The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1910-01-20
WASHINGTON LETTER
Taft Makes Effort to Harmonic
Party-Political Doings At The Cap
Washington, ID. G.

U
gress all this week in the person of
our honored president William H..
Taft. He has produced a young grove
of olive branches, and it is plea
seem to have been rewarded to a
certain extent The trouble is not
over yet, by a good deal, but there
are signs that the storm Is about to
let up a little. And besides, some of
the fighters are wanting to get in
out of the wet.
Mr.. Taft, as we have repeatedly stat
ed has at present one single ambition
in life:-HE WANTS TO GET THE
LEGISLATION RECOMMENDED IN
HIS SPECIAL MESSAGES PASSED
BY CONGRESS. To accomplish this
he is willing to overlook anything
else, and to do anything in his pow
er. The Cannon and Aldrich crowd
have worked him by playing on this
desire of his, and the insurgents have
scared him because he thought they
were going to fight 1t. Lately he has
seen that the real way to accomplish
his end is not by fighting the insur-
gents, but by getting them TO help
the rest of the party to pass those
laws.
Really, this has been easy. The
insurgents have never opposed the
Presidents policies. Some of them
think he does not go far enough, but
they are for him as far as he goes.
So when he suggested that IL they
could get together on the Legislative
programme, he would be able TO see
his way clear to extending the usual
courtesies In the way of patronage
and So forth, they we're more than will
ing. Also, he brought a little pres
sure to bear on the regulars, and as
result the insurgents have announ-
ced that they will go into caucus
with the majority with certain res
ervations. These are such that II
will be pretty certain that they are
not walking into a Cannon trap. As
matter of fact, IL the caucus really
works at all, 1t will be great victory
for the insurgents, for 1t will mean
that the course of the legislation in
the House will be controlled by the
Republican majority. directly, and
not by the Rules Committee, appoint
ed by Cannon, and acting under his
orders. So at present the laurels are
still with the insurgents, and there
is prospect of a plan being worked
out which will result once more in
party harmony.
So far, so good but in this happy
government of ours there are always
a few flies in the cream. Most of
these little unpleasant animals Just
now are doubts as to the final sue
cess of Pres. Taft's policy. He has
stuck by Cannon and Aldrich thru
some pretty tight holes, and it is
understood that he has their promise
for a definite and progressive pro-
gramme of legislation. For their
sweet sakes, and the sake OF this
promise he has sacrificed not only
Pinchot, but much of his popularity
turnout the country, and has risked
the help he could naturally expect |
from the older friends of good govern
ment. Also, he has made many ap-
pointments to political office which
are not approved by the best senti-
ment in the communities affected.
He is paying for that legislation,
you see
And the question Is whether he
will get it. Take a look, gentlemen.
This is supposed to be the list OF
bills which are TO be put thru with
the aid, assistance and connivance of
{. A. & Co., Pordigious Political
Prestidigators.-
l. Provision for the tariff com
mission which will make it posi-
be for a real revision the next time
the subject is opened.
2. The railroad and interstate
commerce regulations recommended
by the President in his message Of
a couple of weeks ago.
3. The conservation and forest
preservation laws asked for in Sec
rotary Ballinger's report, and recon-
mendec by the President in the
message sent this week.
4. The national corporation law
also asked for two weeks ago.
8. A postal savings bank law.
This, it may be seen, is quite a
list, and IL 1t Is really put thru will
pretty nearly satisfy the loudest cla-
NOR for immediate reforms. The ques-
ton is whether it is going thru or :
not
In the first place, some people {
who have had more or less dealings
with the distinguished gentlemen and {
honorable men on whose promises
N fha d.