Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-01-21
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HEAR.
ING FROM HOME ON PUBLIC
AFFAIRS.
SECRETARIES WORK NIGHTS
TO ANSWER MANY LETTERS
Tone of Missives From All Parts Of
Country Indicates That Administra-
ton Has Not Yet Got Confidence. of
the PubIic-Democrats Growing More
Hopeful.
Especial Correspondence

Washington, Jan. Pin the memory
of the generation of senators and repre-
sentatives now in office, there has
never been a time when the people
were writing so many letters about
public affairs to the members of con-
gress.
This is the testimony from people
who represent all sections Of the ooun-
try. 1t is the cause of more discus
sion than any other feature of the po-
litical situation at this time.
Nobody ever saw the like of it. A
member from a Nebraska district re-
ceived recently 1913 letters in one day,
from seventeen states, commenting on
the tendencies of things in Washing
ton. The superintendent of an aca-
DENY in Maine wrote one letter, and a
professor in the state university of
Washington wrote another.
Private secretaries, clerks and stem
ographers are working day and night
trying to keep up with the correspond
ence with the people. The postoffices
at senate and house have been crowded
to their capacity. The phenomenon is
set down by everybody as significant of
something of the gravest political mo-
ment, but nobody is positive what it all
means.
Discuss Many Topics.
The letters which are pouring in from
the country are confined to no partic-
ular selection of topics. In general,
they seem to have been inspired by the
P1nchot-B allinger discussion, the dis
missal of Pinchot, the presidents re-
ported intention to repudiate all in
surgents and make common cause
with the regulars in congress, and the
announcement of the insurgents that
they would not be influenced by pa
tronage considera TONS
Then great many letters concern
the administration legislative pro-
gram, especially the national incor-
poration and railroad measures. A
great number of railroad employees are
writing. urging that no more railroad
legislation be passed; and as usual in
such cases, goodly sprinkling of
these send along notes explaining that
they are writing because superiors
have requested them to do something
to accelerate opinion. This class of
letters has very little influence be-
cause public men have in the last few
years learned to expect those commu-
nications, and the same explanation of
them, whenever railroad LEGISLATION
was promised.
Taft Not Making Good,
The administration, judging from the
letters received, is not maintaining it.
self very we'll with the people who
write. Insurgents are told to stand
firm and not worry about losing the
postofflces. Regulars are told that if
they want to stay in congress they need
to join the insurgents. Regulars and
insurgents alike are being warned from
their districts of the activities and de-
termination of the democrats, and oil
the evidences that it is going to be g
democratic year." 1t is no exaggera-
ton to say that three-quarters of the
republicans in both houses seriously
expect the next house to be democratic
The democrats themselves are no
more confident on that point than are
the majority of republicans. Indeed
of overdrawing the situation. The,
have hoped in vain for so many year:
that the democrats naturally have thei
misgivings about prospects, however
rosy.
In both political parties there is de
termination to make strong effort t.
set something on foot which will con
vince the country that the increasing
cost of living will get 1attention, ant
effective attention, soon. The republi
cans fear this more than even the gen
eral weakness of the administration
The democrats plan to talk just tire
things during their campaign: cost o
living, the tariff as cause of it, an,
the charge that the Taft administra
ton has repudiated the Roosevelt pol
icies.
Democratic Confidence Grows.
No such confidence has been dis
played by the democrats in many years
They don't regard it as certain tina
they will carry the house, but the mos
conservative of them believe they hav
the best chance The Cannon repub
+ lican organization is constantly charge
. with plotting the overthrow of the re
publican majority. But the truth
, that both the republican factions ar
showing so much bitterness as t
justify the belief that either would a
soon see democratic house, as to Sc
i the opposing republican faction com
; into control The whole political stu
alton seems to be destined for tn
melting pot, with the prospect of
, new combination cf elements comm
= out: a combination in which peopl
, who think alike about fundamental
q will get together; in which radical
= will get together, no matter by wha
party name they have been called here
!, tofore, and conservatives will do tn
same.
1aen enp cerrrEMeNr