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

straw vote on Ianhon ana <tiuTiSn'
The American People Are the Court
Of Last Resort.
Washington, Dec. 25.-The cabinet
has it's troubles. 1t is not alone Secre-
harry Richard Achilles Ballinger that is
getting his portion of earthly woe, but
Knox, Dickinson, MacVeagh and Ma
gel come in for an occasional dose of
tribulation. AS for Ballinger, he will
be investigated, after all, or, rather, he
will have himself investigated by the
senate. The monthlies, weeklies, con-
servationists and others have kept aft
err him so hard that an official inquiry
is now inevitable. Ballinger says he is
ready for it. Even his former college
mate and predecessor in office, James
r. Garfield, the man who was RESPONSE
BILE for making Ballinger commissioner
of the general land office, which in
turn led to his being selected for his
present place, has Joined the ranks of
the secretary's critics. In a recent
issue of Senator La Follette'S new pa
per Garfield has an article which with
out specifically censuring Ballinger
says much between the lines. La Fol
lette himself is not so guarded. He
not only lands a few on the Richard
Achilles, but lends sting to his at
tack by contrasting the Ballinger re-
gime with that of Garfield. Whether
this was the last straw that broke the
secretary into an investigation mood
who shall say? Anyway, he is in that
frame of mind, and a senate probefest
will probably be the result. He would
be a valorous prophet who should at
tempt to predict the outcome. Senate
investigations are such fearful and
wonderful things that Willis L. Moore
himself would not know whether to
prophesy blizzard or flair and warm
err" The verdict may be either an
inch thick coat of vhitewash or lady
like reprimand. That is In the hands
Of destiny and Of Aldrich.
Carnegie Wants Peace.
In the case of Secretary of State
Knox the trouble is not so acute. 1t
is in the form of an attack by Andrew
Carnegie. At recent luncheon in
Washington there were present Secre-
tary Knox, his predecessor Senator
Root, representatives of most of the
Latin American republics and Carne-
gle Speeches were of course made,
and the laird of Skibo was one of
the speakers. Now, any one who at
tended the tariff hearings knows just
how fine line Of tabasco sauce Car
negie can pass when he feels that way.
At this particular luncheon he was in
his best tabasco mood. After compli-
menting Root for his efforts in behalf
of peace and pan-American amity Car
negie said some things about the Nj
caraguan affair and the secretary of
states attitude thereon that caused
Knox, although not on the program,
to arise twice and speak in his own
defense. Understand, this is all sub
rosa, but it was the talk of Washing
ton at the time. | wonder what Car
negie could see in the spanking of
Zelaya inimical to the worlds peace.
Three of the Harried.
As for Secretaries Dickinson, Nagel
and MacVeagh, their troubles can be
punched. Dickinson is criticised for
appearing in Springfield recentlya to
represent the Illinois Central railroad
in case in which the state is trying
to recover certain moneys from the
road. Nagel has stirred up the state
rights people by intimating that, in
asmuch as the government is regulat-
ing the corporations, it should also
have the power to protect them from
inimical actions by the several states.
Macveagh is getting it from the other
side of the house. The stand patters
are after him for his low tariff stand
ard, and the friends of the grafters
are sore because of the vigor with
which he is dealing with the sugar
frauds. Altogether the Taft cabinet
is not as happy as people on the out
side might imagine. | have not heard
any kicking about Hitchcock, Meyer,
Wickersham and Wilson as yet, but
the season is young.
II Is Up to the People.
If the verbal bricks are flying at cab
met members, however, they are sim
ply raining around Cannon and Allrich.
A New York magazine recently took a
straw vote in which scarcely one in a
hundred had a good word to say for
Uncle Joe and the boss OF the senate.
Politics cuts no figure in the replies.
were as hostile as Dem
ocrats. With Taft both parties were
more lenient, but there were few kind
words for the legislative duet. while
hearty everybody handed bouquets to
The insurgents. The article has Gre
ated not a little stir in Washington.
If it correctly reflects public senti-
ment there are a large number Of gen.
Iemen here who have some hard think
Ing ahead Of them. 1t is not impOssi-
bic that something may yet drop dur
ing this session. Those who figure on
what congress may or may not do
should not leave out OF their calcula-
lions the folks at home. II the Amer
lean people want a certain thing done.
and want Il hard enough, they VIII
pretty nearly galvanize congress into