Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1912-12-18
WHAT PROGRESSIVE MEMBERS
OF THE NEXT CONGRESS
ARE TO DO.
TO HOLD THEIR OWN CAUCUS
They Will Introduce Bills Based on
Platform, Especially for Ameliora-
ton of Laborer's Condition and for
Abolition of Child Labor.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

country among people irrespective OF
their political afhliation in the legis-
lative plans of the Progressive party's
representation in the two houses of
the next congress. People apparently
want to know what the PrOgressives
intend to do through their representa-
tives in the house and senate when
President-eIect Wilson calls congress
together in extra session. 1t is pos
sible today to give on sufficient au-
thority some of the legislative plans
of the Progressive partys leaders and
nembers-elect to congress-
In the house of representative in
the SiXty-third congress there will be
nineteen members to hold Progressive
credentials without any hyphen before
or after the name In the senate
there will be two Progressives, but
before they can so be written down
there will be a necessity of removing
an at present existing hyphen which
siye-Republicans.
They Won't go Over.
In the next house it is the intention
Of the nineteen Progressives-it is
possible there may be one or two
more than this nUmber-to hold a eau
Gus of their own and to demand
proper committee representation. 1t
is the expressed determination Of the
leaders of the Progressive party now
here to refuse to listen to any over
lures from gressive-Republican to
20 over to them on any line Of legis-
lative endeavOr The, Progressive
leaders say that the new party mem
bers will be perfectly willing to act
with the gressive-Repubhcan on
many lines of legislation, but that the
PTogressive-Re Republicans must come
over because Progressives are deter
mined not to take the initiative and
to go over"
1t is the intention of the Progress
sives in house and senate when the
new congress meets to introduce bills
which if they should become laws will
effect the planks of the Progressive
party's platform. The ProgressiEes
intend if they can to beat the Pro
gressive-Republicans in the race to
the bill basket" at the opening of
the session. Men of all parties in
Washington recognize that there is
precious little difference of legislative
intention between the Progressive
Republicans and the Progressives, but
the latter want to get first credit if
they can for the introduction of
measures looking to the amelioration
of the laborer's condition generally.
and to the abolition Of child labor in
the United States.
VIII Urge Child Labor Law.
There are of course other measures
to which the Progressives at once
will attach their evidences of loyalty,
but their plan is first to advocate bills
which are known specifically as hav-
ing the sanction of the delegates to
the partys convention at Chicago.
Some of the Democrats in congress
are talking of the necessity of intro
duCing Progressive measures akin to
those which the Progressiyes intend
to introduce 1t is not likely that a
childIabor bill will be one of those
having Democratic sanction because
in the Democratic view a federal child
labor bill is unconstitutional, and it
is said that Woodrow Wilson believes
that all child labor legislation. or GER
tainly most Of it, should be a matter
for consideration and passage by the
individual states.
It is known that every effort will
be made by the Progressives to Sc
81 60 l.
legislation along the lines of the Bev-
eridge measure of some years since,
a measure which failed of passage be-
cause of opposition on the unconsti-
tutiOnal grounds already noted The
PrCgressives, it is said, feel that child
labor legislation has a peculiar hui
manitarian appeal which will keep is
as a live issue until some law against
II can be put on the statute books.
Why Secretary Wilson Is Proud.
1t perhaps goes without saying
that Secretary of Agriculture James
Wilson of Iowa has absolutely no
thought that he is to be reap
pointed when his presidential name
sake enters the White House.
Secretary Wilson has served longer
than any other cabinet officer in the
history of the government. He ex-
poets to return to his home in Trayer.
Tama county, Iowa early in March,
when he will have served as secretary
of agriculture for sixteen years.
1t may be of interest to hear what
Secretary Wilson had to say in an in
terYiew concerning the achievements
Of the agricultural department under
his administration. This question
was asked the secretary by a cor
respondent seeking an interview:
What viii be those things upon
which when you return home after
March you will look back with the
most pride?"
IF you start me talking shop here
you will never get away" the secre-
tary exclaimed. But there are some
things Of which am more than