The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-03-30
MUCK RAKE
MAGAZINES
PLAN COUP
Scheme to DiScredit President
Taft Exposed
League Formed to MiSrepresent
Administration
Roosevelt or LaFollette forl9I2
Their Slogan

Washington, March 30.-There ara
strong signs of disapproval on the part
of some of the magazines and weekliea
which strongly supported Roosevelt
and his policies, OF the policy OF Presi-
dent Taft, as far as it has been OUT
lined.
These publications profess to see in
the little Taft has done thus far an in
dication that he is reactionary in char
acter, and that his administration is
to be controlled by reactionary infiu-
ences. They predict that it will not
be his intention to carry out any of
the larger Roosevelt policies in good
faith, more particularly those portions
of the policies having to do with the
more effective restraint of corporate
wealth
For one thing. It is alleged, that
when the time comes for Mr. Taft to
I'LL vacancies on the supreme bench. he
will appoint men who will be named by
the corporate interests referred to. In
fine. the charge is that the new presi-
dent has played a confidence game,
both on Mr.. Roosevelt, and on the
public, and that when he has said,
in scores Of speeches and interviews,
that he was honestly for the Roose-
welt policies, he was deliberately de-
ceiving all who heard him, and him
self starting an Ananias club. Senti-
ment in Washington does not support
this view of Mr.. Taft.
Campaign is Planned.
Some fifteen or twenty of the mag
azines and weeklies referred to-puD-
locations which INDUCED in muckrak-
ing during the Roosevelt administers
ton, and found such an occupation
profitable-have entered into an arr
rangement through which, at the prop
er time, their columns are to be OPEN
ed up to systematic opposition to the
Taft administration, and leaders in
the republican party. There was a
preliminary meeting of the respon-
sible editors Of these publications in
Washington couple Of weeks ago, ana
later in New York. at which the
ground was gone over carefully and
the conclusion reached that the Taft
administration was to give them an
opportunity to turn an honest penny
here and there. Business in some OF
4 SiACSC OHiCGb mas DeGn
rather dull for year or two and the
business managers have been stud
iously engaged in trying to get hold of
something that would raise the
wind" They think they see their op-
portunity in what Mr.. Taft thus far
has done to warrant undertaking at
tacks.
Just when the campaign is to begin
4 I'm hKsN hat No
1t are being worked out is very gem
orally believed in this city. It is the
purpose of the gentlemen in question
to attack not only Mr.. Taft, but the
so-ctlled reactionaries in congress. in
Guiding the speaker. Chairman Tawn-
ey, of the appropriation committee,
Representative DalzelI OF Pennsylvania
and Representative Payne OF New
York. in short, the house leaders. SO
called.
Should the campaign result in a
victory for the magazines and week.
lies, Of course the only result possible
would be the defeat of the republicans
In the congressional elections of 1910
and the control OF the sixty second
congress by the democrats. That would
give Mr.. Taft an unfriendly house of
representatives during the latter half
Of his administration, and thus rem
der it impossible for him to make any
Roadway with a record. The second
result OF the victory here referred to
would be the defeat OF Mr.. Taft for
denomination in 1919.
Roosevelt or Ia Toilette.
It need scarcely be said in this con-
nection that former President Roose-
welt Is the man the gentlemen in ques-
ton will try to nominate at that time,
and failing him, La Toilette. who is
understood to be willing Fortunately
for the purposes OF this scheme, Mr..
Roosevelt will not only be out of the
country, but out of touch with ciyiIf-
cation, for the next fifteen months, or
during the time the proposed campaign
against Mr.. Taft and congress is in
progress. 1t will thus not be easy to
charge that he was party TO the
movement in any way. BY the time
he. returns TO the United States the
publishers referred to. hope to have
public sentiment in the country cry
staliized against the Taft adminiAtra-
tion and against congress. Should the
country conclude that Mr. Taft has
not been honest i'm his professions Of
policy, the control OF the sixty second
congress by the democrats will be al
most certain. Then viii come a contest
in the republican national convention
Of 1912 between the radicals and the
conservatives for the control OF the
presidential nomination.