Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1914-01-16

bers Of congress. Men who ara OPP
posed to government ownership propo-
sitions think that they find in the
recommendation of the postofice com
mittee the starting point of govern
ment ownership and operation OF the
railroads. No one can tell yet of
course whether there is any basis for
this fear of the conservative ones of
the different parties, but it is a fact
that Washington expects one of the
bitterest contests OF the winter will
come over this seemingly minor provi-
sion of an appropriation bill which is
| intended to allow Uncle Sam to buy
a few mail cars for the use of the post
Office service.
| The average of opposition to govern
ment ownership is just as great In the
Democratic party. as it is represented
| in congress, as it is in the ranks of the
Republicans. The Democrats are put
ting through what they consider pro-
gressive legislation, but many of them
are casting their votes with the feel
ings of men who are being driven to
| do things they do not want to do.
Caused Warm Debate.
When the postoffce and post roads
committee was considering the propo-
sition to buy the cars outright there
was a debate in the committee room
which for warmth eQualed the temper
ature of any recent debate in the
open house. The majority in favor of
the proposition was a bare one. 1t is
expected that the minority committee
men will voice their objection to the
| bill from the floor, and Ii M possible
| they may get enough spppart from
their own and from the Republican
ranks to negative the committees rec
ommendation
| 1t already virtually has been decided
that congress shall take up this win
ter the matter OF government con-
struction Of railroad in Alaska. AL
ready opposition to the plan has de-
veloped and the conservative Demo
Gratis are trying to rally the forces of
opposition. When the committee with
large Democratic majority splits ar
evenly as the postoffice committee did
on such a small matter as the pur-
chase of a few railroad cars by the
government some indication may be
had of the strong opposition which is
| likely to develop to the Alaskan plan.
Reused by Whitacre's Charges.
| Members Of congress have been
pretty we'll stirred up over the re
marks made by Representative ]. j.
Whitacre of Ohio, in a speech which
he made in Canton, O., not long ago.
Mr. Whitacre was reported as having
said that the man who wants to be
intellectually honest has n 1t business
| in congress"
What Mr.. Whitacre meant unques-
tionably was that congressman fire.
quently are compelled, because of
| party pressure, or because of pressure
| from their constituents, TO vote on
measures against their convictions,
and it may be that he meant some or
them actually are compelled by the
same kind of pressure to vote against
| their consciences. Mr.. Whitacre is
said to have declared that he would
not run for congress again because he
could not make the service square
with intellectual honesty.
Whether or not Mr.. Whitacre made
| the statement in exactly the words re-
| ported makes .lCtle difference in the
application of his reported words to
| the condition in congress. One OF the
| broad criticisms Of the actions OF in
| dividuals in congress when the time
comes to vote, has been that a mem
| Der seeTs to think that he represents
| first his district and second the coun-
| try at large.
| District Versus Country.
| In standing by the needs of his con-
/ stituents against the seeming needs
of his country, is member intellectu-
| ally dishonest? That is, is he intel
| lectually dishonest if his own convic-
| tons lead him to vote for the good
| of the country, while his desire to
| serve his immediate constituents, and
| perhaps his desire to be reelected,
make linn cast his vote for the inter
| ests OF the specific locality rather than
| for the interests of all his countrymen
| outside of small circumscribed dis
| trict?
| 1t can be said that more and more
| congressman are coming to vote for
the entire country rather than for
| their constituents. This was shown
| to be tGue when the last tariff bill was
put through. Men from lumber dis
tricts voted to put lumber on the free
| list and some men from sheep dis
| tricts voted for free wool. Now 1t
might lie said that these men voted
seemingly against the good of their
| immediate constituents because they
thought their so voting would be good
| for the entire country.
What Other Members Say.
Representative Charles H. Burke OF
South Dakota is quoted as saying on
this matter of intellectual honesty:
MY fourteen years experience in the
house has impressed me that the con-
trarv of Mr.. Whitacre's statement is