The Washington times., 1906-04-16
Peoples Plank Declared
Filched From the
Democrats.
LIKELY TO WIN HOUSE
Varying Views of Members
Over Presidents Series
of Proposals.

"A few more speeches like that. and
it will be useless TO continue the as
sumption that the President is not to
be a factor In the 1908 race" said a
politician this morning. He was talking
to group of House members about
the 'muck-rs =" speech of Saturday
the speech whose expected sensational
attack on the yellow writer's was
eclipsed In sensationalism by the series
of proposals that the President made
In the direction OF legislative program
for the future.
Read that speech carefully" con-
tinued the member "and you will find
that IT maps out a program Of legisla-
tive effort big enough to keep a siren
uous Administration busy throughout 4
Presidential term. It can't be tackled
this Administration. because there is
more business on hand than will be dis
patched. without taking up income tax
or inheritanc2 tax or Federal licensing
OF corporations or further regulation
Of interstate commerce.
There is no overlooking that the PresI-
dents speech of Saturday has sent the
mercury a long way down fl tho in
dicators attached to various President,a.
booms- The President isn't a candidate
for another term; he has said so, and
never announced a change Of his mind
about It But as between the Presi-
dents decision not 20 be a candidate and
the peoples decision TO have him a cam
didate, what would happen? That's the
inquiry that gives concern TO the vari-
Gus aspirants.
Another Democratic Plank Stolen.
Politicians have talked of little else,
since Saturday. than the significance OF
this address The feature In IL of over
shadowing concern 20 them was the dec
laration OF the Presidents conviction
that a graduated tax on inheritances, TO
prevent the piling up OF huge fortunes,
was becoming necessary. OF course. this
is branded by the conservatives as dan
gerous radicalism- But how IL sounded
TO the ears OF the politicians Is sug-
gested by the remark that a Republican
Senator made to his neighbor, as they
sat listening to the Presidents address.
"One more Democratic plank stolen. -
sententiously commented the Senator.
He was a Republican, too; and when
he was asked later what he thought
about this suggestion of the President.
the theft. He agreed with the Presi-
dent that the question of these i'm
mense fortunes needs attention.
or course such radical proposal has
excited great variety of comment
Democrats In general have pointed out
that the President Is edging up close
to their income-tax doctrine. Their
most serious criticism of his sugges-
come tax But so far as it goes they
generally like ii.
Eastern Republicans express convIc-
ton that II IS very dangerous, and so
do some others But apparently. 1udg-
Ing by the aggregate of expressions
thus far heard, the President would BE-
able to carry his party with HIN.
Rate Legislation Only the Beginning
Yet this. though the most striking
thing by way Of proposed innovation,
was not nearly all of 1t that was con-
tanned in the speech The President in
dicated his opinion that the rate legis-
lation OF this session is a beginning
toward that class OF reforms. He doesn' I
assume that a transportation miIlen-
mum is to be precipitated by the enact
ment of the Hepburn bill. In this he is
fully agreed with the great majority
or advocates of regulation They think
the Hepburn bill only a step.
What the next step IS that the Presi-
dent has In mind can only be guessed
He didn't say that It was Federal licen-
sing or incorporation OF corporations
engaged in interstate commerce.; but he
did suggest such a program as desir-
able and logical Representative Martin
with his Federal licensing proposal. and
Senator Newlands. with his proposal OF
Federal Incorporation of interstate rail
roads, are both able to find most salts
flying evidence In the speech that the
President sympathiZes with their views
In fact, the two proposals are not SC
different in essence; II Is rather a diff
ference in degree.
Work for Another Term.
But, IL these are the issues to which
the President wants public thought d.
rected with a view to ultimately making
them into law, when does he expect the
actual legislating done? This session
has more than Its hands full. Next SEES
sion-apologies 10 Speaker Cannon and
Chairman Payne and The other stand
patters-is going to hG-e the tariff on
It's hands. II is plain Enough tnat If the