Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-08-11

months ago. 1t conforms to the de-
sires OF every warning faction and at
the same time secures the most pic
turesque possible location for the ex-
position. It Is near the city; accessi-
BILE by trolleys and by boats 1t fronts
on the ocean. the bay and the Golden
Gate. 1t utilizes the unimproved parts
of the Golden Gate Park, without in
truding upon the lawns and flower
beds of the older part
THE drive around the water front
of the Preside will be one of the spec
tacular features of the whole plan,
and is to be made permanent. In time
1T will rank with the famous Carniche
drive of the Italian Riviera There
will be more than four miles of sea
frontage, while the high hills at Lin
coin park will afford opportunity for
artificial cascades down to the sea
such as have never been attempted.
"All the government stations-two
forts, the Preside, light houses. etc.
are close at hand affording unequalled
opportunities for new type of govern
ment exhibits. And | may say that
all is within easier access Of the CEN
ter of the city than any other exposi.
ton site that has ever been"
Wool Bill Is Embarrassing.
What the passage of the amended
La Toilette wool bill may mean ulti-
mately cannot at this moment be told.
But it is an incident chock-full of poll
tics, some outline of which may be of
general interest.
To begin with 1t is the first measure
bearing the La Toilette name to pass
the senate. 1t was adopted by solid
Democratic vote, it's author sitting in
his accustomed seat on the Democrat
lie side Of the chamber and laughing
exultantly as the progress of the vote
registered his first real triumph. Two
insurgents only-Borah and Curtis
voted against 1t. The measure is now
before the house of representatives
which will disagree and send it to
conference. There the Democrats will
make every endeavor to still further
reduce the duties on wool and woolens
and bring the measure nearer the
standard set by the Underwood bill
which the senate defeated. But even
If no further concessions can be wrung
from the senate, the house will pass
the bill
Here are the divergent arguments
which will be urged upon the house
before the bill passes:
With tremendous majority in the
house the Democrats have thus far
forced to passage and final enactment
only one law-namely, the reciprocity
law. That law was conceived by Pres
ident Taft, bears his name and, even
though it was fought by his party in
congress, will be celebrated in the
next presidential campaign as his own
great personal triumph. Now, if after
thus aiding Taft to achieve his am
bition In law making, the house Demo
Gratis calmly submit to the shelving OF
the wool bill formulated by their own
ways and means committee. and pass
one prepared by La Toilette, how will
they stand in the campaign? They
will be charged with having been
forced to accept Republican legislation
for all their boasts of power and abil-
ity to do their own law making.
View That Probably Will Prevail.
That is one view of the politics in
the question. Here is the other: The
Democrats promised tariff reduction.
particularly on wool and woolens.
They passed a bill in the house CIV
ing the maximum amount Of reduction
in taxation, with the minimum loss of
revenue That bill was sent to the
senate and there beaten. Then La
Toilette, a Republican, presented bill,
not so good indeed, but still vast i'm
provement upon Schedule K. Are
we, ask the Democrats, to neglect this
opportunity to give the people at least
a part of the relief we promised them
simply because the honor of the COM
pleted measure will accrue to an in
surgent Republican? Not bit of it.
We will go before the country insist
ing that the Underwood bill was the
better of the two, but claiming that
in proffering the half loaf We are do
ing better than to give the country
no bread.
Each of these views has its pro-
ponents among house Democrats. But
after talk with more than score OF
them, including several leaders, | am
convinced that the second view will
prevail. There will be hard fight in
committee to get the La Toilette rates
reduced, but even if the senate con-
ferees concede nothing the measure
will be passed.
Once that is done, it goes to the
president and then begins the real
politics of the whole affair. Consider
the position in which Mr.. Taft will be
put.
Puts Taft in Awkward Position.
He has denounced Schedule K as
"indefensible." Here comes a bill
amending it along the very lines OF
his criticism. Naturally he may be
expected to sign 1t.
But the bill bears the name OF his
sworn enemy, La Toilette. 1t was
passed by house and senate Democrats
and senate insurgents. To sign 1t
would be to look upon the handiwork
of his enemies and pronounce it good
Every thorough-going Taft man in the
senate fought the bill with voice and
vote. Only the night before 1t was
passed the faithful Smoot assured the
White House that so incredible thing
as its passage could never occur. Can
the president sign the measure and
mortally affront the faithful standpat-