The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1908-02-28
LOOKS GOOD FOR TAFT
But Opposition, it is Claimed,
Puts it Differently.
BIG DAILIES ARE BOUND
Under Corporation Sway, Print
Misleading Reports.

| Washington, D. c., Feb. 22-Pt
lltical news has been all Of one kin
during the past week. From ever
quarter has come information testify
Ing to the progress OF the Taft boom
while no other Repu blican canddat
seems to be making progress. Dele
gates in OLio, Missouri, Alabama ant
other states have been instructed 70
Taft. The Taft forces have carried
the Cuyahoga district of Ohio, wher,
Senator Foraker placed his creates
hope, and the 5th. 7th and 9th dis
tricts of Missouri, these being the
districts which the anti-administra
tion forces had counted on CARVING
for Cannon. The Alabama State
Republican committee has endorsed
Taft by vote Of 80 to 2 and the
Tennessee State Republican commit
tee has endorsed the jolly Secretary
OF War by unanimous vote. News
from Connecticut is to the effect that
the state delegation will be almost
solid for Taft, with possibly three
votes, those of the Senators aud one
delegate from Senator Braudegee's
voting with the opposition.
Despite these facts, however, there
are many reports appearing in the
press which would seem to becloud
the issue and which are intended to
mislead the public.
Never before. perhaps, has the
press-that is, the large metropolitan
dailies-been so completely under the
domination Of anti-ddministratio tion
forces as is the case this year. The
big corporations are all opposed To
the nomination Of Taft and they
exert powerful influence in the cities.
The men who own the big dailies are
generally interested In other enter
prises. many Of them 10 public service
corporations, and they are peculiarly
amenable to the influence Of fellow
directors and to their own .pocket-
book nerves.. For that reason the
widest sort Of reports find their way
into print and are prominently dis
played. For Instance, Senator Bur-
kett received a letter this week saying
that Nebraska would give Taft a
solid, instructed delegation. As
printed in number OF newspapers.
this report was changed to say that
Mr.. Burkett had received letter
saying that the Taft organization was
going all to pieces in his state. ]
took the trouble to make personal
inquiry Of a newspaperman,-a work
er, not proprietor-and he told me
that his chief was very favorable to
Foraker and Mr., Foraker preferred
the news SO printed. "Why", asked.
He said that Mr. Foraker was still
Senator and that his chief owned
large public service corporation. ST
that If they antagOniZed Foraker b,
might make them trouble in tn,
Senate, might introduce some legis-
lation which would cut down theil
profits % per cent.
The House of Representatives. des
pite the Presidents earnest protest.
has declined thus far to place the
census bureau under civil service con
troll. President Roosevelt has po.nt.
ed out that the spoils system results
in inefficient work and far greater ex.
nense to the people than would
civil service force, but the members
nf Congress want the places to dis
trihnte among their relatives, friends
and henchmen and nothing short of
an indignant public opinion can force
them to adopt reform methods. The
President is sorely disappointed over
the prospects.