Gilpin observer., 1914-04-09
WASHINGTON NEWS
By Edward Keating.

suit. The Shipping Trust will lose,
and the president will win.
The more the presidents position
on this question is discussed the
stronger it becomes. The first test
vote came in the house on Friday,
March 9th, and we won by the mar
row margin of % votes. The presi
dents opponents we're jubilant. They
thought they might be able to over
come that lead. After four days of
acrimonious debate another test vote
was taken, and behold, the presi-
The majority had trebbled in three
days.
Only eight Republicans and no Pro-
gressives voted with the president
on the first vote. Twenty-Five Re
publicans and two Progressives went
with him on the final vote.
These facts speak for themselves,
but even more significant is the at
titude of the big dailies of the coun-
try.
Every newspaper in New York-ex-
cept the Hearst papers-is standing
by the President. Every newspaper
in Chicago-except the Hearst pa
pers-is standing by the President.
In New York the World, Independ-
ent Democrat, is the presidents chief
newspaper advocate while in Chicago.
the Tribune Progressive Republican,
is just as earnestly supporting the
man in the white house. Party lines
have disappeared in the presence of
this issue.
What 10 Back Of il?
In some quarters it is suggested
that there is more at stake in this
tolls fight than appears on the sur
face. 1t is limited that sinister influ-
ences are at work to block the presi-
dents program Of antitrust legisla-
tion, and that the hullabaloo over
canal tolls is merely a clever ruse
to divert public attention from the
main issue.
We will soon have an opportunity
to discover what there is to this
theory for the antitrust bills should
emerge from the judiciary committee
within the next two weeks. They
are expected to square with the par
tvs platform declarations and with
the presidents well-known IDEAS In
other words, they will be equipped
with a full set of teeth.
viii gentlemen who antagonized
the president on the tolls question
use that difference of opinion as an
excuse to embarrass the execution
of this much more ambitious pro-
gram? We shall see
There is some consolation in know
ing that whatever is done must be
done in the open. The searchlight
of publicity will be on duty "a hours
day and woe betide the leader who
through ambition or pique, fails to
do his full duty when the real test
comes.
Talking of leaders. the virility of
Democracy was never better illustrat-
gle over this tolls bill.
The men who have led the major
ity during the present congress re-
fused to support the president. For
a few hours the party was in the
position of the British Army in u
ster-the rank and file were loyal,
but the officers were encoura ging
the opposition.
Then a political miracle was en-
acted and an army without captains
revealed its mettle by outfighting
and out-maneuvering an enemy led
by generals Of experience and pres
tige. No wonder its opponents de-
clare that the militant Democracy
has as many lives as the proverbial
cat.
Price of Wool.
Sometime last summer | took oc-
casion in one of these letters to say
that the placing of wool on the free
list wouldn't affect the price receiv-
ed by sheepmen. At the time there
was considerable apprehension con
cerning the future of the wool mar
ket and l warned the sheepmen not
to be deceived by the lugubrious
prophecies of the wool buyers, but
to insist on the old price.
Developments have fully sustained
my position. This years clip will
command the usual prices.
For more than 20 years William
j. Bryan and other Democratic lead
ers have contended that the tariff on
wool was fake and a fraud. that it
did not benefit the sheepmen but af-
forded an excuse for the outrageous
tariff placed on woolen goods, thus
m -