The Washington times., 1911-01-07
TAFT HAS OREGON
ON HIS BACK NOW
Senators Bourne and Cham
berlain Against Colwell
for u. S. Marshal.
DECLARE HE'S TOO
CLOSE TO FULTON
Issue Comes Up in Way to Show
the Commonwealth Is Still for
Popular Government.

Oregon. with its persistent scheme Of
having the people govern themselves
instead Of having bosses do it. is bob
bing up to make trouble for the Ma
tional Administration. II did the same
thing during the Roosevelt regime, and
Mr.. Roosevelt with his usual dexterity
played bit of excellent politics It is
for President Taft now TO show whether
he can do as we'll in a very similar
situation.
These Oregon people don't seem to
recognize any Of the regular political
issues. They are not caring about the
tariff or worrying conservation or Civ
ing a snap of their fingers whether
Tweedledee or Tweedledum heads the
committee on reaching and grabbing.
They are devoting all attention to their
experiment with real popular govern
ment, and at times they act disagree
able toward individuals who attempt TO
rnuss up the machinery they have pro-
vided to accomplish It.
The fact is Oregon has repealed all
the old rules of the political game. It
has Republican Senator and a Demo-
cratic Senator. Instead of hating each
other In the old. orthodox way, these
twain-Chamberlain, Democrat, and
Bourne, Republican-get along delight
fully. They plug for what Oregon
thinks It wants, and they stick together
especially when anybody SHES a brick
at the Oregon popular government
project. That is why they are just now
working together to defeat confirmation
of an important Taft appointment Il,
their State
Deal or Misdeal.
When Charley Fulton was Senator
from Oregon, Taft was a candidate for
the Presidential nomination. The Ore
gon understanding is that the Taft man
agement promised Fulton control of
Oregon patronage, if Fulton would pro-
duce a Taft delegation to the national
convention. OF course. no such gross
transaction occurred, and if it did, al
lusion to it Is, under the old rules, im-
polite. But these Oregon popular-sov-
ernmenters are hopelessly bad form
They don't even charge or "allege''
or ''rumor' that there have been init
nations Of such a deal. They just
! BADLY, bluntly say the deal was made
Proper enough sort of deal under the
old rules; but Oregon having repealed
the old rules, is working up strong in
reference with the Administrators
mass plays.
The President has named Elmer Col
well to be United States marshal for
Oregon. Bourne and Chamberlain are
not for him. They say he represents
the old Fulton regime. They agree i'll
charging that he is not qualified. IL
addition Senator Chamberlain charges
that he is not proper person for such
an influential position, because he Is op-
posed to the dominant thought and
policy of the people Of Oregon-their
program of popular government.
The Colwell nomination is before the
Judiciary Committee of the Senate, be-
ing held up. Whether the opposition OF
both Oregon Senators will be force
enough 10 prevent i. confirmation, Is
doubtful The Judiciary Committee is
conservative body. Neither of the
Oregon Senators is member of it. If
either was, Senatorial courtesy would
probably dictate that an appointment fn
his own State should not be favorably
reported without his assent. But the
judiciary Committee doesn't take much
stock in such new-fangled notions as
the initiative and referendum, the re-
call, the popular election of Senators
under the Oregon plan, the popular
| declaration of Presidential preference,
land such ideas.
No Profound Sympathy.
1t doesn't entertain profound sympathy
with the Oregon Senators in their efforts
to make sure that Federal patronage
shall not be used to oppose the sentl-
ment of the people at home.
Philip S. Malcolm, collector of in
ternal revenue, may be reappointed
shortly by President Taft. He, likewise
is charged by the Oregon people with
representing the old order of things,
which has been driven from power be-
fore the popular government movement
! of recent years. If he is nominated, il
| is expected that his confirmation like
wise will be opposed on similar grounds
The President recently named David
Dunno to be collector of the port at
Portland, and he has already been con-
| frmed, though representing the same
| interests. There is developing the
groundwork of a most Interesting feud
between the President and the Oregon
| Senators, in which the Senators have
| the backing of the progressives among
their people at home, and are being
/ forced into a curious offensive and de-
| fensive alliance despite that one is q
Republican and the other Democrat.
Il