The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1913-07-17
HAPPENINGS AT THE
NATIONAL CAPITOL
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Washington, D. c., July 15.-"The
Presidential Bee Headed for Senator
Borah." says the Washington Times
Of July 9Th. The article is as follows:
POLITICALLY speaking, they are keep
Ing an eye on Senator William E.
Borah of Idaho about the Senate, as
we'll as in Washington generally. Re
CARELESS of the fact that Senator
Borah has recently written letter to
he has not got the Presidential bee
and intends to keep that pernicious in.
sect pretty completely shooed away
from him, good many Republicans.
not to mention Democrats and Bull
Moose hackers regard Borah as a
good deal more than possibility for
the Republican Presidential nomina-
ton in 1916.
Senator Borah indicated in his
recen letter that he did not want
any notions relative to the presidency
coming between himself and the work
he is trying to do in the Senate. In
this he Is doubtless sincere. He has
seen enough of the ravages of the
microbe as it has affected many pub
lie men, 50 that he is under no illu-
sions about the desirabinty Of it. Still
there is such thing as a man being
drafted by his friends, and there is
no doubt that at this time numerous
Republicans in Congress look on Bo-
rah as extremely available for the
1916 nomination.
Must Nominate Progressive
EVEN the most rampant of the
Old Guard politicians realize that il
the Republican party is going to
make any sort Of showing in the 1916
fight, a progressive must be nominated
It is not probable that there will be
In the next Republican convention any
of that sort Of blind and obstinate in
sistence on the nomination of can
didate obnoxious to the progressive
men in the party, a course which split
the Republican party and perhaps
wrecked it for all time. The regulars
will be as ready as anyone to accept
of Borah, Cummins, La Toilette, Ken
yon, Norris or Hadley.
"Of course, the lightning might
faell on any one of number Of pro-
grcssive Republicans in Congress. But
there has for some me been more
talk Of Borah than CT any other. He
would command the support of both
wings Of the Republican party and
gould do it without effort.
10 Protective Tariff Man
*'Borah is a protective tariff man,
though not believer in extreme high
duties. He favors a moderate protec-
tive tariff, free from graft features
hot hannfifc 3nfnrocfo
No man at this distance can guess
whether, in 1916, the country will tur
to ward protection Or whether it will
find the Democratic bill, with its long
tree list, beneficial, or whether it will
demand radical steps in the direction
of free trads.
$50 much depends on the workings
Of the new tariff law that intelligent
speculation can hardly be INDUCED in.
At best, opinions on this point are
conjecture. Should the pendulum
swing in the direction Of protection
the moderate protectionists Of the
Borah type would be in a strong posi-
ton. Whatever happens, there will
not be, for years at least, any re-
turn to the extreme duties of the
Dingley bill and the Payne bill.
Would Command Labor Vote
SENATOR Borah would command
large labor vote. The part he took
the last Congress as chairman Of the
Education and Labor Committee in
working for the Department Of Labor
bill, the prominence he has had in thu
West Virginia investigation, and his
generally friendly attitude toward Or
gained labor would insure this. He
has not been as progressive on tariff
as other progressive Republicans
largely because he has been embe rrass
ed by the fact that the demand for
high protection from Idaho is unus-
Oally strong.
'But on the question of regulation
OF railroads and of corporations, L
has taken advanced ground. In gen.
eral. he is found voting for progress
sive measures in the Senate. He has
as a constitutional lawyer, and h;
one of the finest legal minds in Con-
gress. One objection that would
probably be found to him would be
that. as a man from the Rocky Noun
tain country, he was not as friendly
to the Pinchot conservation policies as
the Conservationists would like
Senator Brady is keeping up the
tight to open up Yellowstone Nation
al Park to automobile traffic. He has
received the following letter from
Prof. Miller who is at the head of
the division Of national parks in the
Interior Department, and which indi-
Gates that favorable action may be
taken in the matter:
Washington, D. c., July 3, 1913.
My dear Senator:-I am in receipt
of your note Of July 2, with Enclosures,
and l am sending note to Colonel
Brett urging his cooperation WITT
you in the matter Of experimental test
Of automobile traffic on q limited por-
ton of the roads of the Yellowstone
Park. this summer, and asking him
to transmit a plan of operation as
early as practicable. l am as anx-
tous as you are that beginning shall
be made, but I am also anxious that
we shall not prejudice the success of
the enterprise by hasty action, but
believe the matter can be satisfactor-
ilv arranged and saf<>- eua rd<,d As