The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1911-09-08
AFFAIRS AT WASHINGTON
The Post Mortems Over the Recent
y Session, and the Split Which
Threatens the Repub
4 lican Party gS

WdSuluSIoH, -. w., ocpl. f.-All
the big 'uns have taken to holding
post mortems, now that congress IL
well out of the way. President Taft
went out into Massachusetts, to speak
his mind on the tariff revision bills
which he had vetoed, and besides
paying his respects to the Democrats
in congress, singled out Senator La
Toilette as the king bee of insurgency
The other progressive Republicans
were referred to as Mr.. La Follette'a
associates" and in the most scath.
ing terms the president condemned
the course of the Republicans who
combined with the Democrats in con-
gress, stating that in the case of the
wool bill there was "a compromise
between avowed free traders and
avowed protectionists, a bill conceived
in an unnatural alliance, a bill the
result of political log-rolling for the
purpose of securing its passage, bill
framed in ignorance Of the exact ef-
feet of it's operation. The Progress
sives were NO doubt rather stunned
by the attack from the President, and
there Immediately followed fusilade
of "back talk" from different quart
ers, and Notwithstanding the fact that
Mr.. Taft had been attacked by Sen
ator La Toilette and other insurgent
leaders on the floor of the senate,
there were good many people who
seemed inclined to think the President
had made mistake in dealing in
personalities. About the same time
Speaker Champ Clark, the official
mouthpiece of the Democratic party,
and one of the leading candidates
for the presidency, had his SAY
about matters. He had journeyed as
far west as Illinois, when he voiced
his views on the affairs of the late
session of congress, and according to
his diagnosis as one of the principals
at the inquest, the faults of govern
ment rest mostly with the president,
who, he declares, Stands for hand
full of protected tariff barons, and by
his veto (of the wool bilD enables
them to continue unjust and exorbiti
ant tribute upon the consumers of the
land" Officials and political Wash
ington will pay little attention to the
differences between Republicans aM
Democrats, but the fact that the,
breach is constantly widening between
Republican factions, and that head
quarters of theProgressive league
have been opened in Washington with
the supposed purpose Of defeating a,
denomination of President Taft, pre-
sents serious condition, and while
no one for moment believes that
the probable support of this league
will bring about the nomination Of.
Senator La Toilette, yet the breach
in the organization is causing no end
of satisfaction to the Democrats, who
in the last week have been shouting
louder than ever that they will be
able to elect the next president. Sem
ator La Toilette is no longer dividing
honors with any of his fellows, but
is the undisputed leader of the insur-
gency movement, and his old friend
and ally from Wisconsin, Walter L.
Houser, has been chosen as sort of
a general manager in charge of the
league in Washington. Most of the
congressman are identified
with the movement, and quite likely /
he Chicago Tribune will be the
of the middle west. Me-
ill Mccormick has been here from
Chicago during the last few days, and
las issued a statement showing that
ne is in line with the movement.
senator Poindexter and Congressman
"a Toilette of Washington, are count
ID as being warm supporters of the
movement, and Senator Borah of Ida
10 is also tn ught to be anti-Taft.
;ome claim is also made that Con-
FRESHMAN Wrench, who shows Pro-
ressive tendencies, may be found in
he anti-administratio column, but
is friends in the capital say that
UGH will not be the case. Montana
nd Wyoming, and likely South Da>
ota. will give no comfort to the La
Gillette movement, but Nebraska is
he home of that splendid fighter,
gorge w. Norris, and both he and
enator Brown. are supposed to be
gainst Mr.. Taft. Minnesota is seeth-
lg with insurgency, and Senator
lapp and a number of congressman {
re fighting for the La Toilette cause.
anator Cummins and a number of
wa congressman are conducting an !
lucational campaign against Mr..