The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-06-28
TRENT TRUST CO., Ltd.
SOME THAT The
TARIFF BILL MAY be VETOED

lican Senators cooperating with him
Were now nine or ten, was the pioneer
insurgent in the upper legislative
branch, The mantle of the insurgent
Leadership has fallen upon him to
degree, although there again, one could
hardly say that the other insurgents
are any more disposed to follow him
than they are to follow Senator Bev
eridge.
If the elections next year in the West
result favorably for the progressives,
they may find themselves sufficiently
numerous in the Senate to hold the
balance of power. They are now ten
or twelve. When they are sixteen or
seventeen-if they ever grow to that
strength-there can be no question
about their potency in shaping legisla-
tion. They have gained strength and
they have also lost strength at the
extra session. Bristow and Crawford
were recruits, taking the seats of reeog-
nized conservatives. But Crawford and
his South Dakota colleague, Gamble,
appear to have gone over to Senator
Crane s Macedonian phalanx and the
progressives are whispering their fears
also about Senator Borah. At least
all three of these erstwhile progressive
have opened book accounts with the
Finance Committee, to borrow phrase
which Senator Hale used not long ago
of Senator Beveridge, voting part of
the time with the committee and part
of the time against the committee.
Senator Cummlins and Senator La
Toilette have asserted themselves much
toward establishing leadership over
the little band. They have hit hard
and. deliberately in debate and have
persisted. 1t would probably be con-
ceded that they stand forth as the
two most prominent Republican reform
ers inside the Senate. Cummins is not
as strong a debater as DolIiyer, is not
gifted with the same torrential elo-
quence, but he has qualities of mind
that have commended him to the Sem
ate generally, is a good mixer in the
Republican cl0akrooms-a quality not
to be overlooked thus far has com
manded the respect of his opponents
without arousing their animosities.
Senator La Toilette. while as forceful
in his crusades for reform legislation
as any one, remains the most cordially
hated man on either side of the cham
Der. This is not on account of any
personal characteristics, but because of
his unrestrained language in debate.
He has voted with the Democrats very
constantly ever since he entered the
,Senate-which would alone make him
hated by the Republicans-and does not
hesitate to speak in unmeasured denun-
citation of the Senate leaders of his
own party.
The movement which these Senators
have guided is not confined to tariff.
Of course they have given revision
downward great prominence in the
Senate debates and emphasized it
tremendously before the country. Prob
ably they have already vitalized it as
an issue in the congressional elections
next year But they Will not subside
when the tariff bill has been enacted
into law. They have defined ideas
about corporate and financial legisla-
ton with which the next session of
Congress is expected to grapple. They
viii be fully equipped to harass the
regular Republican organization when
it comes to amending the Sherman anti
trust law and modifying the currency
system after the Finance Commission
has made report.
The House has similar and very
lively insurgent problem and at the
session next winter history viii be re-
peated. The dangers of an alliance be-
tween Democrats and Westerners Will
be ever before the Speaker. Once he
is able to muster a majority for a
measure, the Senate leaders will again