The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-02-07

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Feb Z.
Dear Dad: Woodrow Wilson COM
pares our present political system 10
coat which will not button up the
belly without splitting down the back.
This is the homely smile which he
used in talking to the Press club the
other night, at their hobby" stunt.
Gov. Wilson thinks IL time to get a
coat that will fit. Publicity was the
keynote OF his remedy. He says there
has grown up the prevalent practice
OF administering the public's affairs
as IL they were somebody elses
private business.
The government" says Wilson,
lis every body's business. And he
adds, Ito an increasing extent all mod
ern business is everybody's business.
The old notion that an individuals
business is his own, and that no one
else can interfere with 1t, must give
way before the idea that the public
welfare dominates even private bust
ness"
The Ballinger-Gu Cunningham bills are
dead. This is generally admitted now.
Amos Pinchot did the work. At least,
he did a lot OF It, He came quietly
to Washington and went TO see he
friends of conservation in congress.
! He soon persuaded the Democrats
and the Progressive Republicans that
IL would not be well to authorize
Mr.. Ballinger to refer the Cunning
ham claims to the courts. SO Mt.
Taft must decide them.
= -aassn
II Secretary Ballinger does not re-
sign he will be impeached. This is
the cold, bald fact. Secretary Bal
linger can hang on until the new
Democratic house comes into -power--
He cannot stay after that OF course
|if President Taft -neglects TO call an
extra session the new house will not
come into power until next December.
So IL is possible that Mr.. Ballinger
may remain secretary OF the interior
until that time. But have been talk
ing to many Democrats and they say
that without shadow of doubt, IL
Mr.. BaIlinger remains until that date
the Democratic house will jump at
the opportunity to impeach him, Ny
informants tell me that such a reso-'
luton. would 20 through the house
with q rush. So there you are.
The Grand Old Flag and arappro-
priation inspired the Hon. Joe Bailey,
OF Texas, to flight Of oratory in tie
senate when the river and harbor bill
reached the item touching the Beau
mont.Orange channel harbor. A year
ago this item was eliminated from the
bill and In revenge Bailey attacked
Burtons bill to improve the efficiency
OF the. army engineers and eliminated
that from another appropriation Dill.
Thus the feud remained until this
year, when Burton left the item out
and Bailey again attacked the en-
gineer item. Burton wanted this time
to save HIS appropriation for the amy
engineers. SO he bit his tongue and
crossed his fingers. Bailey took the
cue, made his little patriotic speech
for the Grand Old Flag and the Beau
nt.Orange channel job went back
into the bill. Thus two birds were
killed with one stone and the Bailey
Burton feud is buried.
At the Press, clubs stunt party the
other night, dear old Franklin Mac
Voagh, secretary OF the treasurer,
read a nice little piece which nc had
written, apologizing for the Taft adj
ministration and explaining the UNI
popularity OF the president. He said.
! I'm effect, that before Mr. Taft was
president everybody knew he was n
genial soul and all the public loved
him. lie said that after becoming
president. Mr.. Taft had demonstrated
himself to be such a wonderful states
man and such an unselfish man that
he was unable 10 do ANYTHING for
popular applause. and unable TO ieke
any steps which would put him in a
! favorsble iisht With the country. aud
that the consequences are tina. the
\ country realty knows notning about
him, and 10 growing to dislike s.a