Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-10-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.
tProm our Regular correspondent,

Washington, ID. c.. Oct. IA The
dignity of the Republican leaders of
the United States senate has been rude
ly disturbed by the interest President
Roosevelt, is taking in the selection OF
the committees for the next session of
the august body. The President has
indicated to several of the senators who
have visited him at the White House
that be will appreciate it if bis friends
in the Senate be given important com
mittee assignments. 1t is claimed that
be has gone farther in this direction
than any of his predecessors, and here
by evinced a disposition to attempt to
shape the policy of the senate.
The President is said to be particu
larly interested In the formation of the
committee on interstate commerce. 1t
IS the committee that will have to do
with the railway rate bill and he is,
therefore, anxious to secure as friend
Iy an organization of it as possible. 1t
is known that majority of this com
mittee is now opposed to administra-
tion's rate policy and, while the Presi-
dent does not expect to secure suf-
ficient number of Republicans to carry
out his policy, be hopes with Demo
cratic aid to secure favorable report
from the committee on a bill that will
be in harmony with bis ideas.
But such movement on the part of
President Roosevelt has created con
siderable ill feeble among the older
members of the senate. The low house
has some times accepted dictation from
the White House, but the senate new
er. If the President should persist in
his dictatOrial attitude toward the
senate, some of the more influential
leaders do not hesitate in saying that
an open rupture will be the result.
That there is not now any harmony
between the recognized state leaders
and the administration is evinced by
the refusal of President Roosevelt to
go to the rescue of the party in this
falls state elections. No other Re
publican president has ever refued to
aid his party in state election.
Especially has this been true when
the party was in danger of meeting
with defeat, as is the Republican par
ty of New York, Pennsylvania and
Ohio. These states are recognized as
being republican states, and IN formers
years the administration regarded a
loss to the party as rebuke to the re-.
publican president in power. But
President Roosevelt does not appear
to take this view of the sit uatiOn. He
assumes the attitude of being wiser
than his party and refuses to support
the state machines. Especially is this
true of Pennsylvania, where the Phlla
delphia machine Is attempting to In
trench itself against the assaults of
the independent republicans and the
democrats.
Previous to re entering the cabinet
Secretary of State Root, who is regard
ed as the closest friend and advisor of
the President, made an open attack
upon the Philadelphia Organization.
He referred to the Republican leaders
in Philadelphia as boOdlers and thugs
who were masquerading as republl
cans. This attack is looked upon as
coming virtually from the president,
and real expression of the attitude
of the republican administration. While
the app-als for help coming from New
Y Ork and Ohio were not met with such
disfavor at the White House, it is
stated that Senator Dick, who is CHAIR
man of the OHIO stale committee, and
Governor Odell of New Y Ork, received
very little encouragement from the
president.
Revision of the tariff appears to have
been side tracked for another session.
All of the forces of the administration
will be entered upon an effort to secure
railway rate legislation.
Although President Roosevelt still
believes that the Dirgley tariff is dis
guised evil, he has reached the cOnclu-
sion that there is more pressing need
for railway rate legislation than for
tariff reform. On this account he has
at least temporarily abandoned his
tariff reform policy and will give his