Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1920-09-02
|ESCH DISCUSSES
| ISSUES AT FORE
in The CAMP AIGN

1 IN Monday evening at the court
house Congressman John ]. Esch de-
llivered an address on the issues in the
present campaign. His voice carried
unusually well and he could be heard
distinctly block away. His audience
was most attentive and remained with
him to the end. A number of ladies
were present to learn from the con-
gresham something OK the problems
involved in legislation and what the
issues in the campaign really are.
| Mr.. Esch said he was pleased to be
in Baraboo and emphasized the fact
this campaign was most important
one on account of the stress and tur
moil in the world.
Legislation for the Farmer
Mr.. Esch spoke of some of the i'm
portant legislation that had been en-
acted for the farmer. After mention
ing the reclamation act which he help
ed to formulate and the meat inspec-
ton act and the acts providing for
good roads, parcels, post, rural free.
delivery, grain standards and the
bureau of markets, he called the at
tention of the farmers in his audience
to his activity in connection with the
framing of the olemargarine act which
protects Wisconsin's dairy interests
y by imposing tax upon oleomargarine
colored in imitation of butter.
The Rail Bill
In regard to the plan to continue
federal control for further period
of two or three years, urged by Sena-
tor La Toilette and, after the failure
to adopt the Plumb plan, by the rail
road brotherhoods, Mr.. Esch asserted
that to have continued the roads for
further period of two years under
federal control would, SO far as the
financial relationship between the
roads and the government was con-
ceTned, have so scrambled the situa-
ton as to make return to private oper-
alton at the expiration of that time i'm
possible. He also stated that as the
president, in a message delivered to
congress early in 1919, had declared
that he would return the roads to pri-
vate operation on Jan. /, 1920, con-
provide the legislation which would
be found necessary to permit the
reads to again resume the operation
of their respective properties under
the conditions resulting from war. AS
there was little or no sentiment for
government ownership manifested in
the course of the elaborate hearings
which were granted by both senate
and house committees, and the de-
mand for government ownership with
employee operation, in the form of the
Plumb plan, was confined to the rep
resentatives of the railroad brother
hoods, the return Of the roads to pri-
vate operation with legislation enacted
that would take care of the change Of
status, was the only avenue left open
to pursue.
How Bill Was Drafted
The Esch-C ummins bill is the re-
suit of the deliverations of senate and
house committees on interstate COM
merce and of both houses of congress.
The 1essened service under the 26
months of federal control, and the
many inconvenience suffered by the
public under federal control, and the
further fact that the railroads failed
to earn their standard return guaran-
teed them under the federal control
act, by more than a million dollars a
day, all were strong factors in less
ening the sentiment for government
ownership throughout the country.
The Esch- Cummins bill did not seek
to build up new transportation
structure, but build upon the existing
foundations of the interstate CONNER
ce act.
The speaker discussed the Plumb
plan and perforated the scheme with
many cogent reasons why it should
never be placed in force. With the
present great indebtedness of the gov
eminent it was not deemed wise to
further increase the burden and turn
| the roads over to the employees to
| boot He assured his hearers there
was no country on the globe where
government ownership was a success
and that was in Pussia where those
employed were under military rule.
He doubted if those employed on the
railroads in this country desired to
work as soldiers on the roads.
He closed by referring to the league
of nations and other questions before
ongress.