The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1913-05-30

give tt EN- and their families the
necessities of life, not to say any
thing about a few Injuries; that the.
mine owners might continue to add
to their millions of dollars.
We fail to understand wly ell
progressives, either republican or
democrat, cannot support Presi-
dent Wilson. He was elected on a |
progressive platform and is endeav-
oring 10 carry into effect the
pledges of his party to the people,
and the writer thinks that he is
honest, however much he may dis
agree with him as to the economic
principles involved in the policy he
is pursuing in the fulfllment of the
promises made. But the Presi-
dent should remember, that while
he is the chief executive of all the
people, he was elected by a minori-
ty owing to a division in the oppo-
sition and thousands of republicans
voted for him because of dissatis-
faction with the nominees of the
two factions in their own party.
The clerk of the state senate is
very much perturbed because pri-
vate citizens go to Madison to pro-
test against the enactment OF laws,
which in their judgment would be
inimical to the best interests Of
the people, without registering as
| lobbyists. 1t has certainly come
to a pretty pass, when citizens can
not visit the state capitol to confer
with their representatives in regard
to matters of vital interest to the
public and not act in behalf, of any
private interest, receiving no pay
| for their services and bearing their
own expenses. 1t is all right to
demand that regular paid lobbyists
shall register with the secretary of
state and name the interest they
represent. but to demand that a
private citizen who simply visits
the legislature or appears before
the co mmitteeof either branch to
prevent unfair or unjust legislation
shall be required to be registered
as a lobbyist, is an insult to every
citizen Of the state who is opposed
to fool laws many of which have
already been enacted by the legis-
lature now in session in Wisconsin.
There has been much said and
written lately relative to the reor-
ganization and rehabiliment of the
republican party. In the judgment
of the writer it can only be &C
complished by eliminating out of
the party the idiotic hysteria which
has obtained In the party the past
twelve years, under the leadership
of men seeking their own personal
advancement, Indifferent to the best
interests of the people who have
been most outrageously imposed
upon by demagogues. And then
the members of the party should
determine for themselves the party
principles and action through reg
ular delegated authority instead OF
a corterie of selfish politicians in
each state and the nation, and
make their own nominations of the
men whom they will have to serve
them as servants not masters.
The way that the legislature has
played cheap peanut politics dur
ing the present session at an ex-
pense of thousands Of dollars to
the taxpayers of the state, shows
the extent to which cheap political
skates will go in order to serve
their masters instead of the people. |
And now, not satisfied with their |
foolishness, are talking of adjourn /
ing to next January in order to |
hamstring the governor
in his appointments, the interest of
the taxpayers not taken into con-
No state IN the Union +
has been damned TO a greater de-