Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-12-04
SELECTING A SENATOR
Roosevelt Names Root to Sue.
coed PIatt of New York.
THE PEOPLE NOT CONSULTED

THE PEOPLE NOT CONSULTED
Stand Patters Will Allow No Tariff Re-
vision at Coming Session of Congress.
Cannon In the Sadde-Opportunity
For the Minority = Made to Order
Prosperity-The Peril of Monopoly.
By WILLIS j. ABBOT.
Obviously it is not intended that the
people shall rule in the matter OF
selecting United States senators. and
the country has been permitted to
witness the final selection OF SEN
ator from New York in the brilliant
personality Of Elihu Root during the
past week the while the people of
New York looked on, interested but
impotent observers Of the process.
Beginning with the somewhat axio-
matte proposition that the aged Thorn
as Collier Plat, whose term as SEN
ator ends next March, should not be
returned because he had not repre-
scented the people of the Empire
self to the task of selecting the man
who must sit in the senate for the en-
suing six years. Certain "organiza
ton" politicians were asked to call
on the president. who indicated to
them that it was his wish that the in
cumbent secretary Of state succeed
Mr.. Platt Within few days it was
announced that no doubt remained
that Mr.. Root would be the new SEN
ator
Wherein the mass of the voters Of
New York had to say in the making Of
this programme does not appear to
the average observer. No expression
had been asked or given by the people
of that state on the subject. nor had
the membership of the state assembly
been consulted
Avoiding discussion of the fitness Of
Mr. Root for the office which Mr..
Roosevelt selected for him, certainly
this exhibition Of substitution Of oil
garchical for popular mandate has
been the one Illuminating event of the
post election period.
Stand Patters Are Boastfui.
However, of more general interest Is
the attitude assumed by the leading
stand patters since Nov. In declaring,
as Serene E. Payne did:
THE country did not pronounce for
any radical revision Of the tariff
Mr.. Payne was Joined In his stand
pat position by that other we'll known
supporter of the speaker, Mr. Dalzell,
and to such declaration were added
several significant statements that
were to be condensed In the assertion
OF the speaker that, inasmuch as the
leading friends of the ruling dynasty
IN the house had been returned to con-
gress apparently the fight made last
summer on the speaker had proved to
be abortiye.
l have sought accurate information
Of reasonable expectations as to re-
vision in the coming special session,
and, although the search was thorough
and withal in the hope Of finding
prospect therefor, was compelled to
conclude that the American people
may as well as not accept the status
. quo as impregnable for the present.
When both stand pat and progress
i've members of the dominant party
unite In admitting that the existing
high schedules will not be altered ma
terlally probably it will not be regard
ed as baseless to assert that the late
election has fastened the trust crea-
tive import duties on the nation for an
indefinite time.
Let it not be forgotten, too, that
James Schoolcraft Sherman, one Of
Speaker Cannon's confidential advisers
has been elected vice president, so that
the Cannon influence. remaining su-
preine in the house. will be well nigh
dominant in the senate
Opportunity For Opposition Party.
Instead Of being overwhelmed by a
national defeat, the minority. am con-
vinced, Is In Il position to accomplish
two things-work for the veal of the
people and at the same time play ex-
cellent politics. In the first place, the
dominant party In the nature of the
case must make good" in revising the
tariff OF lose Its strength in the west.
Such advocates of thorough revision as
La Toilette, Cummins Bristow and their
kind in the senate and the other real
revisionists In the house will be COM
PEELED to make their most valiant fight
for correction of tariff abuses. Every
argument they advance will be an in
d1ctment of the dominant party when
1t shall have been proved that no real
revision was accomplished.
These progressive Republicans repre-
sent the actual sentiment Of their con-
stituencies. 1t will therefore be wa
ter OF the wheel" OF the minority party
to have the La Follettes and Cum
mtnses waking the echoes of the polit-
ical welkin with their protests against
nonaction, SO that If the members of
the minority party in the congress do
their duty two years hence it should
be comparatively easy to win the house
majority.
1t Is obvious. then. that the situation
offers opportunity to the Democrats in
congress which only voluntary failure
could spoil
Duty of Opposition Party.
Looking at the other side of the
question, concern Is felt In some quar-
tiers that the Democrats In both house
and SQnata Gland bu tho 40 nj