The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-01-11
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

BY ARTHUR W.. DUNN.
Washington, Jan. 11.-GSpecial. AL
though congress hung out hurry up sig
nails as soon as the holiday recess was
over, there was no extraordinary haste
upon the part OF those having impera
tive legislation In charge to dispose OF
Ii at once. The theory OF men with
long experience In legislation Is that
more can be accomplished toward the
close of the session, when everything
Is under great pressure, than when
there seems TO be time TO consider i'm
portant matters with more delibera-
ion.
or course the appropriation bills can
be passed. They never fail IL their
failure would cause an extra session.
AS to the railroad legislation proposed
by the president, as well as the differ
ent conservation measures and the wa
ter power bill, that is another story
While there is an intimation that an
extra session may be necessary to pass
these bills, nc one believes such a ses-
sion will be called IL they fail.
incipient ~spsaksrship Blooms.
Very soon the Republican of any
service and experience who Is not
mentioned for speaker will be rather
lonesome. Besides Jim Mann, we have
Lenroot and Cooper Of Wisconsin. Gil
lett and Gardner Of Massachusetts,
,~14l, nf nhta AIan1aII Af Wv
oming, Campbell of Kansas, Moore of
Pennsylvania, Hill of Connecticut,
Tess OF Ohio and some others. 1t IL
not yet determined whether or not the
Republicans win elect the next speaker.
Alaska the Wonderful.
Each succeeding year Alaska grows
more wonderful and its possibilities as
a producer increase. Minerals, tim
Der. fish, furs and other products null
tiply. more particularly the minerals.
until Ii is shown that Alaska Is a great
~storehouse Of useful materials which
aid the prosperity OF the whole coun-
try. And those who know about the
big territory say that the surface has
only been scratched" and that 1t will
continue TO enrich the world for years
10 come as development proceeds. Ala
ka appears to be a mighty great asset
for this country. If Great Britain had
known its value in the early years 1t
would probably have tried to obtain
possession of that region along with
other parts of the northern continent.
Money In Minerals.
The European war caused a great
draft upon our minerals. Secretary
Lane of the interior department says
that our resources have been equal to
the drain and that mines In every part
of the country have had wonderful
prosperity. In the matter of copper
1000, 000,O o pounds were produced
last year. which is double that pro
duced ten years ago. Zine Is another
product that has been In great demand,
and the output has been largely In
creased.
Praising Page.
Following his custom, Minority Lead
err Mann took occasion to speak in high
praise OF Congressman Page of North
Carolina, who had charge OF District
of Columbia appropriations and who Is
to retire from congress on the 4th OF
March. Mann has many times praised
Democrats who have left the house,
those who depart voluntarily to take
other offices or who return to private
life. Page is Il brother of the ambas-
sador to Great Britain. He has made
many friends during the ten years he
has served In congress. 1t was said
that his determination to leave con.
gress was induced by disagreement with
the presidents policies.
Not Getting Together.
There is not much evidence that the
Republicans are getting together. In
fact, the same divisions which began II
1910, disrupted the party in 1912 and
were only partially patched up In 191t
seem to have broken forth with all the
old time virulence of factions In q
party whose members seem to prefer II
light one another rather than the com
mon enemy.
Protest Against the Urlift.
A man interested In paper prices
listened to a group Of men discussing
the subject of paper waste and broke
out with his complaint, saying:
"A lot OF paper has been wasted IL
the uplift movement. Take, for In
stance, the waste Of paper on accoun
Of it's use for individual drinking cups
That was a pure uplift movement
backed by the fellows who had patent
on the paper cups and the devices TO
handling them. Now every persol
uses a cup every time he takes a drinl
OF water. In the Pullman cars no
only is there a paper cup, but also
paper container for the cup. The
there is the device for paper towels
which was another sanitary uplif
movement for the benefit OF the pat
entees. These are just instances o
the paper waste In this country