The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1909-12-09
Washington, ID. G.

lee. ., lJOJ.
The session OF Congress which will
begin this week promises TO be one
of the most interesting and important
which has been held in years. A num-
Der OF things combine to give 1t a
significance beyond that of the ordin-
airy and its effects are likely TO be
felt for years to come.
The Congress meets with an unusu-
al list of important legislation in pros
pect. Pres. Tan, in his trip thru
tho West, outlined his desires for
carrying out the Roosevelt policies,
and spoke fol legislation enough TO
keep any Congress busy, every day in
the year, for several years. OF course
no one expects more than a small
part OF this programme to be put thru
but what docs get by the legislative
bodies will be of vast importance-if
any thing does get by.
Unfortunately II is not likely that
any thing will go thru. In the first
|
trouble over the tariff, are back
with blood In both eyes, and are
going to tako every possible oppor-
tunity to fight Cannon. They believe
this is OF more importance than any
legislation. and will act accordingly
They will demand an inquiry into
the Parsons and other charges against
Cannon. and will fight over the rules
and over the appointments. and over
any thing else that may happen 20
come handy at any time. This viii
go long way to prevent constructive
legislation.
In the seconc place, Cannon and
his crowd do no. want any legislation.
Cannon never wants anything new.
lie is the original human hitching
post-the moot stationary object in
the United States II any thing is
new. he is against 1t. And both he
and his friends have a special rea-
son for being against everything just
now. They are responsible for the
tariff bill. They are learning rapid
ly that their constituents are not
wholly pleased with that measure.
They know that nothing they can
do In the regular session will cover
up that tariff record. and they think
that II they can get home and get
to electioneering for denomination
and reelection, they can help some.
SO they have Just one wish-to get
home as quickly as they decentiy can.
They want to use Congress for the
purpose of shooting off lot OF speech
es supposed TO be for the purpose of
influencing Congress. but really in
tended to be read by the boys at home.
II those speeches are made In Con-
gress they are printed free and mailed
free. and therefore each Congressman
has a burning desire to put his pat
riotism into words-words that come
inder the Thanking privilege. and
will help his campaign. For both of
these reasons Congress will not get
down TO any new legislation IL It
can help II. The Cannon crowd will
welcome any inquiry into the govern
ment affairs or really anything else
which will keep the main issue cloud
ed--the insurgents have picked On
Cannon as the main issue, and so,
fighting and stalling. they will pro-
badly spend the winter without doing
anyone much OF any good.
OF almost more Importance than
the effect on legislation, viii be
the effect tho Congress viii have
on the standing of Pres. Taft in the
minds of the voters OF the country.
without expressing the personal OPP
inion of The Citizen, It is a fact that
in the country at large many voters
have not yet made up their minds
about Mr.. Taft. His attitude on the
tariff bill has not given any general
satisfaction, and yet the majority of
voters are willing to give him the
benefit of the doubt. They believe
NhtAA ht may hhNN oNNNh 90 hN WV ~
order to prevent o break with Cannon
and Aldrich, in hopes that by keep
ing on friendly terms with them he
would be more likely to get the legis-
lation he is after. But the voters
feel that he has got to do something
now, to show what is what. They
think that after all the legislation is
the really important thing, and they
want him to either get 1t, or fight.
So he is to be put in hard place.
He win get nothing that tho leaders
can keep from aim. and the insurgents.
with the best intentions, will be of
little help. It ha1 been announced that
Taft will take no sides as between the
insurgents and Cannon, but IL will be
hard for him to keep out of fight.