The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1911-07-02
Progressives in Legislature
Aim Hard Blow at
Their Brethren.
REPRESENTATIVES ARE
DOOMED TO DEFEAT
New Law Spells Private Life in
Large Letters for Number of
Western Statesmen.
BH John SNURE.

By JOHN SNURE.
The entire Wisconsin delegation in the
House had a bomb exploded under It.
1t will probably be some days before all
the fragments of the wreckage return
to earth.
By one of the strangest of legislative
performances, there has just been slip
ped through the Wisconsin Legislature
in the closing days of the session, a
bill for the complete redistricting Of
the State. 1t has been passed almost
before the delegation awoke to what
was going on. 1t will affect the po-
litical future of nearly every member
of the Wisconsin delegation in the
House. Some of them might as well
prepare at once to pack their grips and
return to private life.
Fratrlcidal Strife.
To say that the delegation has been
taken by surprise, is putting it mildly.
Wisconsin has been hearing talk of re-
restricting for years, but few expected
1t to come in such a rush as this. Most
Of the members of the Wisconsin dele
cation are out of the city. When they
return TO Washington, it may be ex-
pected they will gravitate together by
force of Indignation and give vent to
their wrath.
Most of the members of the Wilson,
sin delegation in the House are progress
sive Republicans. The legislature is
controlled by progressive Republicans.
This only makes the matter worse. If
this were a job put up on innocent
Republicans by plotting Democrats, 1t
would not be SO bad. But 1t is not so.
1t is fratricidal
One of the results Of the redistricting
bill, which has gone through both
houses, is to divide Milwaukee county.
that is, in substance, the city of Mil
waukee, into two districts. Heretofore
it has consisted of one district and
Victor Berger, the only Socialist in
Congress, will be affected to some eX-
tent by the change. If the Socialists
were gaining strength in Milwaukee,
cialists in the next House. But all in
dications are they are declining rather
than gaining, and that Mr.. Berger is
in danger Of not being returned for
another term. So far as he is con-
cerned, however, he would have been in
danger of being beaten had the redis-
tricting not been brought about.
Cooper To Stick.
Representative Cooper, who is from
the First district, retains four of his
old counties and gets WauIesha, which
is now in Berger's district. This will
not weaken Cooper.
Representative Nelson is from the
Second district. The new Second dis
triCt has only two of the old counties,
with two from the First and two from
the Third. The counties from the Third
are Iowa and Grant. That puts Repre-
sentative KOpp over in the new Second
district, so that under the new arrange
ment Kopp and Nelson will be in the
same district and will have to fight it
out between them.
The Third district is made so strongly
Democratic that the Democrats will
carry it by 10000.
Milwaukee districts, now represented by
Berger and Cary.
Trouble For Burke.
The Sixth is at present Democratic
and is represented by Burke. 1t Is al
most completely torn up by the redis-
tricting and keeps only two out Of five
of the old counties. This means trou-
BILE for Burke.
Representative Esch, of the Seventh
district, loses over half his old coun-
ties and this means political grief for
him.
Representative Davidson represents
old Eighth district. He is one of the
most prominent House Republicans. He
has been redistricted out of job. The
new Eighth district is so made up
that none of the present delegation lives
in it.
In the reorganized Ninth district, now
represented by Konop, Democrat, both
konop and Representative Morse, Of
the Tenth district will live. This will
make business active for each one.
In the reorganized Tenth district can
be found the residence of not one OF the
present delegation.
Representative Lenroot represents
the Eleventh district. His district will
retain seven counties from the Elev-
enth and will receive seven from the
Tenth.
All Shot To Pieces.
In a word, the Wisconsin delegation
Is ''all shot to pieces" Members are
casting about trying to find where
they are at.
Who are the men who seem to have
got together some dark night and
conspired to undo the Wisconsin dele
cation in this cruel fashion? One of
the men said to be responsible is
Speaker Charles Ingram, of the as
sembly, who lives in Pepin county, in
the new Tenth. He is ambitious for
Congress, and he has eliminated Rep
resentatiVe Morse from the district.
Thomas Mahon. a leader in the leg
islature, an astute politician, who
lives in the new Eighth, is also said
Davidson thrust out of his way and
the path cleared for Congress.
1t need hardly be said that it will
be a long, cold day before the dele
CATION allows Ingram and Mahon to
be elected to the House.