The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1910-02-18
ELKINS ON
FOOD INQUIRY.
He Charges That Trusts and
Tariff Are Favored.
NOW OPPOSED TO ALDRICH.

West Virginia Senator May Hereafter
Be Counted an Insurgent-SettIe-
ment of the Tariff War-Ohio's Fight
For Governor-Ship Subsidy.
Washington. Feb. 8. - The straight
talk of Senator Elkins on the high
prices proposition has done more to
stir up things than anything that has
come out of the high prices agitation
in congress. Elkins charged that his
own resolution providing for an in
quiry had been held up for thirty days,
while that of Senator Lodge was IA
vorably reported overnight. Elkins re-
garded this as a move to shield the
tariff and the trusts. In the same
breath he said that he himself was a
high tariff man, but nevertheless he
wanted the truth. He might have add
ed that he had never been hostile to
the trusts. At least if he was nobody
remembers the occasion. This gives
his demand for free and full inquiry
added force. But there was more in
Senator Elkins' talk than a mere pro-
test against favoritism to the Lodge
resolution. There was fiat revolt
against Senator Aldrich. Elkins has
not been counted one of the insur-
gents. If that speech means anything
he will have to be so counted in flu
ture.
Are There Others Ready to RevoIt2
The ElkiDs detection raises an inter-
esting question. Are there other reg
ulars in the two houses that are ready
to break away? Elkins is keen poll
tician, one who was trained in the
school of James G. Blaine. Is there
a movement against Aldrich in the
senate resembling the opposition to
Speaker Cannon in the house?
No Tariff War.
The settlement of the threatened |
tariff war between the United States |
and Germany has brought a sigh of |
relief to the business world. For a
time it seemed that Germany was bent |
on making trouble, but evidently the
common sense of her business men |
got into action and saved. the day. |
With Germany out of the way, there
is now a probability that we may
avoid a tariff war with any nation,
at least with any nation big enough to
amount to anything Whether the
president had much to do with set
Ting the German muddle or not. he will
get the credit, and it will add one
more to his peace laurels.
The First Gun of the War of 1912.
The story that Presidents Taft's
candidate for governor of Ohio is
Wade II. Ellis. the trust prosecutor
who is now assistant attorney general,
promises one of the warmest fights
Ohio has ever known. Ohio has more
politics anyway than any other state
IN the Union, and, if Ellis runs as
raft's candidate against Judson Har-
non, Buckeye politics will spill over
INTO the country and the battle will
De the preliminary of the national
struggle of 1912.
Ship Subsidy May Be Defeated. :
Although the ship subsidy bill has
,een favorably reported to the house,
here is grave doubt as to its becom-
ng a law. The vote In committee was
ignificant, inasmuch as all the Demo-
rats and two regular Republicans
'oted against it. If this proportion Of
organization Republicans oppose it on
inal passage it wiz be defeated, for
he Democrats are against it almost to !
man. and the insurgents generally OPP
'ose it. When Representatives Hayes !
md Gardner, speaking for the insur-
tents, recently assured the president ]
hat they would stand by his policies s
hey enumerated the measures they
would favor, and the ship subsidy bill
vas not among the number. This in
tself was significant but insurgent
hostility to the subsidy bill was well {
.nown even before that.
Corporations Fight Publicity.
The corporation tax feature of the /
Payne tariff law is being attacked not !
My In the courts. but before the Z
resident and congress. The repre- !
entatives Of the corporations object
o the publicity feature even more
han they do to the tax itself. They
ave labored long with the president i,
o get a recommendation from him \
hat the law be amended I'm this re-
pect. but at last he has fatty refused. o
a recommendation. from the
resident II is not probable that con-
ress will strike the publicity feature
rom the law. This will leave the -
ourts the only refuge Of the cor
.orations. Several cases have been =
tarted. and it is probable that one Of
hese will be made a test case and
viii be given an early hearing in the .
upreme court. Until a decision is
anded down the collection Of the cor q
Grafton tax will probably wait. a
Roosevelt as a Pole Diseoverer. Q
The Peary expedition to the south l
ole may be headed by Theodore Q
Roosevelt II n suggestion made by /
Peary was properly inter a
reted. Peary refused 10 say outright [
hat be believed Roosevelt would lead. =
ut be referred enthusiastically 70 the \