The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1910-01-14

Cannon aad AIdrieh WHI Do to the
Taft Peiieiss-UroIs Joe Will Pass
Thorn and Urols Nsis Hamstrina
Them.
Washington, Dec. 31-As this In the
season for dipping into ancient history
and reviewing the sins of omission and
commission put over during the last
twelve months, those congressman who
have remained in Washington and pre-
sumably some who have gone away
will ask themselves what congress has
to show for the year. The one big
thing is the Payne-Aldrich tariff law.
Just what kind Of sin this may be
denominated will depend on the one
doing the denominating. If he is a
stand patter he will smile in inward
glee and glory in his transgressions.
If an insurgent he will denounce the
act as sin Of omission, commission,
remission, demission and all the other
kinds of. missions known to man. If a
Democrat his remarks will be imprint
able.
Nothing Else Visible to the. Naked Eye.
Congress may have lonesome other
things in 1909 besides passing a bill
that some people say is revision down
ward and others swear just as stoutly
is revision upward, but If it did any
thing else worth mentioning 1t is not
apparent at this distance. Yes, of
course, 1t put through the appropria-
ton bills and bucked and gagged at
Roosevelt's secret service message, but
those are hardly things to be pointed
to with pride. Now that the year is
over and the record made, there is no
good in saying that the flag end of the
last congress- and the start off Of this
one accomplished great things and
have been a blessing to the people.
Washington Is already fun enough of
toadies, and there IS no call for the
newspapers to go into the salaaming
and kotovtng business. think the
capitol has more toad eaters to the
square mile than any other city In
America. and If statesmen like fattery
they can get it right here of all kinds
and sizes and sawed into required
lengths. But far be it from me to add
to the nauseating stuff.
Pooling the People.
AS a matter Of cold fact, 1t is the
universal talk In WashiA ACTON that the
masters of the senate intend to pursue
a do nothing policy in the future, as
in the past. Old timers have sized up
the situation something In this wise:
Speaker Cannon will fall In with the
presidents recommendations and put
them through the house, or at least
enough Of them to make a showing.
Then Aldrich will noiselessly smother
them in senate pigeonholes. Cannon's
reason for taking this course is vari-
ously described. His friends say it is
because he is a good party man, that
the president is the head Of the party,
and Uncle Joe in supporting him will
simply follow the course he has al
ways pursued. The speakers enemies
assert that the old man is scared by
the insurgent movement and is falling
in line to save his political scalp. The
cynics. who are neither friends nor enc
mics of anybody, state that the whole
thing is a piece of stage play and that
and Aldrich have it framed up
that the presidents recommendations
are to be put through the house and
allowed to die in the senate, the object
of the scene shifting being that the
people may be fooled some more.
The Advent of obejoyful!
Anyway. it has been great and glo-
rious year. The president has Travelled
1900 miles; the extra session deliv-
cred more than that many miles OF
talk; prosperity has returned, at least
In spots, and everybody is happy or
ought to be. If HE isn't it is his own
fault. lie cannot lay 1t to the const-
tuition. Even if congress might have
done better. it might also have done
worse, and probably Will Cheer up!
are not half so dark as In AT
RIGA. The custom house grafters are
getting theirs, and the other grafters
are getting everybody else's. Cheer upl
III you want 10 KICK wait lill you diS
dead. Then you will have something
actual to kick about. Be an optimist.
This is a grand world, and a worse is
to follow. Do not have a crouch at
II does the best it can and
when II falls down lays the blame on
Cannon and Aldrich. If you knew
some Of the members you would won
der that IL does as well as it does.
When disappointed i'm 1t remember
that the people OF Russia tried to get a
for years and were never
happy till they succeeded. You may
wonder why. but it is easily explained.
They had never had n congress and
did not know what it would do TO
them.
Where Is Hitchcock?
President Taft is not the only one
who Is behind time with his messages.
the annual report of the
general is before congress
when Il meets, but this year there was
a great void. II Is understood that Mr..
Hitchcock had such important recon-
TO make that he could not
get them ready I'm time; hence the de-