The Irish standard., 1910-04-30

to assume that he figured it out he
could not serve the special interests
better at this time than to announce
his retirement, if such announcement
would help the Republican party over
dangerous shoals.
Aldrich is taking no chances in an
nouncing that he will not again be a
candidate. He can change his mind
easily, or he can have reelection
forced" upon him. Should the next
House be Democratic, however, AID
rich might not care to come back to
the Senate, for it would then be OBJ
vious that he could put through none
The ship subsidy bill is beaten SO
far as this session of Congress is con-
cerned. 1t goes to destruction on the
rocks of scandal. The Merchant Ma
rine league, the organization which is
backing the bill providing for the an
nual payment of 100000 of public
funds to a few private shipowners, is
being exposed before special inves-
tigating committee of Congress as be-
ing backed by men who would profit
directly or indirectly through the
passage of the proposed legislation
These men, most of whom are mill
lionares, have contributed to the
funds of the league, and the funds have
been used in turn to attack and terri
fy members of Congress opposed to
the subsidy grab. Although officers of
the league testified contributors to the
league treasury were interested in the
passage of a ship subsidy bill merely
as American patriots anxious to see
the merchant marine built up, cross
examination of the very witnesses who
made such assertions brought out the
fact that two of the vice presidents
of the league were directors of the
steel trust, and that another vice pres
ident was the general manager tof the
Newport News (Va) Shipbuilding
company, concerns which might easily
profit through the opening of the pork
barrel by the passage of ship sub
sidy measure.
THE Democrats are nearer to elect
ing Il president of the United States
than they have been since 1892" says
Governor Claude A. Swanson Of Vir-
ginia, who recently completed a tour
that extended to the Pacific coast. mot
in years have the Democrats shown
so much activity, so much desire to
shake off lethargy, to hold harmony
banquets. and to get together as is
manifested In all sections Of the coun-
try at this time. With such spirit
pervading the leaders and the rank
and file of Democracy, taken together
with the dissension among the Repub-
licans, l can see no other result than
a Democratic house and Democratic
president in 1913"
President Taft still refuses to relent
in his opposition to a congressional
investigation of either the sugar I'M
derweighing frauds or the sale by the
government of valuable sugar lands to
the sugar trust. The first resolution
introduced by Rep. John A. Martin of
Colorado providing for an investiga-
ton by Congress was smothered to
death. Mr.. Martin has now intro
duced a second resolution. He alleges
that the sugar trust has been allowed
to acquire $4,000 acres of the richest
sugar lands in the Philippines, and
that the validity Of this transaction is
open to most serious question, in view
of the fact that the law of the Philip
pines expressly declares that not more
than $500 acres of land shall be sold
to any single corporation. Sanction
was given to the transaction in ques-
II
who was former member of the New
York sugar trust law firm of Strong
& Cadwalader, which firm Mr.. Martir
declares was directly concerned will
the alleged illegal sale. President
Taft's brother is still member of that
firm. Whether the president can much
longer prevent a sweeping investiga
ton of the entire scandal is extremely
doubtful. n~
=. - a.
Offices of standpat Republicans" re.
semble mail order houses these days
To head off impending defeat, the
standpatters are burdening the mails
with millions of packages of garden
seeds, farmers bulletins, maps anG
speeches and horse doctor books Not
few of the regulars are uneasy as q