American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-01-21
Why Old Machine Crowd Plans to
Put Weeks at Head of the
National Committee.
TO REGAIN CONTROL
Progressive Republicans See Through
Game and viii Fight for Mastery
of Next convention-Tariff Com
mission Bill Prospects.
BY JOHN j. HANNAH.

That organization, the two months re
naming of the present session prom
Use some interesting political devel
opments, although it is almost certain
that but little legislation of a substan.
tial character will result.
The real meaning of the activity OF
John Dwight, whip of the house, and
of the lame duck" chorus to boost
Congressman Weeks into the chair
manship of the national committee
and place him in charge of the cam
paign to renominate President Taft
Is not a desire to aid the president but
Is an effort to gain control of the Re
publican party.
Progressive Republicans are watch
ing the movement which has been
started to renominate the president.
They are not idle. They will not per
NIT the interests represented by Sen
ator Aldrich and Speaker Cannon to
seize again the control Of the party
without a struggle.
Pooling the President.
From the inspired White House
statements 1t is evident the president
believes that the men who are loudest
In demanding his denomination have
a real concern as to his personal and
political welfare. The president is
very innocent about some things. Sen
ator Aldrich made him believe the
Payne-Aldrich tariff law was revision
downward. The same source convinced
him that a bill drawn by railroad pres
idents for the regulation of railroads
was a measure in the interest of the
public. The same men have convinced
him now that the country is afire with
a demand that he serve again as
president. The men who fooled the
president, If he was fooled, with ref
erence to legislation are again at the
game of pulling the wool over his eyes
This time they are endeavoring to use
the prestige of the presidency in or
der that they may continue their con-
troll of the machinery of the Repub-
lican party.
They have little concern for the out
come of the next presidential cleo
tion. In fact, the old machine crowd
which dominates in New England,
New York, Pennsylvania and in all
OF the corporation ridden states are
frank In their private conversation to
that the chance of success for
the Republican party in 1912 will be
slim unless it goes into the campaign
under Progressive leadership. These
same men say they would rather p
down in defeat than submit to such
leadership. They prefer Democratic
victory to progressive Republican vic
tory If they can retain control of the
party machinery. By use of the ma
chine they figure that after four years
the party could come back into power
and they would be in the saddle.
The big business interests desire to
use President Taft to retain control of
the Republican party and they are not
concerned as to what may befall Mr..
Taft.
Progressives Ready for Fight.
Such men as Cummins, La Toilette,
Bristow, Borah. Bourne, in fact, the
entire Progressive group in the sen
ate and the house, see through this
game Of politics and are determined
it shall not be consummated with
out an effort being made to check it.
The Progressives will fight for the
control of the next Republican CONVEX
lion. They wan that convention to
write a platform which will be a
of legislation that will make
for real reform in government and to
nominate a candidate whose record is
a guaranty that honest efforts will be
to write the promises into law.
The Progressives are not in sympa.
.hy with the nov to put the affairs
If the party under the direction of
Weeks. They recognize that Mr..
Weeks is put forward by Senator
Murray Crane and that his record at
he head of the postoffice committee
If the house has been such as to in
'pire the confidence of railroad manip-
but not such as would win fa-
7or with the rank and file of the
,arty.
The meeting OF the national COM
nittee in January has been designed
the re%actionaries as a roundup of
he men who represent special inter-
SITS In politics to plan for the perpet-
Iation of their power. The Progress
ives will meet that situation and will
md a means to let the people know
real contest Is on. Unable to rely
pom the men who in the past have
aiken the lead in Republican politics.
hese Progressives will find a way of
reaching out to the country
enlisting the people in the fight
'hich must be made.
Progressive Democrats Aroused.
Progressive Democrats as we'll as
Republicans realize that
creat nlIestion which tho ncorlo