The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-05-29
POlNDExTER PROGRESSES TO-
WARD DEMOCRACY.


pective political attitude of Senator
Miles Poindexter Is interesting. bu
not in the least surprising. ORIGINAL,
IA democrat, Poindexter was never 9
republican at heart. He joined the
progressive movement as a politica
expediency, and following it's collapse
he naturally drifts back to the party
of his first afflliation. The letter fol-
lows.
Members of the United States SEN
ate will not be surprised at any time
; to see Senator Miles Poindexter OF
Washington announce himself d dem
ocrat and In hearty accord with the
Wilson, administrations. The Washing
ton senator has given many indica-
tions since March Of his inclination
to swing back to the party of his birth
and today he occupies the distinction
of being the only member of the sem
ate who Is neither democrat nor re-
publican. He styled himself in the
last congressional directory pro-
sressive. and is the only senator claim
ing allegiance to the third party
Senator Poindexter's course Of ac-
ton since the democrats assumed
control of the government has given
rise to much comment among senat-
ors of both parties and 1t Is the COM
mon expectation that he is getting
ready to flop into the democratic
ranks. Cloakroom gossip of the past
few weeks has Frequently turned to
Poindexter and almost without excep-
ton, senators who have commented
upon him have expressed the view that
he is so thoroughly in sympathy with
the democratic administration that he
must, to be thoroughly consistent. re-
nounce his latest party utilization and
become a full Pledged democrat.
At the opening of the special ses-
sion in March, Senator Poindexter
having read himself out of the repub-
lcan party, went to the democratic
leaders and asked for committee as
/ signments. He was not then ready or
willing to declare himself democra
and so they referred him back to thu
republicans. The republicans, IT
view of his desertion. told him he
could have his old committee assign
ments and no more at their hands. H.
then returned to the democrats and
eventually they agreed to allow hin
to have whatever assignments the re
publicans would allow him, and ir
addition gave him the chairmanshir
of a little committee that never meets
The craftsmanship in itself is OF NJ
consequence, but it carries with j
more patronage than the ordinary re
publican senator received; 1t paws his
secretary larger salary and provides
him with an additional stenographer
And that was why Poindexter sough
a craftsmanship.
Republican senators were surpris-
ed that the democrats should have
shown Poindexter this unusual cour-
tesy. but after a time 1t came out that
pondexter had entered into an agree
ment with the democrats that 1t they
would give him chairmanship he
would give them his vote on the tariff
II It should be found necessary to pass
the party bill after the program had
finally been agreed upon. At that time
there was very fair prospects that
number of democratic senators NIGH
he disposed to vote against the I'm
derwood bill, or at least against the
sugar and wool schedules. and 1t was
deemed important from party
standpoint to prepare to offset any
such assertions should they occur
he was ready to give his vote If It
should be needed. and in return for
this promise he got a craftsmanship |
from the democrats
Later on the senate took up the /
sundry civil bill with the labor and
farmer exemption clause which had
induced President Taft to veto the
bill in the regular session. 1t became
evident that the vote on that bill
would be close. so when 1t came time
to decide the fate Of the all-important
provision Senator Poindexter alb
sentea himself and made one less vote
for the democrats to overcome. They Il
had succeeded in making this largely i
A party question
About this same time Senator
Pondexter was summoned to the
White House by the president to con-
fer on patronage, especially with re-
gard to appointments in the state OF
Washington. What transpired at that
conference has never become known
,ut IL Is known that the president
urned down three important recon-
made by the democratic
committeeman and state
chairman.
Only a few days ago the first test
'ote of the session on question af-
Getting the tariff came up In the senate
the motion of Senator Penrose tn
instruct the finance committee to hold
earrings on the tariff bill before re-
,orting. Senator Poindexter then de-
iyered his first vote to the democrats
nd he was the only senator not a
emocrat who voted against the Pen
Csc resolution.
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