Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-01-15

big matter, it nevertheless is exceed
mgiy big II thu E:inds OF some men
GERS OF congress- Men who are op
posed TO government ownership propo
sjtions think that they find in the
recommendation Of the postof3ce 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 fol-
this fear Of the conservative ones OF
the different parties. bat It is a fact
that Washington expects one Of the
bitterest contests Of the winter vii
come over this seemingly minor provi
sion OF an appropriation bill which is
intended 10 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 10 do.
Caused d Warm Debate.
When the postofTice and post roads
committee was considering the prope-
sition to buy the cars outright there
was 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
bin from the floor, and it is possible
they may get enough support from
their own and from the Republican
ranks to negative the committees rec
Ommendation.
1t already virtually has been decisied
that congress shall take up this win
ter the matter of government con
structiOn of a 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
a large Democratic majority splits as
evenly as the postoffice committee did
on such a small matter as the puT-
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 well stirred up over the re
marks made by Representative j. 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 not business
in congress"
What Mr.. Whitacre meant unCues-
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 OF
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. WhitacTe made
the statement in exactly the words re
ported makes little 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 seems to think that he represents
try at large.