The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-11-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.

President Roosevelt is doins
some very hard thinking these
days and tie results are by nc
means reassuring. A month age
he had no conception Of the diem
mas a man who desired above al
else to be true to his country, his
party and his own chances of q
second term would find in the
White House. He is, however,
having these things thrust upon
him. He finds a growing demand
in the West for a reduction OF
these schedules of the tariff which
are protecting the trusts, and this
demand is being fed by such men
as Babcock to whom local issues
and the demand Of his own constit
uents seem to be all important.
On the other hand he finds that he
is almost powerless to effect any
relief from present conditions.
He is beginning to realize that,
after all, a Presidents power is
limited in many ways and in many
directions.
The party leaders have, in re-
snonse to the Presidents request,
been coming to Washington and
most Of them tell him that it will
be simply impossible to secure any
Legislation by the coming Con-
gress that does not meet with the
entire approval of the trusts.
They tell him chat while reciproci-
/ tY Is excellent as "a talking point"
it will not ''go'' with the Senate.
They tell him that he must not try
to effect any Legislation which will
prove of advantage to Cuba be
cause the party is pledged 10 pro-
tect the sugar interests in this
country. On the other hand he Isl
too keen a Judge of human nature
to minimize the danger of per-
mitting the coming, eminently
Republican, Congress to pass into
history with record of having
invariably either legislated or
failed to legislate in accordance
with the desires of the vested i'm
terests.
Senator Alrich, of Rhode Island
''read d riot act" to the President
on the subject Of those reciprocity
treaties and Mr.. Roosevelt appre-
ciates that practically all hope Of
their ratification must be aban-
doned. He also spoke very plainly
on the subject of Cuba and point
ed to the party platforms Of the
last decade as evidence that sugar
interests must be protected. Mr.. |
Henry 2. Oxnard has been in
Washington this week and has
given notice that any legislation
inimical to the sugar interests will |
be met with a bitter fight. Mr..
r. &. Kerens, the member of the
Republican National Committee
from Missouri, called at the White
House and dwelt with much stress
upon the Western demand for tar
iff revision. The President has,
it is SAID, requested Secretary
Wilson to 90 out West and try
and forestall criticism based on
the failure of the reciprocity treat
les. At all events. Mr.. Wilson
left for Iowa yesterday and before
going he told me that he intended
to explain to the people Of Iowa
the situation in regard to ''the
continued need of protection" and
'sthe true basis of reciprocity"
The President has taken the
bull BY the horns and instructed
Secretary Root to try and get
along without sending any more
troops to the Philippines to take
the place Of the 10 600 men whose
terms of enlistment are about to
expire. / unders tand the Presi-
dent spoke pretty plainly about
the reports that had been given
cat as % apaciiication, etc, and
also called attention TO the fact
that the Samar affair showed a
sad lack Of precaution on the part
Of the officers.
The story Of very earnest
Cabinet meeting held last week
has also leaked out. The story is
that the President opened the
Cabinet meeting Of last Friday
with few very pointed inquiries
Of Secretary Long iii regard to