Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-10-11
SENATE AVERTS
SERIOUS SPLIT
IN PARTY RANKS.
Old Fight Between Republican
Senators of East and West
Still BObs Up.
BY WALLACE BAssForn

WASHINGTON, Oct. lit looks now
as If the Republican organization In the
Senate has narrowly escaped a split Of
such seriousness as to threaten the dis
ruption of the party in the Nation The
matter has been patched mp and the evil
day postponed. bU4 those who consider
the fundamental differences between the
Republican senatorial group of the West
ana the Senate bosses of the East feel
that the inevitable cleavage between those
divergent interests cannot be far off
1t is the old, old contest between those
VINO owe their seats TO the people, and
nave to depend on the votes of the people
and those who receive their commissions
at the hands of the political bosses. who
IN turn are financed by predatory wealth.
Republican high politics was in q cri-
tlcaI state to cause Senator Lodge, the
New England Brahmin to go to the
home Of Senator Capper. where score of
western Repuhlicsns-LaFolle Borah.
McNary, Norris, and the rest of the So
called Agricultural BlOc"-fuH Of fight.
were ready to join the Democrats II
necessary TO reconstruct the big tax meas
ure. There Lodge pleaded with them to
meet the regulars in compromises on the
bill which would still permit it to be
called Republican legislation. How re-
mindful of the day when the Western Re
a
ton with the Democrats to destroy Can
nonlsml
Lodge conceded much-so much that the
people will probably get a better deal
In the taxation bill. 1t looks like latter
some forty aItera tons in the plans Of the
leaders, the surfaces on the swoolen in
comes will go as high as 80 per cent in
stead Of 81, and that the tax on excess
profits will be repealed as Of next January
Of las
make the repeal date back would have
left in the hands Of the corporations all
the excess they had charged the public
to cover the Federal tax. The bill will
probably carry an increase in the cor
poration tax to Offset some Of the nui-
sance taxes which the insurgents desire
to have repealed.
The Republican newspapers are pleased
to refer to the Western Senators form
ing the insurgent group as the "Agri-
cultural Bloc" The purpose of this is
TO ignore the deeper fact that it is the
same old progressive movement that
wrecked the Republican party a decade
ago. It represents the irreconcilable diff
ferences between the wings Of the party.
a difference so deep and ineradicabIe
that It is impossible for them to agree on
action that is to result in legislation
They got together While the party was
cut and could not legislate-when there
could be no contest as to which set OF
ideas should be crystalized into law. but
now that the views of one side have to
fall if the ideas of the other are to pre-
vail, there is deep trouble for the party.
II this temporary patching up of & truce
is to result in permanent peace between
the wings, the country viii know it
within few weeks but old observers In
WASHINGTON ara varV
This session began in April and the
whole world knew that it was the in
tention TO pass new taxation measure
and a new tariff bill and arrange for
tie financing OF the railroads None of
these things is within gunshot Of ac-
comphshment after six months have
passed. Only three bills Of Importance
have become law-the Farm Loan Act.
the Farmers Tariff Act" and the act
TO regulate the packers The first mon
toned is good legislation. The tariff act
was advertised as a great measure de-
signed to enable the farmer to get more
for his crops. Canadian wheat today
brings better price in Minneapolis than
wheat grown in the United States; all
the farmers products have shrunk
seriously in price excepting cotton.
which has responded to the shortest crop
Al tue history OF the country. The PACK
ers control act was so amended at the
dictauon of the packers themselves that
1t is useless Senator LaFollette drew
9ttent.on to the fact that the important
amendments made to it were in the hand
writing Of the chief attorney for the
packers, who made the remark. We'll.
let it passive have pulled its teeth"
And this is the history Of one mea sure
after another: honest legislators who ra
main within the Republican party find
that there are powers enthroned in Wash
ington who are greater than they. The
men who backed the packers control bill
were making an honest effort to help the
stockraisers who are suffering from the
baneful effect of the great combinations
among the packers. but the final result
is><a 'travesty on honest, helpful Iegis-
lation.