Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-03-02
ed to thrash the offending member of

being called a liar and some other
things which he was not, had not
shown his resentment in the way he
| did, the words of the member uttered
on the floor would have gone into the
record, and for all time one Washing
ton newspaper man would have ap-
peared IN the governmental reports as
a miserable creature generally. and as
a liar of the first rank. The CORE
spondent has been punished by exclu-
sion from the capitol for ten days. but
he and his fellow newspaper men
have the satisfaction of knowing that
the words of the member of congress
have been stricken from the record Of
the days doings
The Nellie GUSTS Place.
Recently something was writtel
about the old home of the Masons of
Virginia which is still standing, and
about which cluster memories of the
stirring Revolutionary days The diff
terent Virginia estates near the city
of Washington, with their old colonial
| mansions, recently have been brought
into notice by the attempt to erect a
penal institution near Mount Vernon.
The story of the attempt and its de-
feat already has been published broad
cast
Woodlawn, known as the Nellie
Custis place. is another of the old
| Virginia homesteads near the Mason
place, and is situated just little way
| from Mount Vernon. Some people
think that Woodlawn has about as
much interest as Mount Vernon itself,
for the original place, which com
prised about 1000 acres, was given by
George Washington as wedding pres.
ent to his ward, Nellie GUSTS, who
was married on the last birthday
which George Washington lived to eel
citrate. Nellie GUSTS married Maj
Lawrence Lewis.
The Nellie Custts house still stands,
and 1t is of the colonial type. 1t has
passed into the possession of Miss Eliz-
abeth Sharp, who is a Virginian by
birth, and whose family still resides in
that state, although Miss Sharp her
self is making her home in the north
Thousands of dollars have been spent
by the present owner to maintain the
place as it was in the days gone by.
Interest in Next Campaign.
Both Democrats and Republicans,
even in the hard work of these clos
ing hours of the session, are showing
an active interest in the next presi-
dental campaign, going so far as to
give consideration to questions of the
advisability of holding their respec'
tive conventions in this city or that
city
President Tafts campaign for re-
nomination already is on In a quiet
way, and it is expected before long
that there will be active manifesto
tons of a desire on the part of Rob
ert M La Follette's followers to Sc
cure preference for his name over that
of Taft at the next Republican
convention On the Democratic side
Champ Clark is known to be ambi-
tious, and active campaigning has be-
gun on behalf of Governor Harmon of
Ohio and Governor Woodrow Wilson
of New Jersey.
ak OF SOHNCnliOH Wy
A strong local effort is being made
to have the next Democratic conven-
ton called for Baltimore. 1t is long
time since Maryland had Democrat
ic convention and Baltimore thinks
that the time has come when the
honor should be conferred upon 1t
again. There is a difference of opin-
ion in the Democratic party as to the
advisability OF selecting Baltimore as
the convention scene. Some of the
members do not think it wise to hold
the convention in the east, and as
matter of fact this seems to be the
chief objection offered to the choice
of the city as the meeting place.
ST. Louis, Chicago, Cincinnati,
Cleveland and Kansas City already
have advocates in the field, although
the choice of the convention sites
is not to be made until next Deem
Der or January. Much the same scenes
are enacted in Washington when the
convention city is under consideration
as when the boomers are here asking
congress to name a certain place as
that for the holding of a great ma
tional exposition.
Effects of an Extra Session.
1t is somewhat curious to note how
differently the members of the two
parties view the effect of an extra ses-
sion of congress, if the president
shall make up his mind to call one in
case reciprocity is foredoomed to de-
feat at the present session.
1t seems to be the belief of the fol
lowers of Mr.. Taft that, while he may
lose prestige with the party leaders
because of his insistence on reciproc-
ity, he will gain the support of the I'LL
innate consumer class, the men who
are neither farmers, importers, nor
manufacturers, and the presidents
friends say that the support he will
gain from the consuming ranks will
offset all his losses.
The friends Of each of the Demo
cratic candidates say they know that
If the party which soon will come into
power in the house shall pass a mod
crate tariff revision measure cutting
the schedules on certain of the neces-
saries of life, the people will turn to
the Democrats in 1912. AS an offset
to this some members, of the Taft fol-
lowing say that if the Democrats do
put through a sane revision bill and 1t
is sanctioned by the senate, that the
president will sign it and therefore will
get just as much glory, if glory there
is to be, as will any Democratic leader
who enters the field as the presidents
rival
Not Much.