New-York tribune., 1910-02-21
from The Tribune Bureau.1
u-.ShIrcfop EehruarN

proposition insurgents are not io "
depended on for legislation. me
spirit of insurrection which brough'
into existence as a faction or tile ~
publican party is playing havoc VIII ''e"
possible effectiveness The spirit oi ih"e
recti6h is proving only anofner h"ih
disintegration. The men VINO cohe'''ei'
would not abide by the decisions VI q nc
ioritv of their marty in the Senate VIII ioe
abide by the decisions OF major ny W
themselves Having asserted their rish'
and 6,tv IN Mace individual Judgment
above that Of the party, they are no" ln-
capahle Of Welding their private 1uosiiieh'
70 that Of the majority in their own CAMP
and as a result there is every laoicatioi'
that thev will stand for no priioipio
other than insurrection-and agree on hio
legislation during the present sesSioh'
INSURGENTS AT ODDS.-1he oehae'
insurgents would like to change 'he q"
Ininistratior measure amending the hi'ei
state commerce law in several particulars
They would not urge the present rou'ine
provision. extend the prohibition against d
railroads owning the stock OF ahottiei -
include water and other transpor'alioh
lines give the Interstate Commerce COM
mission power to fix minimum as well as
maximum rates. and some OF them "ouiu
Incorporate in the provision clause III
structing the Interstate Commerce 1oiiiiii''
sion 70 ascertain the physical Vsiuatloli VI
all railroads. But there is no one OF lheSe
,,ro,oe;+ions for which all the insurgents
stand and there is no mSureeht "ii
Will WELD his private Judgment to that ol d
majority of nis fellows. AS long aS '''N
chief purpose of political insurrec'loll is o.
nositian To the leaders it is successful. AS
measure of constructive legislation 1t 1alis'
!, 90, destroy and diSintegrate. but IL can
not construct or build up, and 1t was pe-
.ause he clearly foresaw this sltuatioii'
,rb,cf o,bers must learn from experience
and observation that President iaIl' Mi'o
is al heart an intense proeressNe' nos
maintained from the beginning oi ms a.
11,in,stration that success lay ai'is
line of securing. the support OF the orsani-
zaton.
CTAIMINS OPPOSES LA FOLl-El i E
The physical valuation Of rallFcaos iIa7
been the slogan Of the Senator from
cOnsin for years. perhaps the chlei d III.
in his stock Of issues That 1he lll'ei
Commerce Commission could not predicate
a lust rate for transportation on anE'hl'As
lr1r ali accurate knowledge OF the value ol
the machinery used for such transportation
seemed a plausible proposition. ana Il was
one which won much favor with ,he people
.asu.,islly when duly ornamented WIN
+iinnart references TO watered stock On
which the shippers were being mace 10 pay
dividends. Senator Cummins, the leader OF
the insurgents in 50 far as so dlSofsah-
lied 4 band can he said to have z ieaoef'
thought the proposition sound, bnt delei
mined TO fortify himself with a feW laelS'
To that end he began certain Investigations
II, fo,,nd that were the physical valuation
n the New York Central system aScef-
fained including the value OF ITS teffnlfalS'
the rates between New York and Chlcaso'
computed on a basis which would yield ii
fair return on the investment. would nave
To be very materially increased. iheh ie
pursued the subject In other directions. AS
= consequence he is as determinedly OPP
posed to the proposition as Senator IA L o.
latte is fer it Possibly if the Wisconsin
Senator had made some investigation before
advocating the system so widely ne would
never have committed himself to it. But
he. has gone too far TO back out
CONSERVATION DIFFICULTIES -
There is proba bly, no feature Of his legls-
lative programme which is going TO give
the President SO much trouble as that deal
ing with the subject Of conservation There
is serious opposition TO such conservation
legislation as the President can approve
on the part of the Western Senator's ana
Representatives. an opposition YItich has
been helped rather than retarded by the
criticism Of ex-Secretary Garfield and eN-
Forester Pinchot. Many Of the Western
Senators insist that nothing will induce
them TO vote for the one bill which the
President and Secretary Ballinger have
pronounced essential, that is, the bill au-
thorizing the President TO withdraw from
entry any part OF the public domain his
judgment may dictate, preferrins the en-
aCtment Of specific legislation. That would.
il is feared, tie up large part %f the pub
lie domain for interrninable time, be
cause in the opinion OF those most familiar
with the subject il viii be almost ;mpossi-
ble TO secure an agreement on he specific
legislation They insist, therefore, that they
viii not pass this blanket" bill until they
can agree on specific legislation for the
disposal Of power sites. coal, phosphate and
other mineral lands etc.
TAFT WON'T RETRACE-In their fear
of tyiug I'D for an indefinite period the