Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1911-01-20
TAFT IS FOOLED
| BY LAME DUCKS
why Old Machine Crowd Plans to
Put Weeks at Head of the
National Committee.
SCHEME TO REGAIN CONTROL
Progressive Republicans See Through
Game and viii Fight for Mastery
OF Next convention-TarIfF Com
mission Bill Prospects.
BY JOHN j. HANNAH.

by JOHN j. HANNAH.
Washington.-With the lines forming
for the control of the Republican party
and the battle on within the ranks of
the Democratic party for the control Of
that organization, the two months re-
naming of the present session prom
Use some interesting political devel-
opments, although 1t Is almost certain
that but little legislation of substan-
tial character will result.
The real meaning of the activity of
John Dwight, whip of the house, and
OF the lame duck" chorus to boost
Congressman Weeks into the chair
manship of the national committee
and place him in charge of the cam
paign to renominate President Taft
Is not desire to aid the president but
Is an effort to gain control OF the Re-
publican party.
Progressive Republicans are watch
ing the movement which has been
started to renominate the president.
They are not idle. They will not per
init the interests represented by SEN
ator Aldrich and Speaker Cannon to
seize again the control of the party
without struggle.
Pooling the President.
From the inspired White House
statements it is evident the president
believes that the men who are loudest
In demanding his denomination have
q real concern as to his personal and
political welfare. The president Is
very innocent about some things. SEN
ator Aldrich made him believe the
Payne-Aldrich tariff law was revision
downward. The same source convinced
him that bill drawn by railroad pres
1dents for the regulation Of railroads
was a measure in the interest of the
public. The same men have convinced
him now that the country is afire with
q demand that he serve again as
president The men who fooled the
president, II he was fooled, with ref
erence to legislation are again at the
game OF pulling the wool over his eyes.
This time they are endeavoring to use
the prestige of the presidency in or
der that they may continue their con-
troll of the machinery of the Repub-
Hcan party.
They have little concern for the out
come of the next presidential cleo.
ton. In fact, the old machines crowd
which dominates in New England,
New York. Pennsylvania and In all
of the corporation-ridden states are
frank In their private conversation to
admit that the chance of success for
the Republican party in 1912 will be
slim unless 1t goes into the campaign
S0nder Progressive leadership. These
same men say they would rather go
down in defeat than submit to such
leadership. They prefer Democratic
victory to progressive Republican vic
tory II they can retain control of the
party machinery. BY use of the ma
chine they figure that after four years
the party could come back into power
and they would be In the saddle.
The big business interests desire to
use President Taft to retain control of
the Republican party and they are not
concerned as to what may befaiI Mr..
Taft.
Proaresslves Ready foR Fight.
Such men as Cummins, La Toilette.
Bristow, Borah. Bourne, in fact, the
entire Progressive group In the SEN
ate and the house, see through this
game Of politics and are determined
that 1t shall not be contaminated with
out an effort being made to check 1t.
The Progressives will fight for the
control of the next Republican oonven.
ton. They want that convention to
write platform which will be a,
pledge Of legislation that will make
for real reform in government and to
nominate a candidate whose record ia
q guaranty that honest efforts will he
made to write the promises into law.
The Progressives are not In sympa-
thy with the move to put the affairs
of the party under the direction OF
Mr. Weeks. They recognize fiat Mr.
Weeks Is put forward by Senator
Murray Crane and that his record AT
the head of the postofice committee
of the house has been such as to in.
spire the confidence Of railroad MANN.
ulators but not such as would win "a.
vor with the rank and file of the
party.
The meeting of the national com.
mittee In January has been designed
by. the reactionaries as a roundup of
the men who represent special inter.
ests In politics to plan for the pernet.