The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-08-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.
THE LEADER Bureau.
Washington, ID. c., Aug. Z, 1916
By j. E. Jones.
The Campaign Is On.


United States to vote right" The
Democrats have an as aggressive a
bunch of enthusiasts as have ever
been housed in single building.
Since the speech by Mr.. Hughes in
Carnegie Hall, the Republicans have
picked up hope, and with Colonel
Roosevelt carrying banner in the
procession they expect to arrive safe
ly at A.mageddon in November
Defining the Issues.
The real foundation for the cam
paign is at present being laid in con
gress, where notable speeches are be-
ing made by senators and represen-
tatiyes, in which they are defining
the issues upon which the campaign
will be fought out. Senator Walsh Of
Montana, one of the most brilliant
men Of new politics." and who will
have charge of Democratic headquar-
tiers in Chicago, has insisted recently
that mo more deadly blow at the Fed
eral Judiciary system has ever been
directed against it than the nomina-
ton of Justice Hughes by the Repub-
lican convention" Senator Town
send, of Michigan, stated the Republi-
can position, in answer to Mr.. Walsh,
by declaring that President Wilson
was the first to drag the supreme
court into politics, and he added that
lit was a compliment to Mr.. Hughes
that no one had raised any other is
sue against him than the one urged
by the Montana senator.
Headed for Maine.
Heavy political artillery and big
cannons were started down east" the
first week in August, and although po-
litical leaders are quick to resent the
imputation that they are superstiti-
Gus and believe in the old saying that
"as Maine goes so goes the nation; ="
still it is evident that there is intense
eagerness to educate the minds of the
residents of the Pine Tree state in
that familiar way that will make it
reasonably certain that they will vote
right" Maineites must take a lot of
comfort out of the attention they at
tract once every four years, when the
eyes of every politian in the United
States are turned in their direction.
Getting Ready To Quit.
The house of representatives has
run most of its grain through the leg
islative mill, and its members are now
leisurely marking time while the SEN
ate which up to a few weeks ago was
proceeding with great deliberation
completes the grinding of its grist
Most of the big work before congress
has been finished, and the members
will soon be engaged in closing up the
work of the session in order that they
may return home and advise their
constituents to vote the same way they
did two and four years ago.
Philippine Independence.
appears to have been definately estab-
ished by an agreement made in con-
gress, declaring it to be the intention
of the United states to give the islands
independence when it has been dem
onstrated that the population can
maintain a stable government The
Filipinos were in hopes that congress
would set time-four or six years in
the future when formal independence
would result.
Progressive Politics i'm Wisconsin.
A great deal of national interest
Wisconsin, which is known as the
centers in the political situation in
pioneer home of the progressive move
ment in politics. Senator La Toilette
is running this year, but he is in a
lonesome class in view of the fact that
the state administration is in the
hands of the old conservative ele-
ment, against which the voters of Wis
consin rebelled ten or dozen years
ago
1t remained for the Democrats to
take up the progressive movement in
Wisconsin where the Republican party
left off, and their nominee for Cover
nor is Burt Williams, who came into
prominence in his home city of Ash
land several years ago, when a coterie
of men, who played politics for bust
ness purposes, were trimming up the
public treasury and lodging taxes
At the same time they permitted the
people to die Off in droves, in order to
avoid the expense of filtering the wa
ter supply that was contaminated by
the closeness of sewerage. Burt Will
Hams was young editor at the time
and his newspaper was almost wiped
out because he refused, like most of
the business men, to be a tool to about
as bold a crowd of politicians as ever
manipulated a lumber town. All
through the succeeding years Mr. Will
liams has been consistent champion
of the rights of the public 1t is more
than likely that he and Senator La
Toilette will be regarded by Wiscon-
sin voters as the trusted one who have
never failed to keep the faith. and it
is probable that they will receive their
rouard oocordinoIv