The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-05-03
LIVE GOSSIP Of
WASHINGTON
Special 70 the journal.

regarded with increasing SuSplCLOA
here in Washington as a manifest po-
Ntical trick.
II is doubtful if a single one of the
genuine progressive republicans really
believes that the Rhode Island boss
intends to relinquish his control of
legislation a moment sooner than he
has to- Even a few regulars" have
privately expressed the belief that Al
drich might consent to a reelection, |
basing this conclusion upon what they
characterized as, the enormous press |
ure" which will no doubt be brought to
bear upon Aldrich to cause him to
change his mind.
Because of his record of underhand- |
edness end trickery in dealing with
the senate and the public, everything
Senator Aldrich does or says should
be carefully analysed before accepted
ON Its face value.
Aldrich does not say anywhere that
he will not accept reelection. He
saws ne will not be a candidate" 1t
would be no surprise to senators who
know Aldrich If the words II am not a
candidate for reelection should turn
out after the fall congressional cleo
tons to have been but another of his
famous "jokers", with which the
Payne-Ahrich tariff law is overloaded.
The corporation interests served by
Aldrich can best maintain the excess
i've tariff rates, which give them mo-
nopoiieS on American markets and
make II possible for them to collect
enormous profits from consumers,
through O Republican administration.
Therefore It is but natural that Al
drich's primary object at this time is
TO keep the Republicans in power.
What move on Aldrich's part could
relieve the Republicans of so heavy a
responsibility in the approaching con-
greesional elections as the announce
ment of his retirem emit? Realizing
that his long representation of, Big
Business has earned for him the en-
nifty OF the American people, and that
his name is to be one of the main is
sues In the fall campaign, It Is but
giving due credit to Aldrich's resource
fulness to assume that he figured 1t
out he could not serve the special in
terests better at this time than to an
nounce his retirement, IL such an
announcement would help the Repub-
lican party over dangerous shoals.
Aldrich is taking no chances in an
nouncing that he will not again be
candidate. He can change his mind
easily, or he can have reelection
forced" upon him. Should the next
house be Democratic, however, Aldrich
might not care to come back to the
senate. for It would then be obvious
that he could put through none Of his
own peculiar style of legislation.
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
Al Ian to-, fah i-
backing the bill providing for the an
nual payment Of $5,000,OO0 of public
funds to few private shipowners, is
being exposed before a special investi-
eating committee of congress as being
backed by men who would profit d.!
rectly or indirectly through the pass
age of the proposed legislation. These
men, most of whom are millionaires,
have contributed to the funds of the
league, and the funds have been used
in turn to atatck and terrify members
Of congress opposed to the subsidy
grab. Although officers of the league
testified contributors to the league
treasury were interested In the pass
age of ship subsidy bill merely as
American patriots anxious to see the
merchant marine built up, cross-ex-
animation 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-president
was the general manager of a Newport
News. Va. shipbuilding company, con-
Germs which might easily profit
through the opening of the pork bar.
rel by the passage of ship subsidy
measure.
"The Democrats are nearer to
electing a president of the United
States than they have been since
1892" says Governor Claude A. Swan
son Of Virginia, who recently COM
pleted a tour that extended to the Pa
cffic 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 to-
gether as Is manifested in all sections
of the country at this time. With
such a spirit pervading the leaders and
the rank and file of Democracy, taken
together with the dissension among
Republicans, can see no other result
than a Democratic house and Demo
cratic president In 1913"
President Taft still refuses to relent
in his opposition to a congressional in
vestigation of either the surgar under
weighing 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 introduced
q second resolution. He alleges that
the sugar trust has been allowed to &C
uuire $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 Philippines eX-
pressly declares that not more than
$500 acres of land shall be sold to
any single corporation. Sanction was
SEiven TO the transaction in question by
Attorney General Wickersham, who
was q former member of the New
York sugar trust firm of Strong & Cad
walader. which firm Mr.. Martin de-
clares was directly concerned with the
alleged illegal sale. President Taft's
brother is still a member OF this firm.
Whether the president can much long
er prevent a sweeping investigation OF
the entire scandal is extremely doubt
full.
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