Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-04-17
PARTIES LOOK FOR
POLITICAL STRAWS
BOTH APPROACHING THE FALL
CAMPAIGN WITH CONSIDER
ABLE UNCERTAINTY.
PROBLEM FOR REPUBLICANS
How to Support the War Loyalty and
Yet Criticize the Administration
Daniels Not Glad Baker Put Up His
Lightning Rod.

Daniels Not Glad Baker Put Up His
Lightning Rod.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.
Observation-Disclosures from the talk
that is heard around the halls of con-
gress, both parties are approaching the
congressional campaign this year with
some trepidation and great deal OF
uncertainty. Everything like a poll
teal straw is considered carefully and
the results of any election analysed
with particular care. The elections In
four districts in New York received
the attention of the politicians and
both sides tried to see whether there
was any comfort for them as fore
cast of what the people might do next
November when the entire congress Is
to be elected. And strange to say,
neither side claimed very much comfort
out of it. The Democrats elected four
Democrats to succeed Democrats, al
though it was said that one district
might possibly have been considered
Republican on account of boundary
changes. Had the Republicans car
| ried that district or any other they
would have considered it very favor
able straw showing the wind blowing
In their direction.
A group of Republican members
were discussing the difficulties under
which they are laboring at the present
time. eve must show the people why
the Democrats should be turned out
and Republicans put in sagaciously
remarked one of the men. "We have
q rather difficult task" remarked an
| other. ''We must support the war;
| that is not only our desire but our
duty, but in supporting the war we
can criticize the methods of carrying
| it on"
| That received sanction until another
man with wise old head remarked
that it would be very difficult for the
people to distinguish between criticiz-
| ing the methods of the war and crit1-
Ching the war itself At the same
time the Republicans believe they can
| point to their record in support of war
measures to prove the loyalty of the
party.
| Several years ago there happened
TO be severe criticism in the public
press upon one cabinet officer Then,
suddenly, another cabinet officer was
| the shining mark of those who write
and speak and say things about admin
| istrations. The man who had been so
severely criticized came into cabinet
meeting, smiling and seemingly well
pleased with everything. He went up
| to his cabinet colleague and shook his
hand.
"Mr. Secretary" said he, "allow
me to thank you from the bottom OF
my heart for erecting your lightning
rod"
Everybody enjoyed the joke. Secre-
tary Daniels, who had been a target
for at least four years, or until he
| demonstrated that he had the navy
In proper fighting trim, was asked If
he was not pleased because Secretary
Baker had recently 'run up light
ming rod" and was catching the shafts
and bolts which were formerly direct
| ed toward the navy.
mo" said Daniels, because think
that this criticism of Baker is unjust.
| Besides" he added with twinkle in
his eve. "you see had got used to II"
Power and responsibility change
the point of view of statesmen as well
| form
Sneaker Reed who told the Democrats
upon the eve of their assumption Of
| full control of the government in 1898
that they would find themselves con-
fronted with the eternal verities"
and that they could not manage the
government along the lines which they
had advocated when they were the
minority party. 1t is not strange that
the Democratic party, particularly I'M
der the stress of a great war, has
greatly modified its attitude in one
very important particular. The view
of the majority in regard to the rights
of states has considerably altered.
Senator Freinghuysen of New Jer-
sey called attention to this change and
said that 1t was remarkable how the
two parties have changed SIDES" and
that the Democrats were for central
ICED power and the Republicans for
states rights. This fact has been
demonstrated on several occasions
during consideration Of measures
which have granted more power to the
national administration and. as con-
sequence, taken from the states con-
siderable portion of the power which
they heretofore possessed.
Vice President Marshall, in COM
menting upon this feature, said 1t
was natural that the party in power
should be drawn to and centralized
around the national government and
that the party out of power should
make its stand for the rights of the
states and against Capitalization.