The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1910-01-14
CONGRESS- is
STILL QUIET.
No Wild Burst Of Activity Marks
RsdsSembIing.
IS TIA DO NOTHING SESSION.?


Be Nothing but Appropriations and
Ship Subsidies-CoIoneI Gordon, the
New Senator From MississipPi-Taft
Busy With Special Messages.
Washington, Jan. 4.-The reassem-
bling of congress after the holidays is
marked by no wild display OF fire.
works. In the beginning Of the ses-
sion the excuse was that the presi-
dent had not outlined his chief poll.
cies in his regular message, and hence
there was nothing to do but to wait
until he did. Now that the commerce
message is ready this excuse no longer
exists. Will there be some other plea
| for inaction? Champ Clark, the minor
| ity leader, says that all the house ma
chine expects to do is to pass the ap-
preparation bills and a ship subsidy
measure. The Democrats. Of course,
will oppose the subsidy and will try to
cut down the appropriations. Clark
expects the session to end by April or
May. There is far from an optimistic
belief in the capitol that anything
worth while will be undertaken. The
listlessness of December is still pres
emit Unless the insurgents manage to
start something it looks like the ses-
sion will be labeled with a large sign
of Nothing Doing" II this thing
keeps up the city Of Washington should
place over its gates this legend: Leave
work behind. all ye who enter here"
Where Does This Leave vardananf
On the first day after the reassem-
bling the senate adjourned out or re-
spect to the memory Of Senator A. J.
McLaurin Of Mississippi Contrary to
expectations. the governor has appoint
ed a successor to McLaurin In the per-
son of Colonel James Gordon OF Oko-
Iona. a Confederate veteran. 1t was
generally supposed that because of the
early meeting Of the legislature no ap-
pointment would be made. At best 1t
can only hold for a few weeks until
the legislature acts. Whether the nam
ing Of Colonel Gordon will affect the
situation to any marked degree yet re-
mains to be seen. The natural suppo-
sition Is that It will lessen the chances
OF Ex-Governor ]. h. Vardaman. who,
whatever his prospects, Is the best
known figure in the contest. The story
to the effect that Senator Gordon once
had a reward of $4,000 placed on his
head for completely in the conspiracy
to assassinate President Lincoln has
been denied by the war department.
The tale had 1t that Gordon ned to
Canada, but was afterward allowed to
return and prove his innocence.
10 Zelsys Still Prssidentf
The Nicaragua situation still attracts
mild interest, but now that Zelaya L.
out of the way the only heart throb In
the affair is General Estrada's decision
to fight 1t out rather than to accept q
Zelaya understudy as president. In
this stand he has universal sympathy
here. especially so since the feeing
dictator has declared that he Is still
president and that Nadriz was only
put into the Office Professionally. Aside
from exacting satisfaction for the
murder OF Cannon and Groce, the mat
ter Is a closed incident so far as this
country is concerned.
The Special Message Legacy.
1t is probable that President Taft
will come near the Roosevelt record
in the matter Of special messages,
thouoh 20 40 M ba xuouid ha va to aand /
them in every other day. Outside of
his railroad message there win doubt
less be one on the Philippines, one on
one ON the District OF
Columbia in all probability and one on
Alaska. How many more will be
no ppophet would have
the temerity to predict. especially In
view of the prodigious output Of for
mer days. Mr. Taft's Alaskan commu-
nication is TO deal with a comprehen-
sive scheme OF government which he
is working out. Now that Stewards
has been found to be land
flowing with milk and honey, likewise
with coal, gold, enterprise and pros
poets. 1t is clearly entitled to all the
government It can get and pay for
An Extensive Reserve.
Former Senator Wilson OF the state
Of Washington was in the city recent
y and rehearsed with no little de
light a reply he made last summer to
Governor Hughes OF New York. The
story. which has an indirect bearing
On the conservation imbroglio. ran
like this:
when Governor Hughes came out
10 see our fair at Seattle he made
speech in which be said that we Of the
west would probably be surprised to
know that the state OF New York had
set aside a million acres Of land for
forest reserve. II fell to me 10 reply
10 the speech Of the governor. and
.old him that we were indeed sur
Drised that anybody in the state OF
New York would let that much get
lway from him. Then I told the gov
srnor that IL the forest reserves Of the
state Of Washington were placed side
by side in one contiguous body OF land
he entire state OF New York could nos
Inly be put down I'm the middle Of IL I
n1 the