Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-24

whole burden of the expression is dis
appointment The editors appear TO
realize that Mr.. Taft is permitting 9th
ers to guide him. In his messages
they see the handiwork of Aldrich; IN
his public speeches they understand
he is simply endorsing legislation con
ceived by the Aldriches and the Can
mons
No Hope for Change.
The anti-Taft republican editors see
no reason to hope that Mr.. Taft VIII
give up his present associations. They
have already grown weary hoping.
They have come to believe that he is
so hopelessly entangled that, strive as
he may, he cannot extricate himself.
The die was cast when Mr.. Taft Sc
lected his cabinet.
Let US survey, briefly, the group OF
men who are now guiding the presi-
dent The lineup would indicate that
Mr.. Taft selected the members OF his
official family according to their re-
spective relationships to the star cam
paign fund contributors. Whether this
was the test or not. no one can deny
that each of the really big interests has
representative Eat court" Here is
vest-pocket index which it might be
we'll to preserve for handy reference
as to who's who among the men who
have the presidents ear:
Was MorEan's Attorney.
Wickersham.-Form personal at
n L. Of
torney for the sugar trust; (as United
States attorney general Wickersham
is in charge of the federal prosecuting
machineryD; upon taking Office Wick
ersham dropped suits which had been
started against the beef trust under
the Roosevelt administration, taking
the position that he did not believe
the trust meant" TO violate the law
and that nothing could be gained by
prosecutions for past" offenses; Wick
ershams latest achievement was to
induce President Taft to recommend
in his annual message that there be no
investigation by congress of the ST.
O00. 900 sugar trust underweight frauds.
Nagle.-Former attorney for the Wa
ters-Pterce (Standard) Oil company;
he is at the head of the department in
which is located the bureau of corpor-
atoms (Which is convenient for the
corporations).
Succession of BIunders.
Knox.-As secretary of state Knox
has within a year undone the work of
Hay in the orient and Root in the
South Americas; hand of Morgan is
seen by many in his conduct of the
state department; the ultimatum to
Chile and the buster about Zelaya
have been utilities that made all
Latin-America our enemies; the Man
churian proposal. for Wall streets ben
eft, made America the subject of
laughter in every civilized land, and,
with the Crane scandal. practically
ended our influence for the doctrine of
''the open door," Knox recently offered
his resignation to President Taft
across the cabinet table; the president
refused it.
MacVeagh.-His record is immater-
ial, as Aldrich is the real head of cur
rency and finance of the Taft admins
tration.
Attorney for Land Grabbers.
BalIinger.-Former attorney for land
thieves; exposed and discredited, but
still upheld by the president.
Observation-Disclosures lawyer; show
ed his hand as a stool-pigeon for the
railroads by blocking an Independent
line of steamships to Panama.
Wilson-Does whatever his superior
officers demand in order to hold his po-
sition: has shown himself to be an en-
envy of pure food laws; takes position
retail merchants are responsible for
increased cost of living
Root.-Former corporation lawyer;
while the tariff law was being discuss
ed in the senate Root took the novel
position that senators had no right to
ask why the house had advanced GER
tain rates, that they must vote for or
against the increased rates without
asking for reasons.
Cannon.-See Success Magazine.
Aldrich.-See tariff speeches of La
Toilette, Dolliver, Cummins, Bristow.
or .Clapp; also recent speech of Sena-
tor Elkins of West Virginia.