The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-09-22

Hs1o'Hs NoSoeatec by the War Sce.e
tary Are Always to Be Accomplish
ed Tomorrow-The Cleveland Nay or
J atty Fight-PIatform Of the Co..
testants-Soft Speech and Bio STICK.
By WILLIS j. ABBOT
The political world of Washington il
wondering how Mr. Bryan found o..
the weak point of Secretary Taft aud
with unerring Judgment put his finger
upon it.
In his speech at Oklahoma City some
days ago Mr.. Bryan described Secrc-
tary Taft in two words. as the great
postponer." Mr.. Bryan pointed out
that Taft was for revision of the tariff
at some future date: that he was for
an income tax at some future date; for
an Inheritance tax. but later; he was
for the independence of the Filipinos
at some future date and thSt} he stood
for statehood for Oklahoma and the
Indian Territo@, but always at some
future date
l have been interested to hear GER
tain things concerning Taft from peo-
are Republicans. but all of whom alp-
plaud the Bryan description of his
character. Men who have business
with the war department have found
out that this good natured. genial. Jolly.
fat secretary Of war never determines
anything for himself Always it is to
be done tomorrow; as the MeXicans
say, "Manana." 1t is 50 in trivial
things and in great issues.
Taft's Passion Fer Postponernent.
Some time ago it was runIorcG in
PittSburg that the war department had
under consideration The elevation Of
the bridges across the Allegheny riy
er between Pittsbur- and Allegheny.
These bridges were private bridges on
which a toll was charged. They in
terfered with navigation. The var de
partment, rs everybody knows. has Ell
tire authority over he navigable riv-
ers. Attorneys for and against the
various interests involved came 10
Washington They met Mr.. Taft. Al
ways diplomatic, always pleasant. IN
variably courteous. he said Il havcny
beeI 1Iut ~ iiiht tHt illtlttei tp we
but | shat, soon" one of these attor-
neys told me today that he had been
engaged on tho case. spending half Of
his time in Washington and the other
half in Pittsburg. for something moe
ilan two yeags. He still hopes that
: The matter will he taken up soon.
When Mr.. Bryan described Mr. Taft
as the great rostponer" he no dolht
spoke only of the -secretary's position
on public questions. But here III
Washington even Mr.. Taft's friends
admit that if he can possibly postpone
a decision on anything. even upon y
matter which comes to his desk ap-
proved by all the suboTdinates il his
department, he will put il off as long
as may be.
A striking Illustration of this tend
Panama on & wars!lip-of coarse no
member of this administration ever
travels except on a warship, and the
president must have from three to five
battleShips to escort him. There Wis
little labor trouble at Panama
Some 600 men were discontinued WITT
their work If there had been 600 men
anywhere else discontinued. say on
the Erie canal work or on a railroad.
some Responsible officer would have
jumped on a train. taken berth in a
sleeping car found out what the trou-
BILE was and either settled it or fought
II out. Not SO Taft. With dignity and
unlimited funds for expenses he goes
to Panama and investigates. When he
returned to Washington the newspa
per correspondents asked him what he
was going to 90. Il shall report my
opinions and put it up to the presi-
dent
AS matter of fact. Secretary TAFT
is the absolutely authoritative head
of the Panama canal work. There is
no more reason why he should submit
the determination Of a labor issue
there to the president than that he
should make his political beliefs and
his political utterances wholly sub
servient to Mr.. Roosevelt's views.
But he does both.
Burton and Johnson.
The news that Representative Bur
ton Of Cleveland Is to run as the Re-
publican candidate for the mayoralty
of that city against Tom l.. johnson
should awaken wide interest. There
may be much back of the announce
ment which does not appear on its
face. During the-time that Johnson
has dominated Cleveland there has
been practically no opposition to Bur
ton as Republican candidate for con-
gress Some men say that this has
been the result of a deal between Bur
ton and johnson by which the one
should go to congress as Republican
and the other continue as mayor. Per
sonally think this is absolutely I'M
true OF all the people in public life
who cannot be suspected of political
trading Tom johnson is one. But 1t
is true that Burton has not antaSo-
nized Johnson's street railway policy