The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1910-03-10

Then come the Democrats, who /
look at the thing from a political |
rather than from a personal point OF |
view. and who say that Mr.. Roosevelt |
being a good politician and knowing |
the value of making the party record |
appear as good as it can be made. |
will indorse the Taft administration |
and will simply bend his own writing
energies to aid the energies of the
president in getting the party to go
ahead faster than it has along the
line Of progression.
Hopes Of the Democrats.
The Democrats say, however, that
the extreme conservatives in the Re
publican party who have control of
the house and senate will refuse to
go ahead on the new paths of prog
ress any faster than they have been
going in the past. and that as a re-
suit the combined editorial efforts of
Mr.. Roosevelt and the administration
efforts Of Mr.. Taft, will avail nothing
to get the party to move fast enough
to satisfy the peOple-ergo the next
national administration is bound to
be Democratic.
Theodore Roosevelt is recognized as
being the man who was practically re-
sponsible for making William H. Taft
a candidate for the nomination for the
presidency. 1t is no secret. and Mr..
Taft does not deny it himself that he
did not care to enter the campaign for
the nomination. His chief ambition
was to have seat on the bench of
the supreme court of the United
States. If he had not been urged to
enter the field as a candidate for the
presidency he probably would be on
the supreme bench to-day. He yield
ed unquestiOnably to the persuasions
of his friend, who then was president,
and became an active candidate.
RooseVeIt's Probable Action.
Now, when it is considered that for
years Theodore Roosevelt leaned on
his secretary of war, Mr.. Taft, as he
leaned on no other member of his
cabinet, and it is remembered how he
constantly alluded to the great work
which his war secretary was doing,
it can be readily understood why it is
that the colonel's friends do not think
that he will become hastily an ad-
verse critic of the man in whom for
so long time he had placed his con-
tidence. 1t may be that Col. Roose-
welt is disappointed because his party
already has not carried out every
pledge that was made in the national
platform. 1t may possibly be that he
is disappointed in President Taft, but
even if this is so his friends in Wash
ington say he is going to keep his
own counsel fer long time yet to
come.
investigations Interest.
The interest in Washington actu-
| ally seems to be sharper to-day
| in the investigations under con-
gressional supervision which are go
ing on, than in any legislation which
is pending before the lawmakers.
The Democrats say that the Republi-
cans are busy investigating them
selves, but nonpartisan fairness would
make it appear that the Democrats
are right only in part.
Here is a list of the Investigations
and inquiries. for inquiry is better
word to apply in some cases. which
are now under way or in present pros
pect:
Relating to the official conduct of
Richard A. Ballinger, secretary of the
interior, and Clifford Pinchot, former
! United States forester.
AS to the cost of living.
An inquiry into the business meth
ods of the various departments of the
government with the view of discover
ing, if possible, why it costs so much
to run tEe federal machine.
An inquiry into the monetary sys-
tens of other countries preliminary
to the introduction Of legislation es.
tablishing sound currency system
in the United States.
An investigation with reference to
immigration.
An inquiry to determine whether
the maximum rates of the new tariff
law shall be applied to any nation.
Are Somewhat Costly.
Some of the members of congress
have said that the expenses of the
several committees and commissions
will amount to pretty close to a mil
lion and a half dollars. A study Of
the paragraphs setting forth the in
vestigations which are being conduct
ed will show that the Democratic
statement that the Republicans are
investigating themselves has perhaps
bearing in real truth on only the in
vestigation into the conduct of Secre
tary of the Interior Ballinger anC
former United States Forester Pin
chot.
Of course congress, which votes tht
appropriations, is necessarily to b.
held responsible for the increased ex
penditures which there may be in tht
departments of the government, be
cause no branch of the service cal
spend money that congress has no
authorized by appropriation. The Re
publicans being in the majority il
congress necessarily must bear tn
blame if it shall be shown that ther
has been any extravaganza in the mat
ter of hiring too many clerks or spend
ing too much money in any depart
mental way.
GEORGE CLINTON.