Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-12-29
who pay little attention to party ties.


associate justice will be urged to run
for the presidency, but they show no
sign of perturbation over the an
nOuncement for they seem to have an
abiding faith in the ability Of their
party to carry the next election as
easily as they carried the last. The
Democrats, however, seem to be con-
WINGED that President Taft will be
the next nominee of the opposing
party. They base their judgment in
the matter on the feeling that Justice
Hughes cannot be tempted from the
bench, and that no Progressive Re-
publican leader of presidential size
will care to enter the field in 1912
because Of sheer fear of defeat
When the legislative, executive and
judicial appropriation bill was report
ed from the committee to the house OF
representatives it was found that
nearly 300 positions in the service Of
the departments have been abolished.
There was a wiping from the lists Of
a good many positions and with the
positions will go the holders, unless
the senate intervenes to save them.
Pension Agencies In Peril Again.
The house every year for many
years has attempted to save money
by passing an act to abolish the pen
sion agencies, eighteen of which are
located in different states Of the coun-
try. A large sum of money could be
saved, it is said, by disseminating
there Offices, and the only change that
would be made in the procedure neces-
sary to secure pension payments
would be to have the pensioners com
municate direct with Washington in
stead of with the nearest pension
agency as is the case at present.
The senate always has prevented
the abolition of the subordinate pen
sion offices. Of course the house men,
these Offices maintained because of
the patronage that they afford. Some
Of the senators in retaliation say that
the house having the first chance at
the appropriation bills uses its power
to abolish Offices with the firm con-
viction that the senate's vote will re-
tain them. 1t is the idea of the SEN
ators that the house members want
patronage retained just as much as
they do, but cannily they throw the
burden on the upper house.
Clark Watches Tariff Scheme.
Champ Clark, Democratic leader
of the house of representatives
and who almost unquestionably is
to be the next speaker, is watch
ing hawk-eyed the attempts of
the Republicans to get together on
tariff commission legislation. Through
his political and personal friend, Rep
resentative Underwood Of Birming-
ham, Ala, who is a member of the
ways and means committee, Mr.. Clark
has followed closely the deliberations
of the Republicans on that commit
tee during the last few days.
The Democratic leader, his friends
say, is alive to the seeming political
advantage which the Republicans will
gain if they succeed in enacting tariff
commission legislation which will suit
the people and let them feel definitely
that the Ultimate desire is to make
the tariff business proposition.
Democratic Scaling Plan.
The Democrats shortly will hold a
conference and when they get to-
gether it Is believed that they will
formulate a plan to scale most of the
duties downward at a 10 per cent
rate, thus reaching by 10 per cent
stages a schedule of duties which
they think will put the customs upon
a basis of tariff for revenue only. In
other words, it is believed to be the
Democratic plan to lower the tariff
gradually in order that business may
adjust itself more readily to the
changed conditions.
The Republicans say that the Dem
ocrats will have trouble in their 10
per cent reduction plan because, as
the former put it, the Democratic
party harbors within its ranks a good
many protectionists who will attempt
to save local industries from the &C.
ton of the 10 per cent plan. Demo
cratic leaders declare that before any
thing is attempted there will be unani-
nifty in the ranks and that the Re-
publican prophets will find themselves
without hon r. The Republicans re-
tort that time will show and that it is
not seasonabie to pass on the merits
of the prophecy until the time comes
for its fulfllment or its failure
Washington Wants Canal Exposition.
The City of Washington wants to
be names as the place for the holding
of the great exposition which is to be
given in celebration of the opening of
the Panama Canal in the year 1915.
San Francisco and New Orleans each
wishes to be named as the exposition
city, and today in the capital advo-
Gates of the claims of the three big
duce congress to recognize the fact
that there is only one city where the
exposition can be given a proper and
adequate setting.
The campaign for exposition honors
began over a year ago and it is still
at its height. 1t was the hope of the
San Francisco and New Orleans ad-
vocates that when the congressional
committee on foreign affairs prepared
a resolution of invitation to the great
countries to participate in the Pana-
ma Canal exposition, it would specify
in the resolution the place where the
exposition was to be held. OF course
the friends of New Orleans expected
that their city's name would appear
and the same expectation was held by
the advocates of San Francisco. The
committee disappointed the hopes of
the men most concerned, for it neg
Iected to say anything about where
the big fair was to be held and the
matter is now before congress
Beyond Price.
Precious beyond price are good
resolutions; valuable beyond price are