The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1916-03-11
MOMENTOUS ISSUES
FACING CONGRESS

presidents message, deciding to con-
tinue the war tax for another year,
and disbanding for the holidays, has
again taken up its work IN earnest,
and the months to come promise one
OF the most momentous sessions in the
nations history. The national law
makers are faced by big problems
defense, tariff revision. the presidents
ship purchase bill, the revision of the
income tax downward, the Jones Phil
ippine bill, and other issues. 1t is even
possible that before adjournment
comes this nation may at last have
become involved in the world war. In
dealing with both foreign and domestic
problems the tendency doubtless will
be to play politics." the more so as a
presidential election draws nearer,
and the Republicans are out to beat
Wilson.
During the past month Roosevelt
has doomed up conspicuously as the
possible candidate of "the interests"
The recent dinner given by Ebert IL.
Gary, head of the steel trust. to the
former president, at which some two
ent, has started no end of political
rumor.
Still, one must expect rumors of all
kinds, now that the dates for the nat
ional conventions have been settled,
and the cities chosen. 1t is significant
that the Republicans will meet in
Chicago at an earlier date than that
set for the Democratic national con-
vention at st. Louis, and will thus be
able, as it were, to take the pick of the
L.,
renominated there is at present writ
ing no shadow of doubt. Whether
the choice of the older party will be
Root, Weeks, Hughes, Taft. Roosevelt,
or some dark horse, remains to be
seen. According to the Brooklyn Ea-
gle. the Republican leaders are frank
ly at a loss for an available man.
"A most of 'favorite sons" declares
the Eagle, "are in the field, but none
of them is deemed strong enough to
defeat President Wilson. SO far as
sentiment has crystallized the leaders
are agreed, that it favors Justice
Hughes above all others, but doubt is
expressed that the justice can be in
duced to accept a nomination. Then
there is the Roosevelt shadow hanging
like a pail over their deliberations.
While most of the Republican leaders
hate the Colonel, they respect his vote
getting power. Especially will this
be the case on any issue which involves
Americanism. Millions of men and
women in this country regard Roose-
welt as the best exponent of American
ism, and if the colonel should decide
to run for president on the progress
sive party ticket, the Chicago nomi-
nation will not have more value than
the nomination given to Taft in 1912.
The great problem with which the Re.
publican leaders have to wrestle is
how to keep Roosevelt out of the cam
paign as an opponent of the Republi-
can party. Certainly by keeping Taft's
man Hilles at the head of their nat
ional committee and Barnes and Pen
rose as the representatives of New
York and Pennsylvania, they are 60
ir the wrong way about it. The Col
onel can afford to lie low and let the
other fellows do the thinking"
There was perhaps tendency
among certain newspapers to manu-
facture a political sensation out of the
Gary dinner. High-up Democrats in
Washington were reported to have
been making anxious inquiries as to
its significance. The Philadelphia
Public Ledger sees in this Glove feast
an Indication that the Co.oncl has de-
cided to come back into the fold. The
New York evening Sun doubts that it
had any political purpose whatever.
The New ! DIRK World figures up the
financial standing of the guests, and
arrives at the CONFUSION that their
combined wealth, representing one
twelfth of that in the United States,
will be back of Roosevelt as the next
Republican presidential candidate.
Whether the World is making con
illusions that are erroneous and based
on theories that are far-fetched," says
the Hartford Fost, cor whether it has
really dug into the inside of a deep
laid plot. is q matter that the future
will have to determine. There is,
however, in no ones mind any doubt
but Colonel Roosevelt fully intends to
be candidate for the presidential
office again next year and that he rea-
lies Iul Wei that either he must
swallow the Republican party or the
Republican party must swallow him
in order to have any such movement
successful.
lNOOSGNSlN 10 a ilSulc W SOIlJul I
with just now when those whose SER
vice in the trenches consist of writ
ing the most war-like of editorials are
clamoring for the UNFOLDING of the
national honor. Roosevelt's swash-
buckling style is the cast of character
just suited to the moment for those
who care not who fights the nations
battles so long as they are allowed to
produce its wars. 1t is also the style
for those who would continue to make
handsome profits on the manufacture
Of munitions and armament for nat
ional and international murder on
national and international scale"
The chances of a progressive-repub
lican reunion in the coming campaign,
according to the Providence journal,
provide the most interesting topic Of
discussion in the field of politics. This
union, the Journal declares, already is
pretty near complete" and adds:
"The progressive party polled over
four million votes in 1912; at the sue