Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-07-19

T. ~ proceedings OF Sldue
TIk legislatures, or more par
.A~ ticularly perhaps state
~ political party conven-
tons. present pictures of
curious contrasts.
One Ohio Republican state conven-
ton endorsed in strong words the adj
ministration and deeds OF Theodore
Roosevelt, who then was president
In the same platform which gave the
president his endorsement there were
words of the strongest commentator
for Senator Joseph Benson Foraker
and his work in the senate Of the
United States.
| The platform therefore expressed
appreciation Of the legislative efforts
Of two men, calmly ignoring the fact
that one of them was seeking to pre-
vent the doing Of that which the 9th.
er wanted to have done. The resolu-
tons of the convention were insin-
and the historian must take his
choice.
Senator Foraker was one Of the
! strongly picturesque men in the SEN
ate of the United States. He was
strong in speech and in political and
parliamentary methods. and he was
picturesque In manner and appear
ance. He was nervously energetic
and as watchful as lynx. He was
the head and front Of the Republican
opposition In the senate to the rail-
road legislation which had the in
dorsement Of President Roosevelt.
Senator Foraker, in fact, was the tire
less enemy of the measure. He knew
that he was espousing losing cause,
but If there had been hope that the
measure might be defeated he could
not have been more constant in his
attendance at the sessions when the
bill was under consideration, nor
more alert at every instant of time
to raise some point tending to
strengthen his own line of belief and
of argument.
To one who lacked all knowledge of
the ways of Ohio politics 1t would
have appeared that Senator Foraker
was facing the certain condemnation
of his constituents by his course OF
antagonism to his party and to the
president. From the words that came
to Washington from Ohio it appeared
practically certain that the people OF
the state who held no corporation af-
filiations were like the same classes
OF people In other states-determined
advocates of railroad regulating meas
ures.
Other senators who were as bitter.
~ opposed personally to the legisla.
ton as was Senator Foraker paid
heed to the feeling at home and voted
for the bill. The Ohio senator seem
ed to gain strength In opposition
from every message that came over
the Allegheny mountains telling him
that he was taking the unpopular
side. Mr.. Foraker's attitude had In 1t
more than a suspicion of defiance.
He was in the thick of the fight
from the day that the Hepburn bill
reached the floor Of the senate until
the hour when it was put upon its
passage His long speech in opposi-
ton to the measure was one OF the
greatest speeches which he had ever
delivered. 1t was eloquent. It was
based upon premises which by the
speakers art was made to appear
sound, and the listening laymen might
we'll have been almost persuaded"
that all the right and the reason and
the logic were with the cause of the
senator from Ohio.
1t was a long speech which Mr..
Foraker made, but its interest made
the time speed on its way. He was
not content with the one utterance.
AT different times during the debate
he rose to combat the statements OF
some Of his colleagues, and at every
such time he spoke vehemently and
we'll.
President Roosevelt during the
months of agitation over railroad rate
matters said some things which made
it appear strongly that he felt that
men who opposed legislation which
he favored were not likely to have
the countenance of their constituents.
He lived to see convention Of his
party declare practically that he was
right, and the men who were diamet-
rically opposed to him also were right.
The Republican party in Ohio sue
ceeded in framing resolutions that
read much like bit of the rarer hui
NOR Of Mark Twain.
| Senator Foraker in addition to be-
ing opposed bitterly to railroad rate
legislation, was the chief stumbling
block in the senate to the securing of
such action on statehood questions
as the president wished to have
taken. MIR. Foraker did not wish to
see Arizona and New Mexico united,
and he did not hesitate any longer to
take issue with the president on the
matter than he hesitated to take Is
sue with his own rate legislation.
Certain great corporations were
greatly interested In tho question OF