Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-04-03

1t has been SAID In QlSpaCcleS re-
Gently that the president is forcing
the fight in advance against the ex-
IRENE conservatives in his party
The Democratic caucus has arranged
its committees and the progressive
majority hopes that it has placated
Mr.. Simmons. Mr. Martin and other
leading conservatives by giving them
seniority places. They are complete
| ~ hemmed in. however, in their com
miftee rooms by progressive members
of their own party. although it is con-
ceivable that with the Republican
membership of committee still being
of the same general nature that i
has been. a combination might be eff
fected between the conservative
Democrats and Republicans in an ex-
treme case which would Offset the
/ progressive Democratic committee
endeavor.
Consideration of the committees as
they have been appointed and a
sounding out Of the conservative
Democrats who have been senate
leaders in the past, make it seem TO
the progressive administration men
! that all win be plain sailing in the
future. and that even if Mr. La Fol-
lette and his following find reason
TO refuse support 10 the progressive
Democrats when it is most needed,
it can be found in the ranks of sena-
tors of the stamp of those who will
soon visit the White House to con
| fer with the president
In view of what has happened and
what is happening. Washington will
not be wholly surprised in the near
| future if Clifford Pinchot should be
seen walking into the White House
to give his views on conservation. It
may not generally be known but
| Mr. Pinchot saw Mr.. Wilson on one
or two occasions prior to March 4.
| and he may see him again. Some Of
| the politicians here given to specu-
| lation. perhaps to wild dreaming,
! think that no one need be stunned
with CONSERVATION within the course
of few weeks if Theodore Roosevelt
| should be found passing through the
| open door to discuss policies with
! the man who sits in the seat one
occupied by the colonel.
Ambassadors and Riches,
Before President Wilson makes all
| his appointments of ambassadors to
| the foreign service, even though some
| of the nominees are men of great
wealth, it will be shown plainly that
| it is the desire of Mr.. Wilson to ap-
point to these positions men whose
| sole qualifications are not those of
riches All things being equal, the
friends of the administration say, the
president would like to appoint men
| to foreign Office who are comparative
| ly poor in this worlds goods. 1t IS
| further said that if he did not have a
cent. Mr.. Wilson would would like to
appoint him to some high place abroad,
| but nevertheless it is absolutely impos-
sibIe to name for foreign post any
man who does not have a private IN
come of some thousands of dollars.
| It is known that the president has
certain ideals concerning the foreign
service of the United States. He
u
Democratic simplicity of former days
in 1.-The work of missions" even If, to
reach the former days which are IN
| his mind, one does not have to go
back to the time of Franklin's fur cap
and wool stockings. 1t may be that
rich man will be appointed to repre-
sent this country in England but as
between a rich man and compare
lively poor one the president prefers
| the latter If abilities are equal.
There has not been as much Amer
! lean ostentation in the French capital
as in the English capital so far as this
countrys representation there is con-
| cerned. but nevertheless it has cost
our ambassadors to France a lot of
money to keep up what some people
seem to think are proper appearances.
London Embassy Expensive.
Seven years ago. during the Roose-
welt administration, Nicholas Long
worth. representative in congress
from Cincinnati and a son-in-law OF
the then president, introduced bill
into congress providing for the con-
struction of American embassies in
the capitals of Europe. Longworth's
speech on the occasion of the intro
duction of his bill. or shortly there
after, was of a kind which probably
would have been approved by Benja-
min Franklin. Mr.. LongwOrth point
ed out that it was impossible for the
president of the United States to ap-
point any but rich men to important
foreign posts, and he said this was
due to the poor salaries which Uncle
Sam pays his doris and min
listers. The ambassador gets $17,500,
and while this may seem like for
tune to many persons, it will not pay
the rental Of the kind of a house in
London which American ambassadors
feel that they must occupy.
It is understood that the Democrats
in congress will take up the cause
once advocated by Longworth and
will try to secure legislation which
will make it possible for an American
poor in pocket but rich in mental
qualifications to serve Uncle Sam In
ambassadorial places in foreign lands
The question of so-called economy en-
tiers into this matter but many mem
bers of congress hold that it is bet.
ter for this country to pay man
$4,000 a year than it is to send a
rich one abroad who is going 10
spend $4,000 and make "a court"
out OF the embassy of a republic.
Good Word for His Friend.