Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-07-09
TAWNEY WAY SUCCEED SHERMAN

Representative James A Tawney Of the
first district of Minnesota chairman Of
the house committee on appropriations,
and ono the foremost Of that Cotere
that upho'ds the hands of Speaker Cam
non II. 1ul'ng the House Is now being
frey :nc1tioned for chairman Of the
republican congressional committee. He
is vice-cnairman Of tho committee, and
it has been quite generally accepted that
he would be made chairman on the retire
ment of Representative James S. Sher-
man. who has been nominated for vice
president. Mr.. Tlwncy. however, is not
wildly excited over the prospective honor
and the information here IS that he would
prefer not to have the craftsmanship.
PAX Of this Is an interesting reason It
is lin. Mr.. Tawncy feels there is need for
his presence in his own district through
much OF this campaign. lie has trouble
there aud his political fences are in seri-
Gus need of careful repair and careful
attention. Tawney Is one Of the men that
loom up conspcuously as possibilities for
the speakershir when Speaker cannon re-
tires, His prominence in the House ma
| chuory however. does not prevent him
from having opposition at home, and it
! is in some respects a case Of a prophet
not being without honor save IN his owr
| country.
1t appears TaWncy is threatened with
having 10 pay the piper for having danced
t. some other music last session ;han
| that which was played from the White
House He is being charged out in Mimi
r~utA with having exhibited hostility 20
administrator policies and IN oyerfriend
liness for the policies Of. Speakcr Cannon.
posed Of radical Roosevelt men. and they
have their knives ont ,or an"one who 5
! suspected being in league With Cannon
and tho "rcactionaries.
! Proba bly, the thing that mas stirred up
! more Trouble FOR Tawncy than anything
else is his course as Chairman OF the
| house committee ON appropriations on
the item contained in the sundry civil
| bill appropriatins t25o.Nr To enable the
Interstate Commerce Commission ia larry
out the provisions uf that section ~ the
Hepburn law that provides for uniform
railroad accounting ana government SUI
pcrvision Of railroad accounts. ihe Pres
| dent strongly insisted that this appro-
pration be allowed so that an adequate
| number of examiners could he had 10 look
into the accounting Of the railroad COM
! panicS. Tawuey took "a prominent part
| in cutting this item deeply in committee
and fought against it being restored on
| the moor he was beaten. Now he Is
| benz charged IN his district with a pur-
| pose to emasculate the Hepburn law, and
| his opponents are making much capital
! out of IL. TaHncN's friends defend him
on the ground that as chairman of the
appropriation committee he was making
an earnest effort al economy. but this
| cNpltnption does not satisfy his critics.
! Resides. they point to his opposition 10
| President Roosevelts proSra for the
| conservation of resources and TO other
matters as showing that down at bottom
| he was doing all he could II block the
policies of the administration.
So far the Tawney opposition has not
brought out man 10 lead the fight
| against him, 1t may be that none will be
brought out, but the nomination will not
be made until September and there Is
ample time, The opposition is casting a.
| bout for a strong man to take the field
! against Tawney, and II man can be
| found who swings enough political
| strength To make him available he will
bs conferred on. Tawney's friends hope
but Just now the situation is an ugly
| one for the chairman OF thick approprla-
| TONS committee. His district Is regard
ed as safely republican, and his nomin-
atom would doubtless be equivalent to ar
election, although n reduced majority
would he probable