Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-02-20
SOME SEE sPLI1 IN REPUBLICAN
PARTY As RESULT OF
POLICIES.
WELDING OF BIG STICK
MAY HAVE REVERSE RESULT
Tafts Reciprocity Postage Pension
Policies Create CONSERVATION
Among Old Guard in Washington =
Shows Disposition 20 30 President
Regardless Of Political Consequences
Especial Correspondence

| Washington, Feb. 20-A lot Of old
republican members Of congress are
standing around and gasping for breath
every time they contemplate the poll
tics Mr.. Taft Is playing.
1t would be more correct to say the
politics which the politicians up on
the hill think Mr.. Taft is not playing
For, from the standpoint of lot Of re-
publicans in house and senate. Mr.. TAFT
IS doing just the things q politician
ought not do.
stands a ghost Of chance Of re-elec-
ton. His denomination Is generally
conceded.
A number OF things the president has
advocated recently are calculated either
to spill. his party or to hurt him. as
great numbers Of his republican breth-
rem at the capitol see It, And they are
wondering what is the explanation. One
story going the rounds is that President
Taft doesn't really expect reelection
and doesn't care whether he Is re-
elected, and so he has made up his mind
to be president for the next two years
tust as he pleases. to do the things he
wants to and pay no attention to the
political side Of t.
The Questions at Issue.
On no other basis, so runs the talk
Vt number of the republicans In con-
1ress. can there be an accounting OF
Why the president has endorsed these
three things:
Canadian reciprocity. with an extra
session il the senate does not pass 1t.
The increased postage rate for maya
zines.
The blocking OF the sulloway pension
bill, with a veto threatened II It Is
passed
From the standpoint Of most OF the
republican politicians in congress each
one Of these propositions Is calculated
to cost Mr.. Taft and the republican
party votes.
Losses May Be onset.
That Is. the reciprocity agreement IL
expected to cost some votes IN the az
ricultural states. Whether the votes
- farmers lost by Il will be more than
lcounteracted by the votes OF ultimate
consumers Is a matter Of difference OF
opinion. Mr.. Taft's friends think the
ultimate consumers are going to be 80
pleased they will reha bil,tate his poliu-
cal fortunes.
The ultra high tariff men I'm congress
are sore and talk bitterly and they
would like to see Mr.. Taft punished for
stirring up the reciprocity issue and
starting what they call the breaking
down OF the protective system.
with reciprocity. it Is a question
whether Mr.. Taft will not gain more
-, ,, l,,< ho outcome
Msaazine Men Mad.
But when It comes to the increase
Of the rate g, the postage OF the maya
zines. 1t is the general belief about
congress that It is bad move poll
tically.
1t is true. President Taft has ALREADY
been more or less severely criticised in
many OF the periodicals. And it is
freely talked that the administration Is
reaching out in return to lay on the
heavy hand Of revenge. But whatever
be the cause, the periodicals Of the
country are not likely to rush madfy to
the support Of Mr.. Taft for reelection
IF they have to pay Accent postage
rate on their advertising pages
Old Soldier Vote . Factor.
The old soldiers Of the country are
almost unit apparently In favor Of the
Sulloway bin. II the president should
veto this bill. he is well-nigh certain to
lose the votes Of the old soldiers in
1912. Their vote Is largely republican
and might turn an election and do It
easily.
But there Is another side to It all.
President Taft was elected largely be-
cause the people thought he was going
to be another Roosevelt. He lost caste
IN the early months OF his administra-
ton because he displayed Zoo much Of
a tendency to go along with the old
guard leaders, the reactionaries. in
congress Some Of the political leaders
believe Mr.. Taft still has strong hold
on the affections OF tho country and
that II he picks up the big stick
brushes off its cobwebs and proceeds to
1ambast everything and everybody that
doesn't look good to him, regardless OF
consequences. he will run so fast in 1912
that you can't catch him. Politics Is q
~o1~A uyhA an~ <>N No., -s,v