Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-01-24

1
Washington, d. c., Jan. 49,
Congress is in a tangle over two
propositions which bid fair to make
trouble for the republican party
before they can be determined.
These questions concern the state
hood bills and the Philippine tariff
reducing the duty on sugar and to-
bacco. The organization members
of the house which consists of those
members who are banded together
to prevent any revision in the tariff
schedules and who are known as
''stand patters" are using every
possible effort to enact the legisla-
ton. III this they have the back
! ing of the administration and Presi-
dent Roosevelt himself has repeat
eddy taken hand in, the complica-
ton arising and has called mem
bers to account. Under the leader
ship of Congressman j. w. Babcock
of Wisconsin, an effort is being
made to defeat both bills on the
ground that the tobacco and sugar
interests of Wisconsin as we'll as
generally throughout the north
west need protection against the
product raised in the orient at
Chinese cooley" prices paid for
labor. They also oppose the joint
statehood bill because it unites
Arizona with New Mexico against
the express desire of what is CLAIM
ed to be the united sentiment of
Arizona.
These two propositions have been
debated each day since the holiday
adjournment and in the meantime
the pressure put upon members has
been tremendous in order to whip
them into line favorable to the
plans of the organizations. IL may
be of interest to Wisconsin readers
to state that the two forces carry
names familiar to the republicans
of that state, for the organization
men or stand patters are called
"stalwarts" while Congressman
Babcock and his association are
known as insurgents. So intense
has the contest become that mem
bers are arising to the question of
personal privilege and are seeking
to correct mis-statements made in
the press as defining their at.
titude.
Senator LaFollette since his com
ing to Washington has been con-
fined to his home by a severe at
tack of illness induced by cold. He
has scarcely been in the senate
chamber for two weeks but has
been in no danger and at the
present time is reported to be on
the road to recovery. His Secre-
tary Colonel Hannah was called to
Wisconsin last week and has not re-
turned.
There is no chance of misconceiv-
ing the fact that there is no end of /
important legislation pending dur ,
ing the winter. Just as soon as the
Philippine tariff bill and the JOINT
statehood bill is disposed of, con- !
gress will commence the grind up
on the rate regulation proposition.
This will be taken up within the
next two weeks and will be debated
for sometime Notwithstanding the
fact that the members all are in
agreement as to the enactment of a
law giving the interstate commerce
commission additional powers and
wider scope.
In this legislation Congressman
E5ch of the Lacrosse district among
the Wisconsin members, stands as
one of the leaders Criticism has
been made because at this session
Congressman Esch has been in some
respects showed to the background
and Congressman Hepburn of Iowa
is to have char rye of the bill. 1t APP
pears that there are lot of eleventh
hour converts !, to rate regulation
and those who in past session have
been active in this respect, are now