Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-01-28
Il | AND 1886
ARE COMPA
Enthusiasts See Chance of
History Repeating Itself.
BY ARTHUR W. DUNN.

Washington, Jan. Is [SpeciaI.l-
Enthusiasts in the matter Of political
possibilities are comparing the move
ment OF the progressive Republicans to
that of silver Democrats sixteen years
ago. Then there was a Democratic
president with q divided party. Six
teen years ago the element Of the Dem.
ocratic party not IN harmony with
the president perfected an organiza-
ton which resulted In the capture OF
the national convention.
Friends OF the progressive movement
In the Republican party are talking
about the possibility they have Of cap
turing the next national convention.
They firmly believe in that old saw
about history repeating itself.
They have not taken into consid.
eratten every phase Of the situation.
Sixteen years ago the silver element
In the Democratic party was much
larger than the faction supporting the
president While It may be asserted
that tho progressive element In the Re-
publican party is larger than the other
1t has not been SO demonstrated, and 1t
is a certainty that In both houses of
congress the supporters Of the presi-
dent far outnumber those calling them
selves progressives.
Ii history is going to repeat itself
with the parties changed there will
have to be a deal of hustling on the
part Of the progressives.
Not a Party Question.
1t has become evident that the propo-
sition to fortify the Panama canal is
not a party question. So far the
strongest arguments In favor of the
plan have been presented by Demo
Its. Probably no more important
contribution to the subject has been
made than an exhaustive argument by
General J. Warren Ksifer, from the
presidents own state, In which he
shows that fertilization Of the canal
is contrary to every treaty guarantee
ing naturalization.
On thu other hand, the support OF
Senator Money OF Mississippi In favor
Of fertilization must have been very
gratifying to President Taft. Senator
Money argued that 1t was not only
the right but the duty Of the United
States to fortify the canal. Congress-
man Hobson OF Alabama has pointed
out that as q military necessity the
canal should be fortified or otherwise
the United States could not defend II.
The Way Of Congress.
Just as Ii there were every reason
to expect results, congress Is going
forward with many measures that
cannot possibly pass. This is more
particularly the ase In regard to the
senate than the house,
In the house 1t Is frankly stated that
there is no hope Of getting through
the two very long measures which oc-
anpy tima when approprtation bulls
are not under CONSIDERATION. But Il
the senate they go ahead Just az Il
they really meant to accomplish some
thing and the measures they are talk
ing about could pass. And the session
win end with q complete Endorsement
of a do nothing policy.
Many Yssrs After.
Forty-five years after its organiza-
ton 1t is now proposed to incorporate
the Grand Army Of the Republic.
Senator Warner OF Missouri has IN
troduced a bill for that purpose, and
among the incorporators he has In
cluded all the men who have been
commanders In chief Of the ~organiza-
@tion and its principal officers. It
seems strange that Incorporation has
not been attempted before, for nearly
all such associations have been incor-
porated In order to prevent some
small sized organization from using
the name.
One of the purposes of the organiza.
ton Is likely to u d controversy, as
it states that It desires to bind togeth-
er and promote the friendly feeling of
those "who united to suppress the late
rebellion
or late years there has been strong
objection to recognizing officially or In
any other way the word rebellion" as
applied to the events that took place
in 1875. There has been a general
desire to avoid the word and refer to
the conflict as 'ths war between the
states" It was President Andrew
Johnson who got around the matter by
calling 1t the Tate unpieasantness."
Getting After Their Members.
you would be surprised to know
how many people read the Congress
sionaI Record, In every district" re-
marked Congressman Dwight of New
York. "some fifty or sixty copies are
sent to each district, and every copy
is read by a great many people, espe-
cially those which go TO libraries.
"Whsn the people read that we lack
a quorum every morning and that their
Representatives have tailed to answer
the roll call they mako inquiries. They
ask q member who may be at home
why he doesn't 90 to Washington and
attend to business. The people are
| getting after their members and MAX
ing them attend to business"