The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1910-03-03
MAJORITY LEADERS
ARE IN QUANDARY
Question of Adjournment Proves
to Be Peculiar Puzzle to
Republicans.
DEMOCRATS ARE CONFIDENT
Say Taft Is Pushing Their Policies
Presidents Measures All Careful
ly Drawn to Avoid lnjuring
Business.

WaShlngtOn.-Wl hen asked II COu'
gress will adjourn early this year, the
Republican leaders answer, I'VE will
adjourn early if we can" Usually
there is a sort of covert smile accom-
panying this answer, for congress can
adjourn early if it will. The real sit
uation is that the controlling majority
finds itself in peculiar position. lt
fears that If legislation is put through
and if early adjournment comes, that
the members will be blamed for not
giving due thought to the bills that
have been passed, provided any one
of the bills proves to be weak when 1t
takes on the form of law.
Another difficulty is that some OF
the congressional primaries will be
held early this year and if congress
makes a legislative squirt and does
its work and adjourns, it may be said
that there was hurry so that the mem
bers might get back to their baili-
wicks to look after their personal po-
| litical fences. In the house by the
adoption of a rule on each Legislative
suggestion, a bill can be debated and
passed in few days. The house is
law unto itself in this matter. In the
senate, of course, there is no such
thing as shutting off debate except by
unanimous consent, but this will not
be hard to obtain on any great meas
ure, because no one man probably this
winter will care to object to the vote
on any one of the major measures
the president has recommended.
Position of the Democrats.
The Democrats apparently look up
on some Of Mr.. Tafts recommends
tions as being in line with good Demo
cratic doctrine. Their attitude to
ward the administration Legislative
wishes is Just about what their atti
tude was toward most of the Roose
welt policies. The Bryan Democrats
in both house and senate say that the
opposition party has stolen the am
munition of Mr. Bryan and his follow
ers. The more conservative Demo
Gratis express themselves as being O.
the opinion that the progressive poll
cies of Mr.. Taft are just what nigh
be expected of a Democratic presi
dent who was not given over to the
Bryan theories of government. So i
appears that for entirely different rea
sons the Democrats are pretty vel
united on the advisability of sanction
ing after due scrutiny the bills afte
a suggestion of how much better the!
could be made by Democratic admin
istration.
1t has been said that at heart man!
of the Republicans are opposed tt
some of the presidents recommends
tions, but that they will vote for hin
for party reasons. The members o
the majority party who are in oppo
sition inwardly, but not outwardly, t,
, the making into law of the interstate
commerce recommendation and SOM
other measures are in the mail
the Republicans of the high tar
If school, the men who have stooc
stanchly by Mr.. Cannon in the hous
and by Mr.. Aldrich in the senate. Thei
opposition is based on the feeling tha
the old ways are best and that in tn
matter of regulating things" the Re
publican party is going altogether to-
far.
See Change in House Majority.
The Democrats in the house, an
! in the senate, too, for that matter
: have not lost one grain of their re
| hot
, next house of representatives is t
be Democratic. The recent electio
in the sixth district of Missouri
where the successor of Representativ
David De Almond was chosen, ha
filled the Democrats with renewe
hope and positive assurance of victor
! next November. The Democrat VIII
was elected to succeed Mr.. De Al
mond was chosen by a majority tha
, was double that which was given t
, the former Democratic Representative
from the district. Two or three RI
= publican officials of national fam
= went into the Missouri district in tn
endeavor to elect a Republican cand
date, and failing in this, hoping to CT
g down the Democratic majority. No
b withstanding the aid of one cabine
.. officer and one United States senate
:. the Republican vote fell off tremel
e dously.
k The Republicans in the lower hous
t whose districts are at all close, ar
4 telling the leaders daily that ther
:. must be no weakening of the Ia
/. recommendations when they are pl
$ into form for passage. They say tn;
I if there is any going back at all, the
}. fear the results at home, and that an
marked change in the form of ii