The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1911-02-23
news NOTES Of
NATIONS CAPITAL
(From F. J. DYER.)
Especial to the Silver State.)

Especial to the Silver State.)
| WASHINGTON, Feb. 23.-Un-
doubtedly it had to come sometime,
and therefore little surprise was felt
| in Washington when President Taft
inaugurated full-fedged press bureau
to give out official news from the
White house. It had been rumored
that in the reorganization of the
clerical staff incident to the retirement
of c. d. Norton as private secretary
to the president, that ga newspaper
man was to be taken care off, Gus
J. Karger, who was generally under
stood to have been under considera-
tion for Norton s place, turned out to
be the newspaper man referred to. At
least Mr.. Karger has been given
charge of the responsible and some
what delicate task of distributing of
fetal news for the administration. He
is well known in Washington as the
correspondent of the Cincinnati Times
dent Taft s brother; of the Cleveland
News, and the Columbus Dispatch.
He has as assistant R. H. Hagard, who
was long member OF the Washington
staff of the United Press association,
covering the White house. Both Mr..
Karger and Mr.. Hagard are held in
high esteem by their newspaper as
sociates as well as in official circles,
and they are particularly well equipped
on account of their professional ex-
perience, their close relations with the
White house and their personal quail
fcations for the important work that
has been assigned to them.
The fact that the president has
seen fit to appoint representatives who
will make known in an official way
such things as he wishes to communi-
cate to the; public directly through the
press, probably will not prevent the
Washington correspondents from en-
ioying the same degree of freedom in
visiting the White house for informa-
tion which may be of esepcial interest
to the papers they represent, as they
had before the new plan was adopted.
The innovation, however, ought to be
productive of good results from the
standpoint of the administration as
well as that of the newspaper world,
while the public, perhaps, will profit
as much as either. 1t may seem line
a very radical innovation to many
people for the White house to be
equipped with a press agent, but there
is now no department of the govern
ment which has not its publicity bu-
reau or recognized press agent, and
the White house is only following in
line by recognizing the need of an
official channel of information. Here
tofore the difficulty of securing ade-
auate and reliable information regard
ing such matters as might properly be
discussed or announced in the press
has been due less, perhaps, to dis
position for secrecy than to the lack
of some person authorized and proper
ly qualified for giving out such news.
Members of the press, in particular,
will feel interested to see how the new
system works out.
Political Surprises in Store.
, 1t has generally been supposed that
!, President Taft was quite certain OF
: denomination at the hands of his
, party, although many have thought
: that the prospects of Republican sue
cess, no matter who might be the
leader, were not alluring. Since the
reciprocity treaty was forced through
r the house with the aid of Democratic
votes, more Republicans voting against
: it than for it, not few members of
congress have intimated that they
have serious doubts whether the presi-
dent can ever secure denomination
> These foreboders are not all of the
standpat variety, and even were they
all in the ranks of the Democratic
: party there is some color for their
skepticism. They think that the farm
ers, who have always been the back
bone of the party, will rebel at the
. granting of trade favors TO Canada
+h.nE ot THAR
: expense-and that the granger vote is
in danger of being gathered in by the
progressive movement. This might
mean the sending of delegations to the
next national convention pledged to
LaFollette or Cummins, and the nomi
nation of one of those leaders. 1t has
been remarked in Washington that La
Toilette has said but little from the
floor of the senate this session, and il
has been shrewdly surmised that he is
willing to stand on his record and
take no chances of impairing his pros
peets for the larger office he has III
view.
The Progressives.
1t does not seem to be generally
understood throughout the country
that there is progressive organiza
tion within each of the great parties
The movement headed by LaFolltte
Cummins, Bourne and other well
known Republican insurgents has held
the center of the stage to such al
extent that many persons have thought
that this was the only progressive
movement. As matter of fact, it has
not interfered with that progressive
organization, fathered by ex'Congress
man George II. Chibley and indorsee
by Senators Owens, Chamberlain ano
Newlands, to say nothing of the many
eminent publicists in the magazine
world. With the motto, "the people
against the special interests, embla