The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-02-27
"A TRAGIC
CONGRESS
Taft and His Party Nearing
Climax
OF DISASTROUS SESSION
All Factions Embittered-Public, APP
proving the Presidents Program,
Wonders at Its Boomerang
Effect
OF DISASTROUS SESSION

Washington, Feb. 27.--The shattered
Republican remnants are struggling
through the few remaining days Of the
congressional session. They are fighting
tremendously as they stragge The fin
ish gives every promise of being a climax
to the most tragic Congress for the party
since it triumphantly regained control
10 years ago.
The president may or may not have
good string of legislative victories to
his credit az he had when the smoke
of congressional conflict lifted from the
last season, which adjourned in June.
In the minds of Washington men, his
political future may not be materially
benefited or injured either way.
The facts are that the presidents leg
islative achievements during the 6lst
Congress have been disastrous politically.
Outside of very partisan circles, it is
recognized that he has been influential
in getting much good legislation written
upon the statute books since he entered
the White House. The impartial verdict
with reference 10 such matters may ex-
tend also to enaetments of the present
waning session, now involved in almost
unprecedented turmoil.
He began with the Aldrich- Payne tariff
law, the product of the first session of
this Congress. 1t alienated the insurgent
wing completely from the administra-
ton, making definite and bitter a fac.
tional division that President Roosevelt
had originated. The insurgent suspi
sions were strengthened by the strife OF
the succeeding session over such mea.
sures as the railroad rate law amend
ments and other bills included in the
presidential program.
The country has come TO regard much
of that legislation as beneficial Many
who do not follow politics at all closely
wonder why the presidents successes in
such particulars have not redounded more
to his credit and popularity. The answer
is. in some part, in the insIgent an
tagonism.
Insurgents allowed the president little
OF no praise for yielding in any part to
their demands. The stalwarts were dis
gTuntled that he should have yielded 10
the insurgents at all Popular dissatis-
faction. beginning with the tariff Law.
mRtured into the Democratic landslide
of November
Apparently this third and last session
of the 6lst Congress has been the most
disastrous OF all in wrecking the Repub-
lican organization Whatever the merits
of the Canadian agreement, ii seems 70
have succeeded In driving the stalwart
faction away from the president. But,
as has been made very apparent, il has
not paeitied the insurgents in the slight
est
The situation is unique The presi-
dent has few sincere friends OF his own
party in Congress They could almost be
counted on the fingers OF one's hands.
Those most active in sustaining him are
doing so for expedieney's sake. Demo
Gratis of Senate and House are his most
effective allies, but simply because, for
the moment they think it wiser poll
ties.
In personal sense, no president for
many years has been more highly
thought OF in Washington than is Presi
dent Taft. In a personal sense, almost
everybody in Washington, except few
militant insurgents, is the presidents
friend. With all the Republican disrup-
ton now prevalent, one hears no predic.
tions that any other man than the presi.
dent win be nominated. All say he
must make the race again.
Many wonder whether he and his party
may not now be nearing the bottom of
the toboggan chute The conditions that
have accelerated the descent have by no
means been entirely Of the presidents
making, although he is naturally charged
II. .g a L.. T.,
event. everything has gone so badly dur
ing the last two years that the Repub /
lieans are not altogether sorry to turn
Congress over to the Democrats for
while.