Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-07
A ROOSEVELT PARTY
One to Be Built Up in
Congress.
PU BLIC sen TIMENT
THIS TO DOMINATE INSTEAD OF
THE OLD LEADERS.
Younger Element of the Republican
Party to Come to the Front
in the Future.

a Roosevelt party in Congress. backed I'D
by and representative of public sentiment
That, according to authorities in con-
gressional circles, is to be the outcome of
the existing situation in Congress and of
the Presidents campaign this Gall and sum-
mer if present plans do not fail 1t will
mean they say, the throwing down of some
idols; the rejection of some fetiches which
have lost their conjuring power; the public
will superseding individual domination and
the behests of the republican party to be
needed, even when in conflict with the in
terests of small factions.
They say that President Roosevelt be-
lieves he knows the sentiment of his party
He recently has had an object lesson of the
power of the old leaders to defeat the will
of the party. In the next Congress he
hopes that there will develop a group of
men to stand for the peoples demands and
expects that popular sentiment will have
been SO unmlstaKably pronounced upon sew
eral issues that other congressman will fall
into line.
According to these authorities President
Roosevelt was anxious to make the fight
Tor the administrations several recommen-
datlonS in the close of the last Congress.
He was angered for one thing at the de-
feat of reciprocity in the Senate but did
not 1dn TO place the real responsibility for
1t, not on the shoulders of the men on the
firing line, but on the men whose en-
couragement enabled that firing line to
stand. But his friends in Congress re-
strained him from making the fight at that
time. Get the public back of you" they
said, "and then go in and clean out the
other fellows"
Clammoring for Change of Leaders
The younger element of the republican
party in Congress are clamoring for a
change of leaders tolrepresent the changing
political issues as they find them in their
districts. Months ago they saw the trend
OF public sentiment making against an eX-
cessiVe protective tariff and deeply antago-
nisuc to trusts. They wanted to strike the
crest of the rising tide and .ride with it.
conservative interests" the term used to
designate rather than describe the faction
which is opposing the remedial legislation
proposed for trusts and excessive protec-
ton, blocked all efforts.
This younger element, virile patriotic
earnest, confident that the republican party
is right, is sensitive to- the slurs of the op-
position that it is the party of plutocracy
and pelf. They would remove the last ves-
tige of justification for criticism of their
party. President Roosevelt said to one of
them recently: Lets take away the l per
cent of truth in the statement that the re-
publicanS foster trusts"
But they know 1t is hard thing to move
the conservative interests from their
foundation of strength in the old leaders of
the House and Senate A new faction, they
say, must come to the front and take hold,
a hold which they can only get through a
great popular outburst. They think the
outburst will come this fall. The President
In his campaign is to arouse the sentiment
of the public upon the subjects he has
nearest at heart He will then be able to
gather about him in Congress men who
stand with him on these subjects.
Then, with public sentiment back of him,
sure of his ground and his support let the
representatives of the conservative inter-
ests' look out for squalls. The Roosevelt
party in Congress- 1t is claimed, will secure
the legislation which the people want, and
the victory will come just anterior to the
presidential campaign, according to their
calculations.
When Mr.. Littlefeld of Maine was
chosen by the President to outline the
antitrust legislation it gratified the young
er men in Congress. They had chafed at
the indispositlon of the old leaders to tackle
the trust question. They wanted to make
some kind of a party showing in the cam
paign against the trusts.
Difference in the Point of View.
1t was largely difference of the point
of view. The old leaders, mindful of the
constitutional limitations involved, sensi-
Bile of the many difficulties in the way
and unwilling to expose their regulations
as men learned in the law to possible
criticism, hung back. The younger men,
feeling the pressure, from the country for
action against the trusts. wanted relief
They were aware of the preparations being
made by the democrats for the campaign
on that issue. They knew what the cry
would be and that demagogic or not. 1t
would find those ready to take 1t up. But
the conservative interests prevailed;
Congress adjourned without action on the
subject and the younger element saw they
must start for their districts with appre
hensive hearts
Then the President was appealed to and
found in receptive mood. He did not
relish the ignoring Of his recommendation
to Congress on the subject. He was con-
WINGED that the younger republicans We're
right and that the people would hold the
party in power responsible for failure to
enact legislation. y The executive depart
ments were not at fault, but their oppor-
tunity awas limited They were doing all
they could in the premises.
1t was evident to- the minds of all that
Congress would have to be enlisted in the
fight and enlisted heartily. A faction would
have to be built up, the younger congress-
men said, in the Senate and House which
would stand for the administration and
the people. Once let the idea become
clear that the country was backing the
President.and adherents to the cause would
come in droves
duction of some Of the excessive tariff
schedules went to the President for aid
they found him favorable to the general
principle they advocated But, he said it
would be impossible to carry through
vision at this time and he was opposed to
making any kind Of a promise that could
not be fulfilled. That WIS in answer to a
suggestion that a ifeclarafion of intention
to act at the next session might be advisa-
BILE.
Tariff Revision Postponed.
Revision is only postponed however. The
same virile. young element that is ready to
back the President in the formation of a
Roosevelt party in Congress is behind the
movement for revision, and its members are
confident that when the sentiment of the
country is declared for it it will become an
issue with the Roosevelt party in Congress
along with reciprocity, trust restriction and
other features Of legislation.
The men who are back of it say that the
campaign for the Roosevelt party in Con-
gress does not contemplate split in the
Erepublican ranks. oss the establishment Of a
factionat war. They claim that it means
diffusion Of power al opposed to central
ization; the rule Of the majority instead Of
the Will of the Individual. They call it the
roosevelt party fnsCongress because they