Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-01-28
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE
FROM WASHINGTON

Mr.. ROShOlt, President or tne
Union Savings Bank. Eau Claire, is
here interviewing members OF the
Postal Savings Bank. There seems
to be some misrepresentation as to the
attitude Of the Wisconsin members
upon the postal banks bill. The prin-
cipal objection of the bankers is that
the bill discriminates in favor of the
national banks Mr.. ResholU found
that the members of the delegation
were awake to the situation and
| favored an amendment to prevent
such discrimination.
Senator LaFollette was among the
first of the members of the upper house
| to extend congratulations to Governor
and Senator ELECT George E. Chamber
lain. His congratulatory telegram
was not only personal but also be-
cause the election was vindication
of the principle and spirit of the
Oregon Primary Law.
Strange as it may seem, probably
the happiest man in the country
over the election of Mr.. chamberlain
is Senator Jonathan Bourne, also of
Oregon. Mr.. Bourne is a republican
uncOmprOmising il bis partisanshlp
but he believes in the people more
ho, In in political
The news from Oregon brought to
him the personal congratulations of
all these men about the Capitol who
are interested in the movement to
secure more representative govern
ment. Ii was Jonathan BOurne'S
| fight for the vindica tion of Statement
No. /. in Oregon Primary Law which
made the election of a Democrat Dy
Republican legislature not only posi-
BILE but reality.
By a union of the progressive repub-
licanS and democrats in the Senate
"Uncle Joe". was handed the
warm end of the poker in the matter
of salary raise. 1t was one of the few
instances on record where the Senate
evidently took into consideration the
size of the man filling the Office and
did not decide the matter of the
salary of the Speaker purely with
regard to the office. The progreSsives
q nd Gnnon0rntc CT onnt1nh
to prevent the general salary raise.
This was carried by vote of Sc to 81
Senator BOrah however proposed that
the Speaker be limited to SIS. 900 per
annum instead of $4,000 proposed in
| the bill and this amendment carried
by vote of "a to 81. While nothing
was said disparaging to the Speaker in
the open debate senators and republi-
can senators particularly did not con-
ceal the fact that they did not believe
Mr. Cannon was entitled to the raise.
Senator Aldrich was not strong
enough to force through the $4,000
stipend SO eagerly desired by the
member from Danville.
1t is more than year since the
special committee of which Senator
LaFollette was member submitted
its report upon the afflirs of The
KickapQo Indians. The report showed
that gross frauds had been committed
and that some men high ia official
life in Oklahoma and some Connected
with the general government were
involved. A grand jury at Eagle Pass
Texas has just returned 90 indict-
mentS against these men. The report
was received by the Department of
the Interior but it did not contain
the names of those under Indictment.
1t is understood however that one of
the men caught is one of Governor
HaSkells closest advisers and another
is special attorney OF the Depart
ment of Justice. Senator LaFollete
and the other members of the COM
mittee are pleased with the outcome
They had hard work to get the depart
ment to move in the matter at first,
Mark Good special attorney who
conducted some of the investigations
for the department upon these affairs
has been dropped from the depart
ment, The Texas INDIGNANT has not
been found against him but he made
grOundlesS charges against the men,
berS of the senate committee which
he could not prove although he was
given year by the Secretary of the
Interior to make good.
While there was not as much noise
made by the liberal suits which have
been started at the instance of the
President against the New York
World as some other actions of the
President have occasioned the feeling
in regard to the matter was much
deeper. There was a sigh of relief
went over Congress when it was
learned that no serious effort would
surely cause the greatest upheavel
which the President encountered.
None of the members interviewed
would express the belief that the
government could maintain such an
action. Some were outspoken to the
effect that it could not. Among
these was Senator LaFollette who
said 81 do believe it can" The suits
however are to be pressed by individ-
uals.