Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1915-02-06
SATURDAY. FEB. 6. 1915.
PREspENr TO MAKE SPEECHES.


derstood in Washington that the Pres
ident will address two large national
conventions early in February.
1t was ever thus-when President
gets at outs" with the leaders of the
Senate or House, and moral suasion
and patronage cease to be of avail,
the next best thing is to go out and
stir up the people. Mr.. Taft did it
more than once, and Colonel RoOse-
welt was always at it.
The President goes before the pub
lie so infrequently that there always
exists certain curiosity concerning
his speeches, and naturally enough
when his leadershipis questioned the
people want to know why. If ne can
respond to the public demand, and
furnish feasible explanation, then
his victories are always won, for there
is no power so great as popular opin-
ion, and Congressman will run like
lot Of scared sheep before It,
The President on the lecture plat
form or on the stump, cracks his big
gest whip, and the animals" usually
obey. Sometimes though, they do not.
In the present instance President
Wilson Is willing to sacrifice every
thing TO pass his ship BILL His ad-
vantage so far Is that he has made ii
party measure, and the Democrats
can pass any bin for which they stand
together. Senator Lodge has voiced
the most popular argument. and he
and other Republican Senators claim
that the United States is getting on
dangerous ground
THE REPUBLICAN OPPOSITION.
Senator Lodges recent speech af-
f0rds common ground for the opposi-
tion 10 the Administration ship bill.
ITO buy these German ships, " said
the Senator. and relieve their own
ers of their heavy expense and to
hand over to them $50. O0O, 900 or $40
100000 belonging to the people of the
United States would be direct assis-
lance to one of the belligerents in the
war now raging. 1t would be an un-
neutral act, and very readily might
be construed as hostile act and an
actual breach of neutrality.
:" If the ships were purchased, the
unnentral act committed and the
ships transferred TO our flag they
would go TO sea as gOvernment-owned
ships. and, in the view of the belliger-
ents opposed to Germany, would still
be German ships. would be regarded
as good prizes and liable to be cap
tured or sunk because they were still
German ships. / think will not en-
large on the danger which such sit
uation would present to the peace aud
welfare of the United States. 1t would
not help our export trade and would
bring us within reasonable distance
of war. not with England. alone. but
with France, Russia and Japan.
To this argument the Democrats
reply that 1t is all tommyrot, and they
promise that If the millions are voted
them to buy ships that they will get
them 50 neutral" that no one will
dispute their right.
OF course German boats are cheau-
est just now, so, some ask--whv pay
morep
THE AUToMoBILE NUMBER.
The Inconsistencies Of state regula-
tions over licensing automobiles is
nowhere better illustrated than in
Washington. The capital city is in
the District of Columbia, and A
straight shoot through the city for a
mile or two lands a car in Virginia. \
half dozen miles in the opposite direc-
ton is Maryland. and the compiled
tion of state laws is such that even
President Wilson has been held up biz
a number of officers. But he saws.
they always run away when they
lind out whom they have stopped. 9"
And the President does not like being
made an exception. There is q bin
before Congress which asks for a ma
tional law for motor car registration.
The American Automobile Associa-
ton is pushing the measure. and it's
president has given out statement
which says in part:
The inference Of the highest court
that there should be a national law
covering the subject should prompt
our immediate attention to the matter
for it is certainly a most unusual sit
uation when citizen OF the United
States is not free to travel in any sec
ton of the country after he has pro
yided himself with an identification
number from his own state.
1.-The European countries. with diff
ferent languages I'D different Gus
toms, have agreed upon an ipterlsa-
tional plate OF identity. and also an