The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-27
POLICY OF THE
ADMINISTRATION
Taft Will Not Advance For
tunes of Che Insurgents
ELIHU ROOT ON PENSIONS
Widows of Vefrans Are Astonishingly
PIcntIfuI-Reprcsen butler
Favors Big Navy-Trusts
May He the Issue
By RoDERIcK CLIFFORD

Washington, March 26.-tSpecial) -Evi-
dence crops out every day that the adj
ninistration intends doing nothing to ad-
vance the political fortunes of the In
sufgents in the House or the progressives
In the Senate.
Perhaps there is no more striking ex-
ample of the administration attitude
than the case of Senator Bristow of
Kansas. The statesman from the Sun
flower state has not been regular" since
his advent into the upper branch of Con-
xress. During the consideration of the
tariff bill he seemed to take special de-
HIGHT in embarrassing the leaders in
charge of the bill. No word of complaint
same from the White House at the time.
but now there is another story to tell.
The term of the postmaster at Salina,
Bristow's homo town, is about to expire.
Tho postmaster Is not Bristow repub-
ucsn. but the postfffice department says
the postmaster has made good and Is
entitled to another term. This does not
please the Kansas senator. who has
picked out a republican of his clan and
formally recommended the appointment.
The report comes from the White House
that. In order to avoid trouble, the post
master at 6a1ina will be allowed to serve
until his successor ia appointed This
u construed to mean that no nomination
VII be made, and thus Brtstow will con-
tinue to hold the short end Of the stick.
But this ia not ell. President Taft re-
Gently rsappointed f. ]. Bone as United
States district attorney, on the recon-
npsndation of Senator Curtis, stanoh
Supporter OF the administration, Br1stow
has held up the nomination for come
wseay, on the ground that Bone has
witttsn letters orftfoising his course in
tho senabe. This Is embarrassing TO Sem
ator Curtis, but he has the regulars with
him. and it is believed that Bone will, be
confirmed. President Taft is now hav-
ing his innings with the progressives, es-
pesiaiiy those who are enjoying fight
for ss-eiection, and a little bit of patron
age goes a long way In winning votes in
tho Legislature. Too much pie is a
handicap, and Bristow is one who has
too much of it Just now.
The effort b. enact legislation at this
session to have the pension law, known
as the Act of June 80, 1890 include wild,
ows of soldiers, pensioned under that
act, is opposed by Senator Root of New
York, who is soon to be heard on the
subject. The attempt to amend the act
In this particular recalls the comment
made on the measure at the time it was
under consideration in the House just 20
years ago. by the late Representative
Buck" Kilgore of Texas, the great OBJ
jector. Speaking about the bill to a
party of members. he said: II am not
opposed to just pensions, and l believe
that the country should provide for her
defenders. but should Congress pass this
bill the result will be that widows yet
unborn will be drawing pensions under
this act"
In view of the thousands of applications
that have been filed by the widows for
pensions under the pension law In ques-
ton, ii would seem that the Texas states
man spoke with prophetic wisdom, for
Congress is almost sure to pass the bill
how pending to give these claims a PEN
sionab]e status. When it comes to PEN
sion legislation members of the House
just tumble over one another to introduce
bills and to vote for them. Fewer adj
serve reports are made on private pension
bills than any elias sof measures intro
duced in either house Of Congress. If
all the bills, or even a third of them,
were enacted into law for the benefit of
the soldiers of the war of 1s61-65 and the
Spanish-American war they would bank
rupt the government. 1t has been but