The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-01-24
Ey WILLIS y. ABBOT.

man Who had Id "A FIGHT. Il hit him
In the fist with ny f!ce and knocked
myself down"
| OF course The Quarrel of congress VIII
| President Roosevelt easily takes rank
| far above any other event of recent
date in news Importance as we'll as in
real significance
| Another thing stunned the country
the presidents attack on Senator Ben
jamin Ryan Tilllnan Of South Carolina
and the giving out Of certain facts per
tanning to Senator Tillnans recent
connection with prospective pure ha scS
of lands now held hy Il wagon read
company under congressional grant
Tragic as may have been the sudden
smirchnC Of the standing of a federal
senator hitherto unauestioned as to
prohity, the relationship between the
congress and the chief executive de
mands attention not only by every
writer of politics. but by every citizen
who loves his native land and who
earnestly wishes to witness strength
ening of the popular government.
Shortcomings of Congress.
First there are some bald. bare facts
to doubt which would be but to dem
onstrate failure properly to discern
contemporary events. The congress is
not III good repute with the masses
The incumbent president is in good re
pute with the masses. The people, or Il
majority of them. believe Mr.. Roosa
welt is for them. They believe with
equal depth Of conviction that the con
greSS is for the Interests" Not all
congressman or all senators. but the
ma jorty. the governing forces Of both
bodies have been written down by the
average citizen as derelict of duty. as
hostile to the forward movement just
now gathering momentum.
That magnificent patriots adorn both
houses all honest men hasten to admit
That subce!ar governors of congress
sional activities have dominated in the
ultimate results obtained from the con-
gress all thoughtful men must con-
cede.
To be specific. trusts have been add
ed to trusts: abuses by public service
corporations have grown to mountains
Of iniquitv. Yet the congress has sat
supinely inert. Il corporation control
led senator "bcssin2" the great and
dignified senate and a dictatoral. ty-
rannical. reactionary congressman has
headed a coterie of half Il dozen who
following his commands as speaker
have literally owned the house.
Movement Dor Reform.
A great movement began. accentuated
here by one man. perhaps Il Bryan:
there by another. perhaps La Toilette
or Folk or a Cummins or Il Hughes
and the people through them voiced
their demand for curing of the abuses
1t was not spasmodic reform wave
but a tidal wave. and it threw po!iti-
cal wrecks high on the beach in New
York. Missouri Oregon. in dozen
other states. Even some Of the ships
of the national political feet were
caught in the onrushing waters and
hurled high and dry among the shore
rocks
Yet the congress failed adequately to
realize the Significance Of passing
events. 1t dallied; it sneered: it laugh
ed. Some men Of the members wore
6Ountenances wherein was lined con-
Germ. appreciation of what might fol-
low.
Into the White House went a man a
force. Of purpose, Of political skill be-
yond that possessed by others of his
period. His was an admixture Of ex-
cellences with deplorable qualities.
and one of the latter was a DISPOSE
ton to win any fight regardless Of the
methods employed.
1t was not a far cry from the ethics
of such concept to that of the imagi-
nary modern who said to his son:
my boy, get money Get it honest
~ If you can, but get it,
"My son." might have said this
strong man in the seat of Washing
ton, Jefferson ard Lincoln. win DO
litical fights Win them honestly if
you can. but win them"
He knew the people had lost conf
dence in the ruling powers Of the con-
"resS. and likewise he knew that he
could win III any contest of words
with the house or senate-win 50 far
Is the people were coHcerned-and that
they would applaud him for his deeds
a Cheap Iasinustion.
Let it not be inferred from this that
am discounting the average inteIli-
yence of the masses. They are nearer
right than any one class Of them. high
Or low in education. social training or
worldly goods.
Nevertheless. taking advantage Of /
he fact that not all Of the people could |
know all Of the facts in the case. this
militant dweller in the white mansion |
n message to the congress flung a
heap insinuation at the honor of the ,
legislators His language was such
IS to convey the impression that he
meant to impugn the honor Of the ma
ority Of the members.
nj. 3D. ~ 4SSssss