Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1914-02-11

of the room OF the committee on ways
and means which was discussing
the tariff schedules and buttonholed
every member of congress who went
in or out. holding him until there had
been time to plead for the retention
ported goods. No representative OF
big business. whether he be former
member of congress or not, will stand
this year at committee room doors TO
ply his insidious calling
Roosevelt's Way Effective.
Theodore Roosevelt came pretty
near putting pernicious lobbying out
of business, and he succeeded III do
ing it without ordering lobby in
vestigation.' When he learned that
lobbyists were at work he would put
forth some presidential pronounce
ment which would bring the country
instantly to the support of the meas
IRE which was involved, and in put
ting it forth he invariably had some
thing to say about malefactors OF
great wealth who knew what they
wanted and who took nefarious means
to get it.
The result of the Roosevelt method
was that congressman, hearing from
home, did not dare pay heed to the
opportunities of those who had come
to Washington for the purpose OF
thwarting the endeavors of the presi-
dent of the United States The lobby
lists found that their occupation was
still there, but that it was all work
without pay.
Must Find New Issues.
The present intention of the Dem
ocratic members in congress Is to
bring about~ an adjournment in
June. Within a month or six weeks
thereafter the congressional cam
paigns are fought out as a rule
on the issues which entered into the
last preceding presidential campaign
What are the Republican and the Pro
gressive candidates going to talk
about in order to arouse the enthusl'
asm of the voters and to secure their
support?
This question is before the Repub-
lican and Progressive congressional
committees for an answer today. They
must find the answer. or better, the
answers, within the next few months.
Two years ago the Republicans
pledged themselves to antitrust and
banking and currency legislation.
They favored the establishment OF a
parcel post. q liberal policy toward
Alaska, plans for food protection and
many other things The Democrats
have dealt with all these matters and,
apparently to their own satisfaction,
have settled them.
1t is perfectly true that the high
hope OF the ProgressiYes is simply
that the party can increase It's mem
bership in the next house OF repre-
sentatives. The leaders OF the new
party have little or no thought, so far
as one can determine. that they can
secure sweeping victory in the cleo.
tons sof next, November. They do be-
lieve, however, that they can gain ad-
ditional members In 1S or 20 districts
now represented by either Democrats
or Republicans.
Must Find New Issues.
The Republicans, as has been init.
mated, must look for new issues in
the next congressional campaign, be-
cause the Democrats have taken
good many Of their issues away from
them. Now, of course, if the iegisla-
ton passed by the Democrats. and
which they have intended as q set
Element OF these issues, shall fail OF
it's purpose. the Republicans can go to
the country on the basis of their OPP
ponents' failure. The laws, however.
which the Democrats propose to enact
or which they already have enacted
do not go into effect in some instances
for a considerable time to come. In
the cases of the laws which have gene
into effect, it will take long time to
prove whether they are efficacious 'of
not So IL would seem that the Demo
cratic party is fairly safe until some
time after the next congressional cleo.
ton.
The Progressives seemingly are
little better off than the Republicans
in the matter of issues. They say
that thu Democratic legislation shows
an origin in the Progressive party, and
that Mr.. Wilson and the congress dom.
mated by his party have been steal.
ing the Progressive material. The
Progressives, however. will not sim
ply cry Thief" for they have dis
tinct Issue in their plank which called
for an interstate trade commission,
with plenty of power to regulate the
trusts of the country.
The Democrats have prepared bill
establishing an Interstate trade COM
mission, but it is given nothing like
the authority which the Progressives
think should be given to such body
The Democratic effort apparently is
to restore competitive conditions of
many years ago. The Progressives