The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1910-04-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.

the standpoint of the national capital, is
much more interesting to both parties
than. legislation and executive matters
just now. The election of Mr.. Foss as
Democrat to Congress in Massachusetts
last week by plurality of 500 in dis.
trict which elected Republican in 1908
by plurality of 10000, is regarded here
and throughout the country as most
significant indication as to popular feel
ing. Of course, political fgurers are
hard at work and will show plausibly
special causes for this remarkable polit-
ical change. But crediting the Republi-
cans with all that they claim as causes for
this surprising result, it indicates that the
trend of popular opinion has gone SO far
that nothing: but miracle or Roosevelt
can save the House next fall to the party
in power Let it be said with whatever
emphasis can be brought to bear, that the
party in power is not responsible for high
prices or for unsatisfactory business con-
ditions. 1nasmuch as the party in power,
Democratic or Republican, always claims
credit for whatever good thing happens,
it must face the responsibility for some of
the bad, even if should be bad crops.
~
So great has been the excitement over
the rebuke of Cannon in the lower house
of Congress that the Ballinger- Pinchot
investigation has been to great degree
forgotten. Mr.. Pinchot, since he has
testified, has started to Europe and is
now well on his way thithef. It is
reported that he is going in answer to a
cablegram from ex-President Roosevelt.
That one so near the ex President as ex.
Forester Pinchot should be the first to get
the ear of Mr.. Roosevelt, is subject of
considerable anxiety to the other side. or
at least to certain individuals on the
other side. So far, Mr.. Roosevelt has
been as silent as the Sphinx which yes
ter night he saw by moonlight. Another
significant fact is that during Mr.. Gar
fields residence in the city two weeks
ago he was the guest of Mr.. Pinchot, and
on Friday made an address to the Tippe-
canoe Club in Cleveland, very temper.
ate address, but one in which it was plain
to see that his sympathies were with the
insurgents and that his advocacy was for
more enthusiastic support of the Roose-
velt policies than it is possible for Pfesi-
dent Taft to accomplish, handicapped as
he is by those in the House and the Sen.
ate with whom he was elected to consort.
1t is a curious situation and unprece-
dented in our political history that a self
exiled ex.President is at this moment
more potential in the political affairs of
the country than the genial gentleman in
the White House. What he may say or
do when or before he lands here in June
is matter of keen solicitude to regulars,
Insurgents, Democrats and to everyone
interested in current politics
~
Mr.. Garfield, in his speech in Cleve-
land, made severe arraignment of those
Republican leaders guilty of policy
which he thinks is certain to lead the
party to defeat. He insisted that the
average American realized that present
conditions pointed to something radically
wrong, He urged progressive action and
pointed out that when party fails to be
progressive its usefulness has begun to
wane. at 10 our duty said Mr.. Gar
field, Ito squarely face the situation and
to stand up and be counted for the pol
icies that are in sympathy with the best
progressive thought of our country. and
the people are justly calling upon us for
ful6lment of that policy. They will
| not be satisfied with inaction and make
shift legislation" These words, coming
from Jimmie" as Mr.. Roosevelt was
wont to call this member of his regular
cabinet aud of his tennis court or kitchen
cabinet also, after close commpnion as a
guest of Clifford Pinchot. than whom
none was closer to Mr.. Roosevelt, nat
urally raise the question as to who are the
representatives of the Roosevelt policies.
1t is useless to deny that Mr.. Taft is or
was Mr.. Roosevelt's chosen successor and
political heir. Nothing like such selec-
ton has ever before occurred in Ameri-
can history, and the facts and the events
are SO recent that everybody knows and
realizes them. The situation cannot but
be embarrassing to the ex-President.
I Politician, statesman and historian as he
is. he cannot but appreciate the difficult
ties with which the President has had to
contend and Is Soutendiug No presi-
dent has ever been more sincerely anx-
ious to carry out the policies bequeathed
to him by party platform than President
Taft, and it is not mere fiction to place
the odium of failure, if failure it must be.
IN his szic1red advisers