The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-01-14
POLITICS IN SADDLE
Chairman cortelyou's Resigna-
ton Makes Rough Riding.
QUITE a. MIxuP ALL ARouNa
Eeither Party Has Donate ideas es
to Issues or Candidates For 1eae.
Legislation Likely 20 suRer-cos .
gross Ignoring Rreuidsprs Ideas.
By CHARLES ". ARTHuR.


telycu as chairman Of the nation.
Republican committee has caused a
very considerable stir among the p5..
ticians Of the dominant party. Mr.. Cor.
telyou, who Is now postmaster genera.
has been named by the president g
become secretary of the treasury v..c:5
Leslie NJ. Shaw retlres. Much opr5-.
tion to the confirmation of the appone-
mo3t came from the Democrats OF -
oenate finance committee, to wh:c.i
Mr.. Cortelyou's nomination was con
ffrmed, and in some quarters the op;I
ion prevails that this opposition l,ea
something to do with the action OF ;,.a
postmaster general in giving up ~.
craftsmanship of the organization which
was In charge of the Republican cam.
paign in 1904. 1t is probable, however,
that the resignation was prompted by
wholly different motives. Indeed, It is
considered likely that Mr.. Cortelyou
would have resigned some time ago
but for Che fact that he was then being
criticised severely because OF his al
legged "holdlng up" Of corporations dur.
ing the campaign and would not retire
under fire." Mr.. Cortelyou was secre.
tRry Of the department Of commerce
and labor before he became chairman
OF the national committee, and 1t was
alleged by Democrats that he used in
formation gained in the former posi-
ton to induce men at the head Of big
combinations of capital to contribute to
the Republican campaign fund. While
Mr.. Cortelyou has never denied this
charge personally, his friends say It
did him great injustice, inasmunh "a
he knew nothing whatever about tho
corporation contributions which, II IL
now admitted, the committee re-
ceived.
conservative" Republicans Opposed.
But Democratic opposition was not,
all that confronted Mr.. Cortelyoa.
Prominent Republicans of the "con.
sentative" type objected to him be-
cause of his close relations with Presi-
dent Roosevelt and because, too, he
was not even member of the COM
mittee of which he was made chair
man after the convention at Chicago.
His resignation leaves Vice Chairman
Harry S. New of Indiana at the head
OF the national committee, and the
question which Republican leaders
must solve now Is whether Mr.. New
shall be permitted to continue as act.
Ing chairman or whether a meeting of
the committee shall be called for the
purpose of selecting a new chairman.
Senator Scott of West Virginia, who
Is candidate for the craftsmanship:
Senator Hepburn OF Idaho and others
favor the latter plan. Others, how
ever, object to 1t on the ground that
there is nothing for the chairman TO
do until after the Republican national
convention is held next year and that
then a chairman who is acceptable to
the nominee should be elected.
No General Legislation.
1t is beginning to be very apparent
that the present session of congress
will accomplish little beyond the pas
sage Of the regular appropriation bills.
a river and harbor improvement bill
and n few other measures Of routine
character. Practically all of the presi-
dents numerous recommendations for
new laws win be ignored. 1t is per
fectly obvious that the relations be
tween the executive and the leaders OF
his party in congress are strained to
greater extent than ever before and
that there is a disposition to thwart his
will in every possible way. The re.
cent developments In connection with
the Brownsville case is one of the
most striking Illustrations of this fact.
The control Of the Republican nationa!
convention next year rather than tic
good of the public is the thing that
looms large on the horizon of the aver
age Republican politician Just now.
The Democrats are no nearer an agree.
ment as to the identity of their can
didate next year or the issues of TIC
campaign than they have been for
some time, so it would seem that nh.
der existing conditions neither party
has any undue advantage.
Page Versus Belmont.
Thomas Nelson Page, the author. and
Perry Belmont, member OF the well
known New York family of that name.
are engaged In a spite building war.
Mr.. Page has improved several recent
opportunities to criticise New York so.
ciety, and especially the Belmonts. No
long ago Mr.. Belmont bought tri-
angular piece OF land directly in front
Of Mr.. Pages magnificent washington
home and is preparing to erect man
sion there. The view from Mr.. Pages
house was formerly the most beautiful
In the capital, but now Mr.. Belmont
has spoiled IT. and Washington Is won
dering what the next move will be.
Why MeLaurin ls Neutral.
Senator McI.aurin Of Mississippi was
asked whom he was supporting in the
senatorial contest in his state. Mr.
McLaurin is to retire. and Representa-