The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1918-12-06
WASHINGTON NEWS LETTER
Republicans Will Now Try Their
Hands at Observation-Disclosures
Expensive Blunders

publicity association, thru its presi-
dent, Hon. Jonathan Bourne, Jr., to-
day gave out the following statement
from its Washington headquarters:
Hardly less important than our
preparations for war will be the work
of putting the country in readiness to
resume once more the activities of
peace. In the recent elections the peo-
pie decreed that the task shall be car
ried on under the direction of the re-
publican party. While it is possible
from the point of numbers for the
democrats in the senate and house
to enact the pending bill providing
for the appointment of reconstruc-
ton committee by the president, it is
not probable that democratic votes
can be solidified behind such meas
ure. There are a few democrats in
each house who do not yield subser-
vience to the president and who have
confidence in their own ability and the
ability of their legislative associates
to study and determine upon plans for
after-war reconstruction. The Weeks
resolution providing for a joint con-
gressional committee composed of an
equal number of members of each of
the two political parties will more
likely be adopted.
"But even if the partisans of the
president should prevail and demo-
cratic committee on reconstruction
should be appointed, there would be
little danger of the enactment of un
wise legislation such committee
might recommend. The republicans
will assume control of congress on
March 4th and it is not likely that
much reconstruction legislation will be
enacted before that time.
ain view of the vast importance of
the reconstruction problems that con-
front the nation, it is particularly for
tunate that majority of each house
of the next congress will be republi-
can. Under the shrewd management
of reconstruction commission made
up of plant political henchmen of the
administration, masquerading as in
dustrial and economical experts, sup
ported by a subservient democratic
congress, Mr. Wilson would have been
able to put upon the statute books leg
islation that, in practical effect, would
have provided by law for long-contin-
ued administration of the government
by chairman this and chairman that.
That has been the inevitable effect of
much of the legislation enacted dur
ing the last two years. With the rec
ord before them of the INSCRIPTIONS
political effort Of the president and his
rarty leaders to maintain their control
Of congress, the republicans have
awaited with trepidation renewed eX-
cesses in autocratic legislation, in
preparation for the democratic at
tempt in 1920 to continue in the White
House Mr. Wilson or a man of his Sc
lection.
"But the danger is now behind us,
Not only will the republicans be in
a position, after March 4th, to stop
further attempts at executive usur-
patton of legislative prerogatives, but
they will be able to put before the
presindent for his approval bills cal
culated to undo much of the carefully
prepared political structure that the
democrats have built. Let Mr.. Wilson
veto such measures if he chooses to
do so. Every sound reconstruction
bill he refuses to sign will prove an
other nail in his political coffin.
"The people discovered that Mr..
" llson is not infallible. This in spite
of the fact that every effort has been
made to impress upon the public that
criticism of the executive was little
short of treason. They have been told
that acts of the president must be &C
cepted without the slightest question,
else encouragement will be given the
enemy. Doubtless amazed at his own
audacity the voter decided to express
his convictions without regard to di-
.Sections from Washington. He has
found that many millions of the Amer
lean people think alike in their esti-
mate of the president. The result of
the elections will give courage not
only to the individual to talk as he
thinks, but will stimulate the press to
give expression to the thoughts that
have surged in the minds of editors
for many months. Freedom of speech
and unbridled discussion of public
questions in the months to come will
rark the rapid dissolution of the hold
the democrats now have upon the
country and will spell an even more
complete defeat for their party in