Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-09-10
REPUBLICAN.
CLEAVAGE MAY
BREAK ANEW
Writer Sees Disagreement
Along Standpatter and
Progressive Lines.
By WALLACE BAssFoRD.

WASHINGTON, Sept 10.--It was
splendid assemblage that gathered last
March to witness the inauguration Of
President Harding, after eight years of
Republican wandering in the wilderness,
largely due to President Taft's strong
leaning toward corporate interests and
to Republican legislative favors to the
big rich. The crowd on the presidential
pavilion and the reserved sections was
made up largely of silk hated gentlemen
whose names are found in the lists of
the directorate of the big industrial cor
porations, railroads and banks. There
were many greetings, much of handshak
ing and congratulating, but perhaps moth
ing was more enlightening than the brief
confab between one of the guests and
one of the wise old Republican Senator's
who had seen Mckinley and Taft come
and go The director was in fine fettle
the conditions were suspicious. He re
marked, as he looked about on Repub-
lican Senators, Representatives and hang
ers-on, sleek prosperous and without
number, that sit looks as if the millen-
mum has come"
Yes" replied the old and wise Sena-
tor. land that same millennium will,
within a few months blow UP with a
loud bang"
1t has not yet blown up, but those who
saw the beginnings OF cleavage in the
Republican ranks in 1908, and saw that
split result in the election of a Demo
cratic Congress in 1910, are strongly re.
minded of those days. Dissension is
strong in the Republican ranks today.
They are again finding ample causes for
disagreements along the old lines OF
standpatter and progressive.
While the tariff bill was being put to-
gether in the House the Democrats. with
the assistance of Republicans who refused
to dance at the crack of the party whip.
succeeded in modifying the bill in half a
dozen important particulars. In fact, they
beat the organization on everything on
which they were allowed to have sep
arate vote. Now 1t is learned that the
bill is TO be laid aside, at least for
time, in order to give the right of way to
the taxation BILL which was not started
until after the tariff bill had passed the
House There are those who think 1t is
being laid aside permanently. The Presi-
dent seems impressed with the regularity
with which Republican defeat has fol-
lowed their tariff tinkering IN the past.
The session which recently TOOK a
months recess while the country is suf-
fering from a score of serious Ills passed
but one bill of wide application and large
importance-the Agricultural Credits bill.
The President called the session to pass
a new tariff bill, to reduce the burden OF
taxation and TO take care of the rail
roads by legislating so that they could
at once receive the money owed them by
the Government end defer for ten years
payment of those sums which the roads
owe to the Treasury. None of these three
things which the Republicans claim are
wise. salutary and needful, has been ac-
complished.
The Congress got each job about half
completed and then took a recess. The
Democratic leaders took the view that
IL was just as we'll on the ground that
they would. II they remained in session.
enact moor and harmful legislation. They
the Denocrats, have not enough votes 20
initiate good legislation, nor, in most
eases, enough to defeat the bad.
Just why the Republican Congressman
should be in such need of a rest is hard
to understand. for the votes recorded
in the Congressional Record prove that
the average roll call showed only about
twO-thirds of the Republican membership
present, excepting during the first few
days and the last few days of the ses-
sion In other words, something like
one third Of the Republicans were alb
sent on each roll call.