The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1909-12-17


May Be Taken Before the Holidays
The Insurgents and Speaker Cannon
Talk About the Tariff-5ryan anc
the Senate.
Washington. Dec. 1O.-[Special.l-It
is just possible that congress may dc
something before the holidays, after
all. There are several matters of rath'
err pressing Importance, the Nicaraguan
situation for one, about which Repre-
sentative SulZer already rather bellig'
erently wants to declare war Then
there is the custom house scandal in
New York concerning which investi-
cation resolutions have been intro
duced in both ends of the capitol. The
powers that be have not yet deter
mined what they will do about it.
Just what there is left for congress to
investigate is not exactly apparent.
Loeb has made a pretty thorough job
of that probing himself. 1t would al
most seem that the opportunity of con-
gress in that particular line has pass
ed. Its golden time for investigating
the custom house was In the old days
of Gage and Shaw. Having neglected
that chance. some one else has taken
the job away from 1t.
Batting Uncle Joe.
Then there is ever a chance of an
eruption against Cannon In the house,
though nobody can tell exactly when
it will come or If 1t will come at all.
Champ Clark threatens an attempt
at revision of the rules and expects
the insurgent Republicans to help him.
Many Of the insurgents themselves
have settled down into pin pricking
policy. watching every opportunity to
prod Uncle Joe and stir him up. The
concensus of opinion is that nothing
rash or violent will be done and that
a LASTS of agreement between the reg
ulars and progressives will be reached
on the basis that Cannon will not be
a candidate for reelection in 1911. In
a talk with Representative John A.
Martin of Colorado the other day he
expressed the opinion that Uncle Joe
is to be made the goat for the sins of
everybody and offered up as a burnt
sacrifice. Or maybe goats are not
used for burnt offerings, but anyway
the old man is to be the Jonah heaved
overheard to satisfy the whale of pop
uiar opinion. Martin Is a new men,
Der and Democrat that ] used to
fOregather with in Denver. but he can
see the direction Of a political straw
as far AZ an Indian can see a jack
rabbit.
Taft and the Tariff.
To bear out Congressman Martins
idea Is that of Senator Burkett Of Ne
bruska. who has been something of an
insurgent himself. When ! first knew
Burkett he was "A young chap making
talks before churches. After that he
walked right up the ladder, the first
rung being the legislature. the next
congress and the third the senate.
Those who are politically weather wise
say that Burkett is coming man.
Personally | am sure that he Is a good
fellow. can remember his friends and
pick out a peach of lunch. As 10 the
progressive program for the winter,
he expects il to be largely waiting
game. The tariff commission bill,
which most of the insurgents favor,
Senator Burkett believes In delaying
until they see what Taft does with the
present commission. The president
can make of that body whatever he
pleases In Burkett's opinion. To beaI
this out. Mr.. Taft is already taking
steps to give the commission more
power than Senator Aldrich evidently
intended.
Will Bryan Seek the Senate7
BY the way. betray no condolences
in saying that Burkett believes his OPP
ponent for the senate uext year will
be no less parsonage than William
j. Bryan. His own Opiuion is that
Bryan j. not an active candidate, but
a receptive one. II this Is true. II
premises one of the warmest contests
in the history OF Nebraska politics. I
The amount OF oraturiral fur flying /
VIII Dt tubuSu " STUN al Aht oSAo
pillows in the state.
Probe and Prune.
There Is more economy talk I'm Wash. :
ingtOn today than at any time since
the panic of 1898. President Taft has
already Topped a cool hundred mil
lions of the estimates. and Chairman
Jim Tawney of the appropriations com. .
mittee may be expected to do a little
pairing on his own behalf. From the
promise of Investigations on the one
hand and the determination to cut
down expenditures ON the other. the
two watch words of this congress may
be set down as probe and prune.
A Brief Respite.
The writ granted 10 Samuel Com
pers, John Mitchell and Frank Nor
rison by the supreme court assures the
labor leaders a hearing before the
highest tribunal and thus saves them
from going to Jail for a few months
ut least. Nobody who knows GOmpers
thinks he would look well behind the
bars. but It is not impossible that be
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