Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-03-03

uncomfortable effect In darlington.
where 1t IL realized that the most pop
ular thing q president can do is to get
into fight with congress-. Even the
closest friends OF the president elect In
the house and senate have been deeply
chagrined by his failure to consult
them with respect to cabinet appoint
ments and current business. He has
pumped us dry and given us nothing
in return" they all say. But they
have been consoling themselves with
the thought that once he took the oath
Mr.. Wilson would imbibe something of
the Washington atmosphere and adjust
himself to conditions which they re.
gard as normal and necessary for
smooth transaction Of business.
II is recalled, however, that one of
the first mistakes Of Taft, as judged by
the outcome, was his refusal to Join
with the progressives in the house to
overthrow Speaker Cannon. They went
to him and told him such a movement
was on and that it was favored in their
districts. Taft replied that he APP
preciated the circumstances and at
first, it is known, he was inclined to
encourage the anti Cannon crusade. He
finally decided, however, that his ad-
ministration had nothing to gain by
mixing up with arrow in the house ana
so passed the word to his friends. AS
consequence many representatives
voted with Cannon in difference to the
administration when their political
judgment urged them to swing with
the tide. The Cannon men were the
first to be punished in the congress
sional election Of 1910 and 1t may be
said of good many of them that they
could have saved themselves had not
their loyalty to the administration pre-
vented Some men OF this type were
afterward taken care of by appoint
ments to various federal positions.
Will Break Precedent.
It now appears to be a settled fact
that President Wilson will break all
the presidents he can, therefore mem
bers of congress are trying to resign
themselves to the knowledge that the
country probably will side with Wilson
against congress on general principles.
Senators and members expect that the
people will applaud rather than con-
denim DR.. Wilson'S rebuff Of the Chevy
Chase Club and they fear that the
quicker he locks horns with congress
President Wilson will have his chance
very quickly-the same chance exact.
lv that was presented to President
Taft. A majority Of the progressive
senators favor John w.
Kern, of Indiana, for majority leader
in place Of Martin, of Virginia, and to
be after the scalp OF Simmons OF
North Carolina, who is in line for the
craftsmanship of the finance commit
tee. John Sharp Williams, OF
sippj, a free trader, or Stone, OF MIS-
souri,, are favored over Simmons. me
whole Bryan strength is hostile 10
particularly on the charge tnat
he is over-friendly to the railroad anu
other corporations Of Virginia and IS
especially controlled by Thomas r.
Ryan.
The fact that Mr.. Kern stepped from
his high place in the senate to accept
a fee Of $4,000 for defending the
dynamiters at Indianapolis and that
all but two Of his numerous clients
were convicted appears not to have
been taken into consideration In
Weighing the qualifications for lead
ersi1ip. Ii the senate case the issue IS
more sharply divided and the lines are
broader than in the Cannon fight OF
four years ago.
Has Issue Ready.
President Wilson thus has an issue
In the senate ready to his hand. Most
Of the republicans may be expected to
stand against him. as may be most OF
the older democrats. like Bacon, OF
Georgia. These men are of the class
which esteem senatorial dignity and
precedent as paramount to everything
and a large group Of them will come
together regardless Of party should
President Wilson carry out his inten-
ton and attempt personal dictation
Of members or an occupancy Of the |
little room around the corner.
The silence of President-Elect Will |
son over everything appertaining to his
his known imperious-
ness not to say stubbornness Of will
and his failure to regard any man In
congress as his brother have caused
more excited speculation over his adj
vent than ever has been known before.
Nothing else is talked in Washington
but the personality Of Wilson and the
thousand and one answers to the COM
mon question, How will he get
along?" His friends are as dumb as
his opponents and for the moment at |
least the next president of the United
States is the most solitary figure in
political life. &