The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-01-25
WASHINGTON POLITICAL GOSSIP.
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT KEh
TIE BOSSES UNEASY.
Every Little While He Makes Break
That Threatens the Harmony of
the Party.
From Our Regular Correspondent.

From our Regular correspondents.
Washington, Jan. 16.-The presi-
dents announcement that he proposes
to call the next congress in special
session, which has been authoritative
ly although not officially made, has
occasioned CONSERVATION in the Senate
where the old line, conservative lead
ers regard every proposition having
country as "socialistic'' and abhorent.
for its purpose the extension Of fed
erai control over the railroads Of the
Senator Elkins, chairman Of the COM
mittee which has to deal with this
class of legislation, and who loves to
see his name in the public press as
champion of railway reforms, but who
rs always to be found placing obstacles
in the path Of the real reform, is in
open rebellion and intimates that
the special session will accomplish
nothing. ''You may lead horse to
water but you can't make him drink, :"
is his favorite mode of declaring that
nothing will be accomplished. Mean
while he protests that legislation of
importance can be effected at the reg
ular sessions of congress and then
wastes all the time Of the committee
in giving hearing to the representa-
tives Of the railroad interests, to
cranks, in fact to anyone who will
kill time and secure notice Of the
committee and it's chairman in the.
newspapers.
There is no doubt in the minds Of
those in position closely to observe
that the Republican administration is
in very delicate situation. War to
the knife between the president and
his majorities in both houses of con-
gress is likely to break out any mo-
ment and if it does the majority Of the
house after the ffty-ninth congress, is
certain to be Democratic. Meanwhile
the Democratic press is contributing
its ample share to the straining
relation between the president
and the Republican leaders and
his impetuous, even if sincere, efforts
to accomplish legislation which will
promote "the square deaI' are prov
ing thorn in the sides Of the pom
derous statesmen who constitute the
conservative element in the Republi-
can party.
Every once in while the president
makes break, as in the case Of the
kser he sent to Senator Cullom re-
garding the arbitration treaties. The
consideration Of these treaties is ex-
ecutive business of which the public is
to know, nothing, and yet,
with a frankness which proved shock
to the old fogies, the president not on
lys sent the letter referred to, but took
pains to make it public, furnishing it
to every newspaper man who called
at the white house and asked for a
copy. When Mr.. Roosevelt makes
these little slips the amount Of enjoy
ment it affords the Democratic sena-
tors is unlimited and they never fail
to take occasion to rub 1t in to their
Republican colleagues. There is still
grave doubt that the arbitration treat
les can be ratified without amendment,
despite the fact that the president
has announced that he will withdraw
them if they are altered. The DEM
ocratic senator's not only regard them
as inimical to the interests Of the
south, but they feel that they were ne
gotiated chiefly for political effect,
during the campaign and for the pur-
pose Of disproving that the president
was a "war-lord.' Now the president
has assured them that the treaties will
not be permitted to work any harm to
the Southern states while he is pres
ident and as they run five years his
successor would have but one year in
which to work mischief under their
provisions; but the Democratic states
men insist that treaties. which would
be susceptible of perversion or which
would enable an i'll disposed president
to work injury to any section of the
country ought not to be ratified ire
spective Of the promises Of the honesty
of a particular chief executive.
Democratic members Of the senate
have adopted wise policy in their
agreement not to filibuster or place OBJ
stacles in the way Of any tariff bill
which may be introduced at the spe-
cial session which the president pur-
poses to call. They have yielded, per-