The midland journal., 1913-06-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.

tack u on the Democratic President has
at last come out Of Congress. Republi-
cans, TO be sure, have been slamming
awsy on tariff. But their criticisms of
the President n that regard were rather
perfunctory. and with the admission that
after all. he was carrying out The policy
that a triumphant min ,rity OF the
country had directed him to carry out.
But when :enator Charles Elroy Town.
send, Of Jacks u, Mich. as sworn wit.
ness before the Lobby Iavestig eating Sub
committee. declared that President Will
son was the biggest tariff lobbyist Of them
all, be started something. Democratic
Senators could not and would not stand
for il
Such word bad been in circulation
among Republicans at the Capitol ever
since the president issued his statement
about ..pernicious ! bly, following 81
chat with the newspaper correspop ients.
II was the first thing the Republican
leaders thought of by way Of retaliation.
but they-were unwilling toscome into the
open ilh it. Senator Townsend is q
very outspoken man, who has had two
years in the Senate by ~sy Of probation.
and is now ambitious to attract some at.
tention tc himself and carve out career
in that legislative body.
~
Democratic Senate accepted Mr..
Townsend's challenge Immediately by
moving. in subcommittee, that their men
be recalled and asked to testify whether
The President had in any manner coerced
them to support his particular tariff BILL
That was the formal thing to do. II is
calculated to answer the Republican
chalienge. and probably will But the
actual effect of the Presidents statement
was to call public attention to the pres
ence OF lobbyists 10 Washington This
aro sed public sentiment, for as is we'll
understood, President. by virtue Of his
exalted position, can normally carry
more conviction with his 9ords than any
other living American. He Influences
the constituencies Of Senators and Repre-
sentatives. And these lawmakers, in
turn-as Senator Weeks, of Massachns.
etts, pointed ont 10 his testimony before
the Lobby Committee-are bound 10 be
influenced by the views of their consti
tuents The President reaches Congress
much the, way. Not only is that true Of
the present President. II has heen true
of many OF his predecessors. Ii was par
ticulafly true Of Theodore Roosevelt
when he was president Ifthat be lobby
ing. most Presidents have been lobbyists.
and Roosevelt was one of the biggest and
most effective lobbyists in American
history.
Queer proceedings have been nnder
way in the Department of Justice. There
was Leak OF news and New York took
alarm Wall Street went into doldrums.
The stock market slumped 10 new low
records. Attorney General McReynolds,
SO the story ran. was not satisfied with
the dissolution Of the Standard Oil Trust
and o the Tobacco Trust. New methods
wese 10 e worked out Of making those
disso utions more effective.
Of course, big business began to thow
fits all over the country. Was it not
enough to have vigorous rs vision OF the
tariff on hand1 Protests forceful were
emitted Business seemed in danger Of
getting iopsyturvy. All this seemed to
make President Wilson uneasy. The
status was all the mere exasperatiug be-
canse ills were in reduced n Congrss to
put the tobacco irnst ont OF business by
imposin an additional tax for the
volume of business beyond certain
point. More connip:ions from Wall
Street, Attorney General McReynolds
was said TO have ciioned this pros
pective Legislation. aad II was heralded as
one ofshe Administration new pol cies.
There is not word yet about what the
Adminisir ,tion has in store for the trusts,
hul something is coming. 1t will not be
ill after tariff and currency are out Of the
way. The new Commissioner Of Corpora
tioue. Joseph Davies, OF Wisconsin, Is
hus,irg himself with corporation ques-
,ions. and presumably laying foundations
He ALL be heard from in th.s ceurse Of
another session Of Congress. The Ad-
minisira,ior is not exploiting him at all
now.
Secretary Bryan is gal ring possession
of,h. title oi Cabinet srsveling man. IT
was rather nailrsl hat be should. For
long time il hes been customary for
Administrations to have some one men,
her of the Cabinet who would fare forth
49,. ;...~oxkas.s .n~aoi,..e as..l ...mN :