The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-12-16
KNOX IS TOOL OF
TRUSTS, WRITER
9DECLARES
psNNsyLvAN,A sTATEsMAN's
NAME Is LINKED WITH sEcRE
TARY OF STATE PORTFOLIO
BURTON is CANNED GOODS"
Nv ALFRED HENRY LEWIS.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.-Now tnaI
Mr.. Taft is gone there is more room.
Much has been joyously written con-
corning the rotundity OF Mr.. Taft. he
has gained frequent description as u
lfashion--in looks. nor morais-of fai'
stafr of Politics. Even Mr.. Taft him.
self Is prone to unbend in gay saiiies
about his size. He tells OF lady whom
he served in some West Point All
billions for her son. and who. In her
gratitude, burst forth with:
"Oh. Mr.. Secretary. You are NOT
nearly so fat as they say!
Madam" returned Mr.. Tart, now
ever much | may have helped you
am repaid a thousand fold.
The talk still continues linking the
portfolio OF state with the name or MT
Knox. For myself | wish IL were no.
MIR. Knox. Not that | know augnt
against the gentleman, bait somehow
he reminds me OF the enemy. Hes
been so much and so intimately at the
right hand OF the trusts that II shakes
nv confidence who am growing sns-
picious with the falling SHOWS OF years.
Honest?
Yes. | take il Mr.. Knox is honest
But his friendships. his alliances nave
been and are with the trusts-with
those whom we've been fighting ana
must keep fighting in order that gov
eminent. free government, may live.
II is reckoned sure. too. that MT.
Burton. OF Ohio. will take the secre-
taryship OF the treasury. Mr.. Burton
q from Cleveland That town must
fairly riot in financiers. Mr.. Mchln-
ley offered that same portfolio or The
treasury TO Mr. Myron T. Herrica'
and he. too, was and Is from CleVe-
land.
Once before spoke OF the canned
variety OF man. Such is Mr.. Burton.
There is a sort Of human canned goods,
that bears the same relation to the
common, everyday man-with his
loves. his hates and a heart humping
grandly under his ribs, the red blood
flowing in his veins-that canned
peaches bear to peaches on the tree.
He is quiet, unwarlike, doctle. Money
likes that form of man. Money takes
him, pares him, stews him down In
corporate sweetness, puts him in
glass jar. heedfully seals him against
the corrupting touch OF the ruder In
fluences of life. stamps all with the
money stamp and sets him aside on
some shelf Of its affairs.
Some day. when occasion calls.
Morey takes him down, blows the dust
from the seal TO make sure there Is nc
mistake. and hands him TO some conveE-
ton for candidate, or 10 some presi-
dent for a cabineteer. Also, this -
precisely what I'm afraid of In the
tame and careful treasury case OF Mr..
Burton.
Now that the earlier blush or tndig-
nation has begun to fade from TIE
congressional cheek. our statesmen
are beginning to feel puzzled over
THAT presidential hooking up OF the
destinies of congressman and secret
service sleuths, making fox OF one,
hound OF the other. That is the word
for 1t. They feel decisively puzzled.
Also to puzzle q statesman Is to scare
him
They-the statesmen-go peering
about that offensive secret service
paragraph In the Roosevelt message.
like wild turkeys about fence rail-
trap. They imagine that Mr.. Roose-
Welt has designs upon them. they
know not what, and Is trying to lure
them into a corner for the ferocious
purpose Of tearing them TO pieces In
unheard of ways.
The longer they look at 1t, the more
| in their hair-hung, shaken timidity are
they convinced that some sinister
strategy lies hidden in the business
like a crouched lion In thicket, ready
with wide jaws and rending claws to
spring upon them should they go too
close spoke TO Mr.. Sulzer about the
matter. He felt that the congressional
attitude ought to be one OF wordless
contempt. This naughty position was
objected to by a representative from.
the northwest. He pointed out. when
quoted the dignifed Mr.. Sulzer. that
senators and representatives to the
number OF seven at least had already
been convicted OF grievous offenses.
Some OF them had died; some OF them
had gone to jail. These convictions
furnished argument sufficient TO sus-
tain all that Mr.. Roosevelt had said.
To assume airs, put on a manner,
would not serve.
When" said this publicist, when
go after quail and bag 10 | know that
4 haven't killed them all; and that for
every one brought down as many as
10 were within range that didn't see.
or. seeing, didn't hive. This quail
proposition holds good with crime and
criminals Given seven congressman
brought to bay for crime, and convict
ed, IL is no more thar fair assumption
that there are q round 20 who. II they
had their deserts. would be on what
I'll call the Sing Sing waiting list right
now"
In my own poor opinion. Mr.. Roose
welt is setting no trap. no snares for
the congressional feet. There isn't
much round-the-corner in the Roose
welt methods He comes squarely
across. comes at noon, comes blowinl
a bugle. There Is nothing duplex
nothing OF the Florentine about him.
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