The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-08-30
E. HOWE, Editor and Pub'r
BENNINGTON, VT. AUG. 80. 1911
CAUGHT WITH GOODS ON

CAOG1I Win 0OObo YIN
The special session of congress- that
ended recently accomplished nothing
save to pass the reciprocity measure
which at best is but a homeopathic
dose calculated to do little harm and
little good. AS to the other work Of
the session the Democratic orators
will brag about record which none
will admire save themselves and q
few partisans who can see only that
side of the case, while the Republican
orators will strut around and claim
to have saved the nation from disas-
ter, when hetruthis the greatest dan
ger 1t has been exposed to has been
their unfaithtulness to the interests
of the people.
The real truth 10 that the leaders
on both sides have wasted their time
and neglected the welfare of the
country and its ninety millions Of
people in order to juggle with poll
tics In preparation for next years
presidential election. The Democrat
ic leaders have not hesitated to men
ace the prosperity Of New England
In a selfish scheming for the votes
of the great middle west and the Re-
publican leaders have failed In their
opportunity to right some OF the
wrongs OF which they have been gull
| ty lest the Democrats profit from the
change.
Fortunately for the country there
was at the capitol during the latter
part OF the session one Of the best
trained writer's and observers In the
country. Mr.. Ray Stannard Baker, the
we'll known magazine writer and pol
itical economist, politically a free
lance and fearless In saying what he
thinks. In describing some OF the
events of the closing weeks OF the
session Mr.. Baker says In part:
Few more significant or intense
ly dramatic struggles ever took place
lin the Senate than this struggle for
the passage OF the Cotton bill. Con
slider the situation. The Stand-pat
Republicans wanted no tariff legisla'
ltion, whatever. The Democratic par
80 IN 4ha nthar hand lfho mo Tod nj
of it) wanted tariff legislation on all
products not OF southern origin.
THE test. however. was to come
on the Cotton bill. The insurgents
who believed IN the genuine reduo
.on all along the line which the peo
pie of the country demand. urged the
democrats to go along with them and
lower the duties on cotton, steel and
lsugar.
what happened? Exactly the
same split Is coming in the Demo
Icratic party as that which has al
ready appeared in the Republican pal
lty-a split between Stand-pat Demo
Icrats. who are TOT special interests
Especial privileges, and Progressive
democrats. who are for popular
rights and representative govern
lment.
More than half the cotton mill,
of the country are In the South, ant
there are large steel and iron inter
ests In Alabama, and sugar interests
In Louisiana. Thus. while the Demo
lcrats were willing enough to reduce
tariffs on Northern products like WOO
and the manufactured articles men
toned in the free list bill. II becam,
a different matter when their owl
Especial interests were touched.
ION August 10 Democratic Sena
tors held two long and heated caucus
es In which the standpatters and pro
lgressives clashed bitterly. Martin
1.-THE leader, and other Democrats urg
cd that the party stand together OF
the party principle OF lower duties
and continue the combination witt
the Insurgent Republicans, and thu
pass the Cotton bill.
ION the morning OF August 16tl
Democratic leaders told La Follett
that everything was all right, tina
they would continue the combination
and put through the compromls
Cotton bill with amendments reduc
ling duties In the steel schedule
THE discussion OF the Cotton BIZ
had no sooner begun. however, tina
, 1t became apparent that some mystel
ious and secret arrangement ha
been made between the stand-pa
democrats and the stand-pat Repul
licans. A great cutlery had previous
lily been made when the Insurgent r,
lpublicans had joined with the Demo
lcrats. II was called an 'unholy all
ance" but II was open and abov
board. and II was for the purpose G
passing legislation long demanded b
the people. But now the stand;ps
elements OF both parties, both cage
to protect their special INTEREST,"
came together In secret agreemen
: Democrats broke away from thel
caucus agreement and their part
= principles TO do this.
n Fortunately full account Of IN
method pursued was given on N
floor of the Senate. II was led b