Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-03-08

siyes
Senator Penrose is a member of the
senate finance committee, the chair
mans hip OF which usually carries sen
ate leadership with T. II he is made
chairman of the committee, a position
which he would get if promotion in
regular line were given him, he prob
ably will be made the Republican lead
er. bit it is conceivable that a prece-
dent might be broken and that the
leadership might be given to some one
who was not at the head Of the chief
senate committee. Il Is T ossible that
some such compromise as this may be
made. the opponents of Mr.. Penrose
withdrawing their opposition to him
as finance chairman provided he Is
not made the leader
There viii be Republican majority
In the next senate of only about six
members and the progressives of the
party hold the balance of power.
There has been an intimation that
they might join with the Democrats
to the extent of preventing the Sc
lection of Mr.. Penrose as chairman OF
the finance committee
Talk Of Compromise.
II seems most likely that all the
Republicans OF the senate will go into
caucus and that some kind Of com,
promise will be reached by which the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS minority VIII be
given good representation on many of
the important committees and that in
exchange opposition to the naming Of
old-time regulars as committee chair
men will be withdrawn
President Taft, 1t is said, is looking
forward with a good deal of anxiety
to me probable legislative course Of
the next senate. There are Democrats
In the house OF representatives who
believe that II they are moderate in
legislation the progressives in the sen
ate will Join with the Democrats to
put the legislation through Presi.
dent Taft has intimated recently
through an interview given out by
Representative Mccall of Massachus-
etts, that he would use the veto power
to prevent the enactment OF tariff leg.
islation Of nature to undermine the
principles OF protection.
Before Mr.. Taft would enter the
field as candidate for the Republican
| nomination for the presidency he said
that he was to a considerable extent
| a downward revlsionist and that he
wanted his party to understand this
in advance. There is a feeling in
Washington that the president might
sign a tariff bill of Democratic origin
provided 1t simply cut some of the
schedules which are supposed to af-
feet the price OF living. Mr.. Taft's
concern about legislation under a
Democratic house has to do principal
ly with the thought that legislation
may be put through which from the
point OF view of some Republicans
might be moderate and yet from the
point of view Of the president might
not be moderate enough.
Minority Leadership.
Senator Money of Mississippi, who
will leave the senate on March 4. has
been the Democratic leader through
the present session. The question Of
the minority party leadership is agi-
tating the Democracy just as the com
ing leadership of the majority is agi-
| tating the Republicans. II is possible,
perhaps probable. that Senator Bacon
OF Georgia will be given the chieftain-
ship, but this matter is still unde-
cided
John Sharp Williams of Mississippi.
who for several years was the leader
OF Democracy in the house, viii sue.
coed Senator Money in the senate.
williams is able and aggressive, but
the fact that he is q new member of
the senate will prevent his assum-
ing anything like leadership for long
time to come.
Democrats Plan Revision.
Final and definite statement can
be made in regard to the tariff
revision plans of the Democratic
majority IA the next house of repre-
sentatives. II there is an extra session
the Democracy In the house will fol-
low one of two outlined programs.
If President Taft should call con.
gress together in extraordinary session
| the Democrats of the house may put
reciprocity through and reserve the
tariff revision legislation for the regu.
| lar session. The other plan is to re-
wise four or FIVE Of the Payne Aldrlch
schedules and to tack reciprocity on
TO the resulting bill. This would put
the matter up to the senate In way
likely to secure considerable Republic.
an support, and thus a Democratic rev
enue measure might go through the
senate, and II the revision was not too
drastic In form, President Taft might
sign It,
II there is no extra session the Dem
ocrats OF the house at the next reg.
ular session will revise the tariff in a
number of its main schedules, but will
not attempt general revision. The
idea Of the Democracy ls apparently to
go rather slow fl the matter of chang
ing the schedules. The leaders have
preached the advisability and the wis
dom Of this. and they hope that even
on the eve Of presidential campaign
some Of the senate republicans win
support measure which meets to a
considerable degree the views express
ed by them when the Payne-Aldrich
bill was under discussion in the house
in the morning. Shortly before the
train pulled out the sheriff OF that
county sauntered over and handed