Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-12-08

accomplish that which he has at heart.
the president has had several confer
ences, with leading regulars and prog
ressives at which his program has
been thoroughly threshed out. The
outlook seems to be good for united
action Of all classes of Republicans
IN the senate, but, as has been init
mated, the danger comes from these
Democrats who will antagonize all
that bears political aspect in pro-
posed legislation.
The session may not be without It's.
share of sensational incidents. The
committee which investigated the Bal
hnger-Pinchot controversy has con-
cluded its Iabors and its report is
ready for the consideration Of the
two houses of congress. BY the ma
jority of the joint committee the Sec
rotary Of the interior is exonerated;
by the minority, including one prog
ressive Republican, Pinchot is sus-
tanned, and the discussion of the re-
port doubtless will cause some sensa,
tional speeches in both houses.
lorimer Report Ready.
The Lorimer bribery charges, grow
ing out of the allegations that the
Illinois senator was elected through
the corrupt use of money, were in
vestigated by a senatorial committee
during the summer and its report Is
ready. The impression here is that
the committee did not find the charges
sustained by evidence that was of
sufficient Importance to warrant an
unfavorable report
Another inquiry, growing out of
charges made by Senator Gore on the
floor of the senate, was made during
the recess. This charge involved the
use of money and the offer of alleged
fees to certain men in the senate and
house for favorable action on legisla-
ton pertaining to Indian matters. AL
though the formal report of the COM
mittee has not been made, it is I'M
derstood that the conclusion has been
reached that the statements rest on
unwarranted accusations.
II one attempted to predict what
will be done at the present session, 1t
would be safe only to prophesy that
the appropriation bills and incidental
measures necessary to the ordinary
conduct of the government will be
enacted into law. There will be much
talk and very little action.
Extra Session is Predicted.
Leaders among the Republicans, as
we'll as among the Democrats, are
predicting that events are tending to-
ward an extra session of the new
congress, either Immediately on the
expiration of this session, or early in
the summer These leaders believe
that if President Taft does not call
such a session for the consideration
of a revision of the tariff schedules,
the Democratic or Republican lea lers
may force an extra session by holding
up the passage Of the necessary ap-
preparation bills.
The Democratic leaders believe, at
least some of them, that an extra
session for the consideration of the
tariff schedules would be fatal to the
Republicans, because whatever the
Democratic majority in the house
might do would be blocked by the Re-
publican senate. Some of the Repub-
lican leaders say that an extra ses-
sion would be fatal to Democrats on
the Republican theory that the Dem
ocratic party can be counted on to do
the wrong thing at the right time"
and that If the tariff schedules are
revised the Democrats will make
some kind Of blunder.
It is indeed seldom that two par
ties, at the same time, believe that
an extra session will be Of advantage
to each. Nearly everything done at
this session will be with an eye single
to a point Of advantage from which
the campaign to capture the White
House in 1912 can be conducted