The Washington times., 1911-10-04
PRESIDENT FAILS TO AROUSE.
MUCH ENTHUSIASM NIOWA
Ta About Evenly
Divided the Admnsaton-Tp Political Pot
Boiling the Hawkeye State

The Chicago Tribune. in an endeavor
20 analyze the impression that Presi-
dent Taft is making on the communities
he visits. and in which he speaks, has
detailed a special correspondent to fol-
low in the wake Of MT. Taft's speech
making tour and interview representa-
tives of various classes as to the eff
feet on the public mind of his presence
and utterances. II is the aim that
these dispatches shall be absolutely I'M
biased, and they are prepared from and
based upon indiscriminate interviews.
The Times reproduces the dispatch
from Waterloo, Iowa.
WATERLOO. Iowa, Sept. 29.-Presi-
dent Taft has come and gone and
Republicans in this city are about as
divided In their opinion of his Admin
istration as they were before. That he
made friends during his appearance in
Waterloo is conceded by all of the anti
Taft progressives, but that he abated
the opposition to his policies to any
appreciable degree is questioned.
The political situation is beginning to
sizzle in Iowa. The State is permeated
with insurgency. The progressivcs and
the standpatters are about evenly d.
vided and are girding themselves for
q desperate trial of strength in the
Presidential and State primaries next
year. The two factions occupy the
center of the stage and the Democrats
are forgotten.
This is part of the "enemy's country
which President Taft set out to explore.
None knew better than he the formid
able opposition to his Administration
which has been evoked in this State
by the Aldrich-Payne tariff law, reCl-
procity, and the veto of the WOOL cot
ton, and farmers free list bills.
The President came here to explain
his acts with reference to all of these
matters. He talked on the tariH
throughout his first day in Iowa and
wound up yesterday with an exposition
Of his position on the trusts as well as
the tariff.
He was listened to with respectful at
tention by a large crowd, and his ad-
dress was generously applauded, his
candor of statement impressing even his
opponents.
Many Views Expressed.
OF the scores of city men and farmers
with whom the Tribune correspondent
talked not many admitted that any
previously conceiN ed opposition TO the
President had been shaken by Mr.. Taft 5
arguments.
AS in Kansas, however, the Iowa pro-
gressives Joined hands with the stand
patters In give the President a thor
ouehly nonpartisan welcome. Every
where there was apparent the sincere
desire to do honor TO the man and the
office, regardless Of political convic-
lions.
The standpatters made the most of the
Presidents visit. They were on hand in
large numbers, whooping 1t up for Taft.
They are convinced that the President
dict that he will be invinCble before
election day next year. They say that
opposition TO reciprocity is dying out
and that the revision of the tariff on
the Taft plan next winter will turn
the tide in his favor.
But the progressives, in the main,
are undoubtedly lukewarm about Taft.
Senator Cummins is the leader in the
movement in this States for the nomi-
nation of La Toilette. There is a good
deal of talk of Cummns himself, and
many progressiveS believe that the
senior Senator from this State will be
1owa's choice for the Presidency.
Congressman Supports Taft.
This district is strongly progressive,
and is represented in Congress by
Charles f.. Pickett, a progressive of the
Iniddle-of-the-road type. He became
prominent in handling the Taft con-
servation bill in the house after Mon
dell and other standpat friends Of the
President had refused to father the |
measure.
Congressman Pickett fought recipro-
city, in accordance with the desires Of |
his constituents, but in spite of this /
clash with the Presidents views the |
Congressman is a loyal Taft partisan |
and is doing all he can to forward the !
Presidents denomination and re-elec- |
ton. This attitude on the part of the |
progressive Congressman has had con-
siderable influence in favor OF the |
President among the insurgent element |
of this district
The Canadian reciprocity treaty is
mentioned most frequently in this vi
entity as the feature of the Taft Ad-
mtnistration which Is unpopular. Next |
60 reciprocity comes the tariff, in this
bill of particulars. 1t would be difficult
to md a locality where people generally
are more radically opposed to the
Payne-Aldrich bill than the urban and
rural population of Iowa. The tariff,
In the State which produced the Iowa
idea" is no academic proposition. Nine
out of every ten voters here have in
telligent and decided opinions on It.
All Iowa Hates Trusts.
The trusts also are hated here with a
striking intensity. The regulars say
that the President has won much ap-
prevail by his prosecution Of the greaL
illegal combinations OF capital. On the
other hand, the progressives already
are condemning Mr.. Taft's utterance in
Waterloo, urging moderation in proceed
ing further against the trusts.
why should he preach moderation
when he has failed TO prosecute the
Standard Oil and Tobacco trust robbers
characterized by the Supreme Court as
unspeakably ruthless" asked one of the
progressive Republican leaders of this
city. Why should he plead for mod
GRAFTON at the moment that the Steel
trust goes unscathed while its inner
ring manipulates the market and swim
dies investors of millions Uf doIlars?'
Following the plan or talking indis-
criminately with as many persons as
possible In as many varied occupations,
the Tribune representative canvassed
business men, clerks, laborers, farm
ers, and other residents of Waterloo
and it's immediate environs. The re-
suits are striking.
During the day the correspondent in
terviewed eleven workingnen employed
In various mills and shops. OF these
three were Democrats who said they
would be against Taft on every count,
but had no choice for Democratic
Presidential candidate. Five of the
eight Republicans were opposed to the
President, two said they were for him,
while one said he was undecided.
Workingmen Not Enthusiastic. |
''workingmen aren't much for TAFT"