The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-04-02
POLITICS IN WASHINGTON.
BALLINGER-PINCHOT ROW STILL
ON.
Taft-Aldrich-Cannon Crowd Are OH
The Anxious Bench-Fcarful of
What Roosevelt May DO When He
Comes Home.

y NlCdl SITUATION as viewed from the
standpoint of the national capital. is
much more interesting to both parties
than legislation and executive matters
just now. The election Of Mr.. Foss as
Democrat to Congress in Massachu-
setts this week by plurality of 5640
in a district which elected a Repub-
hcar In 1908 ny a plurality of $4,000.
Is regarded here and throughout the
country as a most significant indica-
tion as to popular feeling. OF course.
political figurers are hard at work and
Will show plausibly special reasons for
this remarkable political change. But
orediting the Republicans with all
that they may claim as causes for
this surprising result. IL indicates that
the trend of popular opinion has
gone so far that nothing but a mira
Gle or Roosevelt can save the house
next fall TO the party In power. Let
:. II be said with whatever emphasis
can be brought to bear, that the party
In power Is not responsible for high
prices or for unsatisfactory business
conditions. Inasmuch as the party In
power. Democratic or Republican, al
ways claims credit for whatever good
thing happens. II must face the re-
sponsibility for some Of the bad. even
IL II should be bad crops.
SO great has been the excitement
over the rebuke of Cannon In the
lower house OF Congress that the
Ballinger-Pinchot investigation has
been to a great degree forgotten. Mr..
! Pinchot. since he has testified, has
started TO Europe and is now we'll
on his way thither. 1t Is reported
that he is going In answer to a cable
gram from ex-President Roosevelt.
That one so near the ex-president as
ex-Forester Pinchot should be the
first to get the ear of Mr.. Roosevelt,
Ia subject of considerable anxiety to
the other side. or at least to certain
individuals OF the other side. So far,
Mr.. Roosevelt has been as silent as
the Sphinx which yesterday night he
saw by moonlight. Another signlfi-
cant fact is that during Mr.. Garfield's
residence In the city two weeks ago
he was the guest of Mr.. Pinchot, and
he only yesterday made an address TO
the Tippecanoe Club In Clevland, a
very temperate address, but one in
which IL was plain to see that his
sympathies were with the insurgents
and that his advocacy was for a more
enthusiastic support of the Roosevelt
policies than II Is possible for Presi-
dent Taft to accomplish. handicapped
as he Is by those in the House and
the Senate with whom he has elected
. TO consort IL Is a curious situation
and unprecedented In our political
history that a self-exiled ex-president
Is at this moment more potential in
the political affairs OF the country
than the genial gentleman In the
White House. What he may say or
do when or before ne lands here In
June Is a matter OF keen solicitude
TO regulars. insurgents. Democrats
and &C. everyone interested in current
politics.
DIR. Garfield, in his speech I'm Cleve-
land. made a severe arraignment Of
those Republican leaders guilty Of a
policy which he thinks is certain TO
lead the party to defeat. He insisted
that the average American realized
that present conditions pointed TO
something radically wrong. He urged
progressive action and pointed out
that when a party fails TO be progress
sive Its usefulness has begun to wane.
ut Is our duty" said Mr.. Garfield, "to
squarely face the situation and to
stand up and be counted for the poll
oies that are In sympathy with the
best progressive thought Of our coun-
try. and the people are justly calling
upon us for a fulhllment Of that pol
Icy. They will not be satisfied with
inactlon and makeshlft legislation :"
These words coming from Jimmie" !"
as Mr.. Roosevelt was wont to call this
member OF his regular cabinet and Of
his tennis court or kitchen cabinet
also. after close communion as a
guest OF Clifford Pinchot. than whom
none was closer TO Mr.. Roosevelt,
naturally raise the question as to who
are the repres" ntat,ves of the Roose-
welt policies. IL Is useless TO deny
that Mr.. Taft is o. was Mr. Roose-
velts chosen successor and political
heir. Nothing like such selection
has ever before occurred In American
history. and the facts and the event