The National tribune., 1909-07-01
70 MORE POLITICAL
RADlCALISM.
(continued from page one.)

alike to get back TO the House. II has
been generally believed around Wash-
ineton that Mr. Roosevelt was a tower
of strength to many Representative
seeking a reelection in close district
He undoubtedly resorted to methods
that a more careful man would have
avoided, but without injuring his gen.
eral popularity.
The present occupant of the White
House has been observing law and ira.
ditions so carefully in his Administra-
tion that less is expected from him in
the next campaign. At least the politi-
clans think they will have to take their
coats off and work as they have not
worked before at a by-election in 10
years. They feel some uncertainty about
the popular enthusiasm over a decad-
ence of radicalism in the White House.
for this appealed to large class or
voters who otherwise could not be
counted upon to support the Republican
ticket.
Ever since March the radical mem
bers of Congress and the eXponents of
that political faith thruout the country
have been well received at the White
House. but at the same time they have
been made to understand that the Pres
ident sides with the regular organiza-
ton of his party in Senate and House.
Those regulars of both legislative
branches are among the strongest con-
servatives the Republicans can muster.
They are the ones who fought President
Roosevelt not alone for his unconven-
tional ways of doing things, but also
for the things he wanted done.
These radical Senators and Repre-
sentatives. who prefer to call them
selves 'progressives.'' are muttering
much because they are given no COM
fort at the White House They make
w ,ya
servatives laugh.
There will be so much prosperity
efter this tariff bill has passed." said
a Finance Committee Senator the other
day to a grumbling Western progress
sive, that the people won't have any
time to listen to your grievances. The
people won't even care whether the
tariff bill is good or bad,'
There is less and less talk about or
ganized Republican opposition to the
tariff bill on its final passage. The
Westerners are aware that they will
have to defend the tariff bill in the next
campaign, whether they like it or not
The people then may or may not be
particularly interested in tariff, but the
Aldrich-Payne bill will be talked about
in the campaign. Accordingly many of
the Westerners. including Senator Cum
minis. of Iowa. have been trying to
break the fall Senator Aldrich has
been kind enough in some instances to
cooperate with them to that end.
But while most of the progressives
will vote for the bill on its final pas
sage, they are alert to the fact that it
viii go out to the country as a con-
servative stand-pat measure, enacted by
stand-pat Republicans, and that it will
be regarded as new evidence of the con-
servative character of the new Admin
istration. So many voters read the
newspapers nowadays that it will be
difficult to obliterate the impression
now disseminated broadcast. that the
progressives did not have the co-opera-
ton of the White House in making the
kind of tariff bill they wanted.
The Presidents cooperation with
Congressional conservatives has yet to
undergo the test of another session of
Congress. when legislative questions
more Rooseveltian than the tariff will
be up for consideration. Will that leg
islation bear the conservative o. K as
distinctly as the tariff bill? If the pro-
gressives should get some consolation
next Winter and find the President rec
ognizing their efforts with more enthu-
siasm, their iardor for the campaign
will be augmented. Otherwise there is
certain to be more or less Indifference
among the progressive leaders. and for
the first time since the days OF McKin-
ley National campaign will be waged
eiGBg old-time conservative lines.