Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-02-11
undue influence on individual commit
tee members.
Business 49, Nveloo-,.

undue influence on individual commit
tee members.
Business Men Welcome.
1t is plain from wb-t has been said
in the vicinity Of the White Hoase
that President Wilson desires that rep.
resentatiyes Of the commercial inter.
ests OF the country shall come to
Washington and present to the com.
mitteemen their side of any case in.
vowed in the projected legislation.
The wolves have been scared away.
but the watch dogs will be welcome
When MIR. TAFT was president. a man
who had once been a member Of con-
gress stood hour after hour at the door
Of the room CT 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
of high duty on a certain line Of inn
ported goods. No representative OF
big business. whether he be q former
member Of congress or not. win stand
this year at committee room doors to
ply his insidious calling.
Must Find New Issues.
The present Intention of the Dem
ocratic members In congress is 70
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 enthusi-
asm of the voters and to secure their
support?
This question is before the Repub-
hean and Progressive congressional
committees for an answer today. They
must find the answer. or better, the
answers. within the next few mouths.
Two years ago the Republicans
pledged themselves to antitrust and
banking and currency legislation.
They favored the establishment of a
parcel post. 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.
II is perfectly true that the high
hope of the Progressives is simply
that the party can increase its 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 q e~eeping victory in the cleo
tons of next November They do be-
lieve. however, that they can gain ad-
dithonal members in is or 20 districts
now represented by either Democrats
or Republicans
Must Find New Issues.
The Republicans. as has been inti-
mated. must look for new issues in
the next congressional campaign. be-
cause the Democrats have taken a
good many of their issues away from
them. Now. OF course. IL the legisla.
tion passed by the Democrats. and
which they have intended as a set
Element OF these issues, shall fail of
its purpose, the Republicans can so 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 gone
into effect, It will take a long time to
prove whether they are efflcacious or
not. So II would seem that the Demo
cratic party is fairly safe until some
time after the next congressional cleo.
ton.
The Progressives seemingly are q
little better of than the Republicans
In the matter Of issues. They say
that tn 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 a 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 a bill
establishing an interstate trade com
mission. but il is given nothing like
the authority which the Progresslves
think should be given to such a body.
Progressives and Child Labor.
The Progressive party has made a
good deal OF it's proposal to do away
with child labor by means OF federal
act It is urged by the Progresslves
that the continuance OF present child
labor conditions ultimately will under.
mine American manhood and woman
hood and bring about the decay Of the
nation. Republicans never have been
keen about stopping child labor, and
the Democrats virtually declined to
give II consideration. This subject
will be among the foremost things to
which the Progressiyes viii give at
tention in their congressional cam
paign.
II is evident In Washington that the
Republican leaders still are waiting
for the tariff to undo the Democrats.
There have been no marked signs. SC
far as Washington can learn. that the
Democratic tariff law is doing any
great amount OF damage. but the Re-
publicans seem TO think evil IS going
70 happen soon and that on the tariff
Issue they once more can ride into
power.