
IS studied military subjects deeply, q
I'd although not of the Army, he is a '
ecialist in military matters. He is s
ilizing his experience in the Nation i
Guard of Wisconsin in the wider
Ids Of national legislation for the
rmy. He has had All honorble part g
the last three years in the great I
gislation whereby the Army has a
en- re-organized. One of the best Z
of the close attention Il
r. Esch gives to details is found in b
8 work in connection with the in L
xsaarah bio Iillc ar,xaiIu hofara Tho