Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-02-10
THE POLITICAL SITUATION
TWO REMARKABLE MEN WHO
INSPIRE THE TWO PARTIES.
Railroad Rate lesislation-The State.
hood Bill-Senator Teller's Slur on
vermont-6arden Seeds Appropria'
ton Threatened.
Especial TO The Reformer)

~
everything In the way Of legislation
Is hanging at loose ends. all the APP
preparation bills and with them the
Impeachment trial, the statehood bill
and dozens of others of all degrees OF
Importance including the report on
the Smoot case. The statehood bill
comes TO a final vote Tomorrow, how
ever, and then viii go To conference.
The original house bin will be so
amended In many most vital particu-
lars that II won't be recognizable ut
the other end of the capital as the
same document that left 1t, and a
serious struggle will ensue In COM
mittee OF conference In an attempt TO
agree on the mass of amendments.
This Will take long time, and many
express a doubt II the two houses can
ever agree on the bill as 1t comes from
the senate. If they cannot before
March 4. then all the conniving and
cussing and debating of two years Is
utterly lost and the bill fails. About
a million people are vitaHy Interested
In the result, and many anxious faces
are seen around the capital. Dur
ing the entire session large delega-
lions of citizens from all the terri
tories in question have been camping
in the corridors of the senate, and
| just about now the troubled waters
have reached the boiling point. In
fact, steam has already begun TO es-
cape.
Beside the above matters a most
! important subject is that of railroad
rate legislation. The interstate COM
merce committee Of the senate is
holding protracted meetings attended
| by many Of the great railroad Off
cials and shippers of the country and
much of the testimony is of the
greatest interest to all who want fair
| play in freight rates and a just and
equitable management of the coun-
try's railroads. Some sensational
evidence has already been given,
which will undoubtedly serve as
basis for legal action by the govern
ment against the roads. Public in
terest in these revelations before the
committee is increasing daily, and an
interest is being aroused even among
those high in authority which looks
toward immediate action by the gov
eminent to bring about a better con-
ditlon of things
In this way will one of the most
important promises of President
Roosevelt, speaking for his party be-
fore the November election, be kept,
in that the rights of the people as
against railroad injustice and monop- |
oily viii be abundantly indicated |
Democratic thunder stolen, you see. |
You will have observed that by the |
unanimous decision of the United |
States supreme court the injunction |
against the beef trust is made per-
manent, which is one of the largest |
victories conceivable for the people. |
This brought to "A successful conclu-
sion, the administration, through its
mighty bright and able attorney gem
eral, Moody of Massachusetts, will at
once move on other very prominent
violators of the law, and Will use all
the power and machinery of the gov
eminent to maintain the rights of the
common people. More democratic
thunder stolen, and If Roosevelt main
tains his present pace through his
there won't be a SER
viceable stick of timber left in all the
woods for the democracy to build
platform of four years hence. Just as
though the democracy were not in
trouble enough, without Roosevelt
leaving them without an issue!
The house democracy is split and
rent by dissensions just now, a house
divided against itself. Rebellion has I
arisen in the party ranks against the
leadership on the floor of John Sharp
Williams of Mississippi, Many t
democratic congressman q
'efuse to follow him, party news t
papers and prominent democrats c
alongside him on the floor are attack e
ng him savagely, and are trying to d
ali a halt in the time honored pro- [
,ram of blind, pig-headed obstruction i:
which has for the past few years, at h
east characterized and emphasized h
leadership" on the floors q
# the two houses of congress. Indeed, Il
t looks Just now as if a REIMBURSEMENT o
f the party were inevitable all along
he line. Many attribute this attitude T
o Bryan, who is latterly giving much
and far-seeing advice,
nd who has, in many respects, cut
pose from the denunciatory radical bi
SIN which in the past weakened his ~
lfluence As matter of absolute n
act, Bryan was never so well thought 81
f by his old political opponents, never bt
so much discreet and SEN ~
bile foresight, never stood so well ei
18th the masses and never began TO In
ave the influence that he has to-day. Nc
In many respects, the situation is VI
lost remarkable. BY his forceful acts
the interest of the people Roose-
alt, as we have seen, is stealing
,quring a degree of political discre- -.
on and melowness, finds himself al - ~
ost a Roosevelt man. That is TO y.
y, the two have been unconsciously ne
10 t;,,e naither saorieoaS ,,,rtb;ng thu
party fealty. What the future has ia
store for the republican party is Lh'
yond conception. 1t looks as If, if oe'
g party itself would allow it, Roose- wv
1t would render it absolutely i'm
egnable. There is food for long and
ep meditation in the last two lines.
4 the other hand, as the matter ,
ends to-day, if any man possibly ,,,a
n, by the use of any material or all nc
49,. ra,,,aa.ohi - a7tt., -; tiol
: of tba s,nI,e,, h,,i,, of da,,,oo,.s,,t ow
1t man is William Jennings Bryan.
IN the above / have not intended to
iict on you a political sermon, but
~ to present a brief, close-range
W of the national political situation V
l conceive it to now exist The of
publican party has no leader, or but
ster or moulder, or managing Ii be
tor, or guardian, or father, except inv'
eodore Roosevelt. He is every one priv
those things combined. The demo- 9TH
tic party or any and all elements lati
aggregations which may in the the,
ure combine or re-assemble into vest
at was once the democratic party req
which may, with a new lock- goo
tx and barrel" be again called the hon
1ocratic party, is utterly and hope goir
ly impotent without Bryan II the
not be conceived of or calculated
without Bryan. And there You are.
l the course of the debate in the
ate on the statehood bill last week
ator Dillingham; made what was If
the unanimous consent of the floor Verl
the gaaleries at least nna of the L..