Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-10-16
PEOPLE OF THE COUNTRY HAVE
NO SPECIAL CONCERN IN
POLITICS THIS FALL.
DIFFERENT IN THE CAPITAL
Control of House and Senate the Prize
Congressman Decker's Patriotic
Outburst SiIences the Partisan
Speakers in the House.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

WaShingtOn.-It Is quite likely that
politics which refuses to be adjourned
Ia Washington will interest people in
other parts of the country before the
campaign closes, but up to the present
time the people seem to take little In
terest in the coming elections. This
is shown generally In the primaries,
where such a small proportion of the
people go to the polls when the Selec-
ton of party candidates is made. A
trip in any direction shows the apathy
OF the people as TO politics. They dis
cuss the war, the loans, the revenue
bills. and other vital matters of press
Ing interest, but scarcely a man ever
discusses the political situation or
seems to care which party will control
the next house of representatives.
Here in Washington the political
situation is of real interest. Nearly
every man in the house Is a candidate
for reelection. More than One-third of
the senator's are personally interested
Ia the election of themselves. Then
there is the question of the political
control of the two branches of con-
greSS. Naturally the Democrats want
to remain in control. They like the
power and patronage and prestige
which go with the majority. The Re-
publicans are seeking just as earnestly
TO secure these advantages. Then
there is the feeling that the mid-term
congressional election is sure indica-
ton of the pulse of the people and in
dlcateS the election of president. For
30 years the success of party at the
mid-term congressional election has
been followed by the election of that
party's presidential candidate two
iitical nature at stake, it is not sur
prising that men so vitality interested
refuse to adjourn politics at this time.
When the eagle has to soar, then is
young Congressman Decker of MissOu-
ri on the job. There had been a
whirl of political speeches. Democrats
and Republicans had said things about
each other. The greater issue of win
ming the war seemed to have been for
gotten. Leader Kitchin looked about
him and his face frightened. 81 yield
ten minutes to the gentleman from
Missouri, Mr.. Decker" he said And
then Decker gave those fellows "what
for" He told them in a few we'll
chosen words to stop their political
pickering, and then he opened the
flOodgates and Oratory was on tap.
There were references to "Way Down
South in Dixie" Yankee Doodle" MY
Country, 'Tis of Thee" Stonewall
Jackson and Robert E. Lee, Pap"
Thomas and Ulysses S. Grant, Chicka-
manga, Spottsylvania and Cold Har-
Dor; and then something about the
North and the South, the East and the
West, and the grandsons of those who
wore the blue and the gray now in
khaki on their way to Berlin. After
that those political orators felt rather
ashamed of themselves.
Congressman Hamilton of Michigan
made speech in the house which
might be termed a History of the Hun
I'm Paragraphs" but which he calls
'sThe House of Hohenzollern." Hamil-
ton always publishes his speeches in
paragraphs, two, three, or not more
than a half-doZen lines each, making
them very attractive and very read
able. But this speech Is particularly
attractive and interesting because it
gives the history of the Hun leader
succinctly and with an accuracy
which shows that Hamilton gave the
matter careful study and research. 1t
is not a very proud pedigree which is
displayed of the present Hun leader.
1t may be asked why there is so
much debate upon measures which
finally pass with practical unanimity
Possibly it is because men in con-
Eress like to talk, but 1t Is also
true that many men in both senate and
house oppose certain features of bill.
but are willing to support it even If
they cannot amend it. Such is the
fact regarding revenue ard appropria-
ton bills and notably the recent draft
act which was fought on many points
but passed with only two opposing
votes. The new revenue bill is far
from satisfactory; 1t was vigorously
assailed as to some features by both
Democrats and Republicans. but as a
whole 1t was supported by everybody.
All these war measures must be sup
ported. No man of either party can
remain in public life and oppose meas
ures which the administration thinks
necessary to carry on the war. There
are criticisms, of course, and no doubt
there are some very bad features in
corporated in various bills. but as war
measures they go through with the
. be corrected after the war.
There was a real Western discus
sion in the senate short time ago. A