New-York tribune., 1911-12-05
From The Tribune Bureau. ]

Washington, December 4.
ALI, POLITICS.-The 62d Congress met
to-day for its first regular session, and at
both ends of the Capitol all the talk was OF
politics. little thought being given to legis-
lation or the possibility Of benefting the
country. The Democrats are filled with
desire to make political capital with an eye
TO the results OF the national election so
near at hand. The Insurgents gathered IN
groups to-day and discussed the best
method Of putting the President in a
hole" and the regulars expressed them
selves as discouraged regarding the pros
poets OF accomplishing anything worth
while. The Democratic leaders say they
purpose passing tariff legislation, but they
are anxious that it shall he of character
which the President cannot consistently ap-
prove The Insurgents are convinced that
they can best injure the President by join
ing with the Democrats and voting Tor
measures which MT Taft will have TO veto.
The Insurgents admit that they have made
Ear less progress than they had hoped but
they cling to the idea that Lcfore the ses-
sion ends they can make impossible the re-
nomination OF Mr.. Taft
PURE FICTION.-The opposition press.
anxious to make all the trouble for the
administration possible, has been sending
out reports from Washington which are
wholly without foundation, but which,
nevertheless. serve no doubt to fool the
superficial reader For instance, the widely
circulated reports of friction in the Tariff
Board are found to be wholly without
l1,~ "a = p
tions that the National Monetary Commis-
sion is so badly divided that there Is lit
tie hope that Il will ever agree on report.
There is no friction in the commission and
it's members are working earnestly 10
eliminate all cause for sincere objection to
the Aldrich plan The Tariff Board APP
pears to be a little behindhand, and It's
failure to bring in its report on the WOOL
industry necessitated the President de-
ferring his message dealing with the tariff
for a few days. But the board will not
make any recommendations OF specific
duties and with regard to the facts on
which IT is TO report no friction has de-
veloped So, too, in the case of the alleged
findings of the Postal Commission appoint
ed by the President. II has reached no do
cison as yet. much less formulated a bill,
so that all reports regarding its findings
are pure guesswork, and are, presumably,
devised solely for political purp1ss. to stir
up a dissatisfaction with the adminstra-
ton which II will be hard TO allay.
THE SHOW-ME ATTITUDE Repre-
sentative Victor Murdock, the insurgent
leader Of the House, has Just completed a
course of lectures on the Chautauqua cir
cult. all of which he made as insurgent
in tone as the restrictions oS that circuit
would permit When asked to-day If he
found everything in the Northwest strong
ly Insurgent. Mr.. Murdock replied: "Oh.
no. | would not say that. The people are
not convinced. They want 10 be shown.
They are pretty much in the Missouri at
titude Even in the case Of Colonel
Roosevelts argument that the govern
ment should distinguish between the good
and the bad trusts. the people want to be
shown. They seem to have grown skep-
tical of late They want every question
demonstrated 10 a point where there can
be no further doubt 40 10 the correctness
Of the pronered solution" Mr. Murdock' :
observations which are Of more than
usual interest because they come from so
pronounced an Insurgent. are confirmed by
Senators and Representatives from all
psrts Of the country. In the case Of the
trusts. for instance. vast numbers OF peo-
ule are predisposed 10 the Roosevelt view,
but before committing themselves they all
want to he shown, TO have the proposed
solution demonstrated. beyond all posi-
bility of doubt 1t is admitted. too, that
President Taft did himself much good by