Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-01-06

men who are now talking here or
many Of them, at least. look upon it
as surrender OF the power of the
old guard in the Democratic party to
the new members-elect who as yet
have no official standing They in
quire as to why men who have not
been sworn in, who have never served
in the house, should be summoned to
Washington months in advance Of
their actual inauguration as members
OF the house, and permitted to partici-
pate in the selection of ways and
means committee and to advise as to
the policy Of the party on tariff revi-
sion
There would be a greater meas
ure of reason in this, except for the
fact that even were the conference not
called these new men after December
next will possess all the powers Of ad
vice and direction with which Champ
Clark is willing to invest them unoffi-
cially today. And moreover the op-
portunity for long season of work
by even an unofficial ways and means
committee during a vacation which
apparently will extend from the 4th
Of March to the first Monday of next
December, ought not to be neglected.
New Members Paid From March s.
It seems elementary, but possibly a
good many readers do not understand,
that the salaries Of all these new con-
gressmen begin on the 9Th OF next
March. Not merely their salaries be-
gin, but also their perquisites in the
way of clerk hire, stationery and
everything else except mileage and
their offices In Washington, which can
only be assigned to them after the or
ganization Of the house, whether they
work or loaf. For this reason 1t seems
to be fair and just that a committee
entrusted with preparing a measure
by which 1t Is intended to reduce tax
alton and at the same time procure
the revenues by which these incoming
statesmen are to be paid, should be In
session during the summer season.
Problems Ahead of Republicans.
What the returning Republicans are
going to encounter Is matter of imme-
date Importance instead of considera-
ton of policy which Is to be deferred
for months yet to come. The admins
tration has not yet given up its hope
Of enforcing such rigid economy as to
make a record which will be of value
in the next presidential campaign.
But when Mr.. Tawney and Speaker
Cannon sought to suppress the report
on the unpreparedness Of the United
States for war presented by Secretary
Dickinson, they made the sort of blum
der that politicians are always max
ing. ..
Personally I think the report was 8
piece Of jingoism utterly uncalled for
But It's attempted suppression was of
course the surest way to give 1t wide
currency and cause it to be the thing
! most talked about in political circles,
| and 1t has in fact been more generally
discussed here in Washington than
any document emanattng from fed
eral department In years past.
Call for Pacific Coast Protection.
| Out Of this undesired publicity Ia
coming demand for vastly In
creased appropriations for military
and naval purposes. Particularly will
this demand be made by the represent
atives from the Pacific coast 1t is not
| fair to ascribe purely mercenary mo-
tlves to those who represent great
constituencies. AS Edmund Burke
once said: II know not how to draw
an indictment against a whole peo-
| pie" And while there may be those
who are willing to sheer at the atti-
tude Of the Pacific coast congressman
who are pleading for more battleships,
more forts, better harbor defenses and
larger military reserve on their side
OF the continent, l am not one OF
| them.
Undoubtedly there are some sell
fish, even mercenary interests in
voived in this agitation. There is
much money to be spent in maintain
ing navy yards, building forts and
victualing battleships stationed off the
harbors Of San Francisco, Los An
geles or Seattle But nevertheless a
plausible excuse Is raised for these
additional appropriations, and it Is
made more plausible by the conf
DENTAL report of the secretary Of war
which remained confidential for Just
about eight hours after 1t was printed.
The Economy Issue.
| 1t seems as curious to find suddenly
the head of the Republican party, the
| president Of the United States, and
the chief leaders of that party who
| have always been very much inclined
to look with little patience upon
cheese pairing economy become advo-
Gates of that policy. Mr.. Tawney
RACES up and down the center aisle
Of the house Of representatives striv-
ing to save little money at every point.
On the other hand, the Democrats,
with only individual exceptions,
they being men not recognized as
national leaders, seem to pay
more attention to progress than
! immediate economies. They be-
| leve, apparently, that the gov
eminent should be carried on in