The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1910-01-14
THE NATIONAL SITUATION.

General decentralization seems 10 be- IN
, command of the republican forces in Wash
ipgton. Events Of the past week have
greatly widened the breach between the
ipsurgent and conservative factions in con.
gress. and students Of political history are
grayely observing the crisis. which they
consider one Of the most important IN the
history Of the republican party. The SIT.
uation has many ramifcations and the
outcome is OF course in doubt. but II would
be folly TO deny that the insurgent repnb.
licans, as those opposed to Cannonism are
termed, are showing unusual strength.
This is encouraging TO the ever increasing
number of people who are tired OF Uncle
Joe's autocratic control OF the house OF
representatives and his fondness for favor
ing special privilege a. opposed to equal
opportunity And to the credit OF Yer.
mont's intelligence il may he said that
more and more of her citizens are becom-
ing anti. Cannonites every day.
Just week ago. on the day that Presi.
dent Taft dismissed Chief Forester Gil
ford Pinchot for breach OF official pro-
priety, the question OF appointing com
I;ittee to investigate the Ballinger Pinchot
controversy came up in the lower branch
of congress, and by vote OF li9 to lao
the power of appointment was taken from
Sneaker Cannon and given to the repre-
septatiyes themselves. There is no use
Understanding this action. Whatever the
ultimate result, the fact remains that
majority of the representatives who voted
on the resolution were not sufficiently sure
of Speaker Cannon's wish for fair, I'M
biased investigation to let him name the
house members of the committee. No
such expression of lack OF confidence IN
speaker of the house of representatives
was ever before manifested. Neither OF
Vermont's representatives, by the way,
was present when the vote was taken
Naturally the Cannon republicans were
much disturbed by this unexpected show
of strength on the part of the insurgents
and Immediately took steps to force the
fighting. The republican congressional cam
pagn committee has announced this week
that none of the insurgent representatives
will receive help toward reelection in their
respective districts; in fact, letters ridi-
culing the insurgent movement have al
ready begun to be issued from the con-
gressional press bureau. 1t is also said
that the insurgents will not receive no
tees Of party caucuses, and that in other
ways, such, for instance, as Withholding
patronage, the effort to crush them will
be pushed.
This congressional controversy, coming
as it does on the heels of the tariff |
revision failure, the Crane episode and the
conservation conflict, makes the position Of
President Taft extremely delicate, and the
feeling seems to be general that he has
reached critical period in his career.
The house insurgents assert that they are
not opposed to the administration policies,
their sole aim being to rid their branch of
congress of it's autocratic control, but the
attitude of the president seems to indicate
leaning on his part toward the conser-
vative faction, under misapprehension no
doubt as to the Importance of party regu
larity. While the president doubtless took
the only course open in dismissing For
ester Pinchot the question arises whether
long ago he could not have made this
action unnecessary Mr.. Pinchot, barring
one, perhaps, is the nations greatest cham
pion of the policy of the conservation of
the country's natural resources, man
whose motives are unquestioned and tech
nical knowledge of forestry unusual. The
loss of his services as public official can
not be underestimate, nor does the provo
cation for his dismissal make up for such
loss.
If the congressional campaign committee
makes determined fight on the insurgents
the result may be the election of demo-
cratic house of representatives next fall.
And even this might not be so bad, be-
cause it would eliminate Cannon, provide
a more vigorous opposition for the admin
istration, make the national campaign of
1912 less one-sided. with the result that
better government would ensue.
Meanwhile, in the clashes between the
insurgents and the regulars that are bound
to occur throughout this session of con-
gress, Nermonters will follow closely the
actions of their two representatives,
Messrs. Foster and Plumley.
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