Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-11-25
People Not to Rule in Selection of U. S. Senators

I 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
| terially 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 SUI
preme 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. 1 am con-
WINGED, Is in u position to accomplish
| two things-work for the veal of the
people and at the same time play ex-
dominant party in the nature of the
case must make good in revising the
tariff or 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
l ynt, - 81,
it shall have been proved that no rea
revision was accomplished
These progressive Republicans repre-
sent the actual sentiment of their con
stituencieS. 1t will therefore be IVA
ter of the wheel" of the minority party
to have the La Follettes and Cum
minses waking the echoes of the polit
teal welkin with their protests against
nonaction, so that if the members OF
the minority party in the congress dc
their duty two years hence 1t should
be comparatively easy to win the house
majority.
1t is obvious. then, that the situation
offers opportunity to the Democrats IL
congress which only voluntary failur,
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 senate stand by the standard
which was set up In the campaign
Just fought so magnifcently under tn,
leadership of Mr.. Bryan. The Repub
lican party has Endorsed the existing
regime, which includes, perforce. tn,
abuses of the tariff as now admins
tered Some farsighted Democratic
leaders have planned an advance u
the citadel of the trust beneficiaries @
the too high import duties, and If the
sustain the warfare they must hav
support from the whole body of Demo
cratic congressman and senators, sur
port loyal and sincere and not tinctul
ed by the weak political philosophy c
the late Hancock, who justified Gel
tain attitudes by the dietum that 18th
tariff is local ISSUE"
After canvassing the situation wit
some care / am compelled to voice tn
statements which have been made
me by some of the Democratic Leaf
ers, who express concern lest the ranl
of the minority be broken by thos
who subscribe to the doctrine thu
local considerations warrant recreanc
to the political trust which the 100
election imposed on every Democrat.
> Even the opposition press conced'
that failure to honestly revise the ia
r. if will turn over the 1910 compression
s al election to the Democrats. Ina
* much as the honest revision Of the ia
& iff is practically conceded to be q
& impossibility under existing condition
8 the Serious duty of the minority part
& as well as its obvious potential adva
8 tage, seems to be plain to the mo
& casual political observer.
ST With Champ CLARK admittedly Il
8 coming minority leader, after Ar. Br
& ans brilliant educational campaig
6 politic' ans agree that most promisil
8 prospects have developed for the II
8 nority and that the COMPRESSION
& forces of the Democratic party me-
8 only meet the requirements to prepa
- the way for success in 1910, WIFI
6 means success in 1912 nationally.
6 Prosperity "Hothousing."
e Some word maker has evolved
G expression "hothousing prosperit,
e Going about among some of the m
g in the financial circles who rega
6 some things as above politics, 1 d
& cover concern lest there be too re
6 Gus booming of the returned prosp
x ity, which, it is alleged, came wi
s the announcement of Mr.. Taft's ell
x ton.
8. Men versed in fiscal lore do not W