Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-02-03
Washington Letter.


weeks record in the house was one
of absorbing interest in COMPRESSION
al circles with enough of the sensa-
tiOnal added to bring into promin-
ence those members who opposed
the organization plans of the lead
ers. 1t was a fight from start to
finish which will long be remember
ed In political annals and brought
into action some of the strongest
men in congress. While on the sur
face, the contest was over the joint
statehood hill proposing to admit
Arizona and New Mexico as one
state, the real contest was waged
over the report of the committee on
rules which sought to force the leg
islation through under the party
whip. Opposition TO the the joint
statehood bill was an incident, the
main debate at we'll as contest be-
tween the members coming over the
adoption Of the report Of the rules
committee.
People remote from congressional
action may be interested in know
ing that practically all legislation is
in the control of three members of
the house of representatives, so far
as all preliminaries are concerned.
A bill after being introduced goes to
a committee for consideration and
the report of the committee may be
unanimous in favor of it's passage,
but unless the committee ON rules
sees fit TO sanction and arrange for
the report and consideration Of the
measure upon the floor, nothing
further is heard of the proposition.
The rules committee also has the
power, or assumes it, to prescribe
the manner time and in fact the
whole proceeding governing con-
sideration of legislation.
In the legislation pertaining to
the statehood bill, what are known
I as the republican insurgents, lead
by Congressman J. W. Babcock of
Wisconsin, protested against the
action of the rules committee and
organized to defeat such action. No
opportunity was permitted to either
amend the bill or even to debate it
in accordance with the Importance
of the measure. Forty three repub-
licans voted against the report of
the committee on rules. among
whom were Congressman Adams,
Babcock, Often, Esch, Davidson,
Miner and Brown.
In the fight against joint state
hood the Wisconsin delegation took
most prominent part from the
standpoint that the admission of
the territories, either jointly or
separately, would be a mistake and
that there was no necessity for the
act at this time. Those who voted
in accordance with this view, have
been criticised to some extent, but
their position, it is asserted, will be
sustained by the senate. The Wis
co1sin members desired to amend
the bill to permit the people of the
territories the right to vote upon
the question of admission, but this
was not permitted under the rule
submitted by the committee on
rules. The debate was exceedingly
heated, and speeches were made
against the measure by Congress-
men Babcock, Adams and Miner.
Senator LaFollette for the first
time since he was sworn in. took his
Sc 1t in the senate, Monday, having
fully recovered from his illness
which for weeks has made confne-
ment to his room necessary. He
enters actively upon his duties in
the senate at prOpitious time. for
the railroad bill comforting greater
% yer upon the interstate commerce
commission is up for discussion
Upon this subject, it is believed that
Senator LaFollette, can, if he de-
| sires, contribute valuable informa-
ton and effort to a solution of the
question. The rate bill in its nres-
at form Will have a stormy pas
sage in the senate Notwithstanding
the fact that the Hepburn bill. in
the house, will pass without much
opposition. In fact the house has
already practically agreed to pass
the bill. The senate however is I'M
able to reach an agreement and as
a result, the committee CONSIDERING
various measures seeking to enact 4
law that will meet:the requirements
OF the president in debating four or
five different bills with the result
that no definite measure will be re-
ported out.
General Wheeler, the hero of two
wars, one against the nation and
the other with the men he fouoht