Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1909-02-20
The Senate Becomes the
Scene of Lively Fights
as New Members.
Come In.
MAY FORCE TAFT
TO TAKE SIDES
The PreSident-EleCt Has Declared
for Progress but no Rad
lCdl Measures Are
to be Under
taken.

Washington, Feb. 20.-The sharp
signs OF revolt in the Senate on the
part of the newer and younger MEM
bers against the rule of the conser-
| vatives, under the leadership of Al
drich. Hale and others, nave a sig
nificance not confined to affairs with
in the Senate itself. Tat has looke,t
with troubled eye upon the symp-
toms OF present strife. because It
presages probably greater battle in
the future-a battle that may force
him, perhaps, to give aid and SYM
pathy to one or the other of the fac
tions involved
In recent dispatch something wss
said about the probable attitude of
the Senate toward the new admins
tration. The fact that both the pro-
gressive and the conservatives ex-
pect administrative support was set
forth. There is no weakening appar-
ent in the faith of the progressiyes
that Taft Is to be with them In spirit
and In act. The conservatives faith,
however, seems to have been
strengthened recently out il Is uues-
tionable whether Aldri H. Hale and
their conservative conferees have any
substantial basis for an accelerated
confidence that the nett president
! will iend lsiee hare te- theirs In the
attempt To put the brake on progress
sion.
Most of the names of The men who
nave been suggested for cabinet po-
sitions are the names of men who are
thought TO lean toward the conserva-
tive side of things legislative. This
has given hope to the elders of the
Senate. In addition to this they bank
for support upon what everybody by
common consent calls Taft's judicial
temperament
The one strong thought of the non
progressive senator's that they are to
have their way largely with Taft Is
founded on his choice of Senator
Knox as secretary Of state The con-
servative senators believed Knox mas
nothing in common with the senate
element which is given to 'tumult
and trouble" Tumult and trouble ex-
press the views that the elder senat-
ors take of the attempts of their
younger brethren to get committee
'N'1i''hANiA anu w SfNuKt ItloEtilS.
II is true that the next secretary
of state never has shown any marked
inclination to affiliate with his pro-
gressive brethren of the Senate. Per-
maps II would be nearer the mark TO
Say that the Pennsylvania has not
been willing to affiliate With the more
radical of the progressves, for he has
lent aid and counsel time and again
20
progress and who want to reform,
but who think that LaFoIlette and
some few others are verglng on the
revolutionary in their ends and aims
The real progressives in the Senate
and House think wrong in their be-
lief that Knox will give obstructive
advice to Taft. The time was not so
long ago when the political and per-
sonal friends of the next secretary
OF state were urging his nomination
for the presidency on the ground that
he was a Roosevelt progressive. The
Pennsylvania senator not only sane
TONED the plea of his friends hut it
is said that it was on his advice that
the plea was made. advice given be-
cause Knox thought that il was
strong advice. and given also be-
lieved to be based on truth.
The chief newspaper supporter of
the candidacy of Senator Knox.
for the Republican nominal on de-
clared again and again unchallenged
by It's candidate. that the Pennsyl-
vanian was the real father of rail-
road rate legislation and that there
was no progressive legislative policy
Of Theodore Roosevelt that he diI
not indorse, and that no preliminary
step was taken by the president while
Knox was In the cabinet that was no.
taken with the advice of the attorney
general.
II, as Secretary of State Knox
should advise Taft against progress
sion and to consider above the adj
vice of others the advice of the SEN
ate conservatives. il will be the cas-
ie kind OF a matter for the pro-
ssives TO bring forward the pleas
II de on behalf OF the Pennsylvania
" lie he was a candidate for the Re-
J.. blican nomination. and to prove
D. reby either that he was insincere-
q hat time or that he has undergone
su complete change of mind as
I discredit him for the position of
a lane and steady counsellor TO the
& ninistration.