The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-02-09
VITAL WASHINGTON NEWS
tAVeNNea. WRITER AND rHlNktR" GIVES
THEV EXIST

Washington, Feb. civilian How I
ard 1alt is the one best bet in the
Republican nomination handicap.
At least this is the way 1t looks |
to me today, and l have tired to we" !
the situation, it possible, without pre- |
judce.
base my predictions on the theor.
that Special tiivilese, as rep esented
| by Aldrich, Penrose, Smoot, Lodge, |
Crane, Guggenheim, ]. Plerpont Nor
gan, John ID. Rockefeller, Andrew Car
negie, and the tariff trusts, still dom
mate the Republican machine. And
it must never be forgotten that the
Republican machine, and not the Re-
publican vcters, rules national Repnb-
lican conventions and names presiden-
tial candidates.
The Republican machine, 1t Is true,
Is badly damaged, but l think, how
ever, 1t is still powerful enough, back
ed as il is py the millions Of Special
Privilege, to contro! one more national
convention. After that 1t will go on
the sc-ap heap, and men freer OF cor
porate influences will be in control OF
the party.
The only deduction that the reader
may draw from the foregoing is that
Mr.. Taft Is to be nominated, not be-
cause the people desire his renomina-
ton, but because the Big Interests de-
sire his denomination; not because Mr..
Taft has earned denomination by
representing the interests Of the COM
mon people of the country, but be-
cause he has earned denomination
by representing the interests of Spec
ial Privilege.
There seems to be an increasing
talk about Roosevelt, but | do not
thing the machine politicians will per-
nit his nomination. lfR6osevelt should
be nominated, however, / believe he
would be defeated 1t was during his
administration that the present alb
normally high cost of living was piled
up, largely because of the system of
excessive protection in which Mr..
Roosevelt believes. Roosevelt Is an
Aldrich-SmooJ- Penrose Republican on
the tariff question, so far as any one
knows. But if he should come out on
the Progressive side of the tariff issue,
it would only make him less desirable
to the Republican machine, and his
nomination would be even less prob
able than 1t Is now.
Robert NJ. La Toilette, the one man
mentioned in connection with the Re-
publican nomination on whom the peo-
, pie can put their finger on every pub
lie question of the day, cannot be nom
, mated in my opinion, the reason being
' only, that the people cannot vote on
presidential nominees.
| ANY day, of course, may bring de-
ivelopments to change the positions Of
the men on the political checker
. board, hut the above is the situation
as 1t appears to your correspondent
. at this writing.
[ Mr.. Cannon Gets information
r Uncle Joe Cannon, High Protection
n joe" wanted to know when the Demo
y cratic metal bill was before the House,
d why such articles as sewing machines
;, were placed on tha free list. Chair
man Underwood, of the Democratic
:. Ways and Means committee, court
Z eously supplied the ex-speaker with
the desired Information.
: I'VE have pla ced these articles on
the free list for the benefit of the
American people," said Mr.. Under
= wood The uncontested testimony
shows that sewing machines are be-
ing sold to the rich and poor alike
' in this country from 1923 to $45 ma.
chine, and yet are being laid down,
freight paid In the Orient for $S.75,
yet the gentleman from Illinois would
ask this Congress, In the name of the
manufacturers OF the United States,
to retain prohibition tax on sewing
machines and other like articles In
order that we might trade for terms
in foreign markets for the benefit Of
men VINO have already made millions
, out of the American people. But I
say to him when we barter In trade
in the real necessities of the American
people, we are bartering and trading
in the life blood of poverty,
"We are not ashamed to go to the
. American people and say that when
. an article is manufactured In this
country 30 cheaply that It can com.
. pete in all the markets of the world,
we are willing to place 1t on the free
list for the benefit Of our own people.
The metal bill, which also places on
tho fraa llat iron ora nailu caah rou.