New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1911-02-18
REPUBLICAN LEAGUE.

Republicans hav started early
to prepare for the Presidential
campain Of 1912. but the great
organization which the late Marb
Hanna constructed out OF Money
and held intact with III" same
AGENCY has crumbled. What
President Taft received was but
q mere skeleton of the former ma
chine and he failed to discover
its decentralization until It was Sc
badly crippled that it is d"u'
full if he will be able in the year
and half before the next Repub.
lean National convention to re
construct it. Aldrich. Cannon
Payne and what the country knew
as the Money Crowd, captured
Mr.. Taft before he had been tar
ly seated in the White House. II"
became surrounded with Wick
ershams and knoxcs and such otn-
er cabinet officers as they would
approve and gave his name and
voice to the support OF their tar,
if and corporation schemes. All
the time the tide of popular dis
approval was rising, exhibiting
itself in such errptions as the
congressional election of Foss IN
Massachusetts and Ravens in New
York. Even these did not serve
as a warning. Then came the con
gressional landslide of November.
On December 9th last, friends
of the Administration made It
known in an emphatic manner that
President Taft intended to stand
for a denomination in 1912. They
said that as nate as the first OF De
cember the situation did not look
promising TO the President and he
believed that the November de
feat presaged another disaster in
the Bational ELECTION; two years
hence. The dispatches sent out
from Washington on the 9th,
however. contained the announce
ment that whatever the political
of the next two
years may be. Mr. Taft's name
will be placed before the Republi-
can convention of 1912. Also, the
dispatches added. Mr.. Taft'S
friends expect he will have the
of Col. Roosevelt.
All this was clear enough if i
had accounted for the Insurgents.
that West and Middle West force
which came into being immediate
ly after the President showed his
for Uncle Joe and the
Money Crowd" 1t is true that
one of the most able and brilliant
Of the Insurgent leaders had died,
but they grew more rapidly where
he had lived and on the BIRD OF
January the announcement came
from Washington that the lnsur-
ynts in Congress and their fol-
overs had perfected an organi-
.atiOn to promote their propagan-
Ia throughout the country.
Republican Progressive League.
The new organization is known
IL the National Republican Pro
League. It's president is
senator Jonathan Bourne, Jr., Of
oregon; vice-president, George
". Norris, of Nebraska: second
ice-president. Gov. Charles 5.
)sburn Of Michigan; treasurer,
Charles r. Crane of Illinois. The
forces at Washing
on have not concealed the fac!
hat they look upon this as an or
anized movement on the part OF
he Insurgents to present a Pro
'ressive candidate for the Presi-
ency to the convention of 1912.
resident Taft certainly can draw
10 comfort from a reading of the
rophetic list. Among the organ
sers are nine United States Sen
tors; six Republican Governors
nd thirteen Insurgent Represen-
atives in Congress. The two
'inchots are on the list. as is Jas.
!. Garfield of Ohio: Charles X.
'rane of Chicago. who was APP +,
ointed Minister to China by Pres
lent Taft but recalled just as he
AS about to take the boat; Geo.
!. Record of New Jersey. who !
ursued the Beef Trust. and other