The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1922-09-01
WASHINGTON LETTER
Special News Correspondent.
BY Wallace Bassford.
BY Wallace Bassf0rd.

4 sooner OF ldltI " liiC
failure of the Republican adminlstra-
ton. No one disputes the Tact OF
failure, but there are differences OF
opinfon as to why. Probably the best
reason | have heard is that the party
leaders are not trying TO give the peo-
pIe what they desire and need,
but rather trying To meet their chill
cations to the men who put
IN Hardine's enormous campaign fund
and hoping To be able to mollty the
dissatisfied public on some issues
which they will encourage 10 come TO
the front in the hope that more dam
aging ones can be thus kept III the
rear. Strangely enough, il appears 10
some, they are willing, as evidenced
nv their action in having Secretary
Hughes revive the NewberTy scandal,
TO have that as an issue. for most men
regard the seating of a man in the
Senate after conviction OF bribery as
a very serious stain on the party gull
~ of such action. There can be but
one conclusion as TO TINS, as AMY
pointed out by Chairman Hun or the
Democratic National Committee anu
nv Senator Pomerene, and that IS that
the Republican leaders are choosing
the least of several evils. lAey
doubtless believe that many men VIII
he of many minds about a question or
moral turpitude, and that most strong
marty men will not be driven from
their party by even a highly question
able performance done for party su-
premacv. hence they would rAthel
risk the Newberry issue than 10 fight
il out on the great increases in ti's
Isl Of living surely to come nc I ihe
enactment of the high tariff Dill, 1ol
they " ell know that the most sensl-
tive nerve in the average man. po-
lifical makeup is the one that reaches
his pocket book. This is the ISSUE thcy
fear the most. After that comes
wear and a half of Harding nara
times accentuated by four big strikes
which the administration mas be7n ut
terly unable to handle. In truth, their
settlement seemed to be actu2liy de-
19yed and hampered by the very pres
ence of the President in the equation;
his efforts seemed to be resented by
both sides. with neither side willing
that he should be the mediator. Inc
only time the warning sides showed
evidences of getting together was al
ter the President got out, ana the
soft coal strike was then settled IN
stanter.
Sir Robert Peel, in the days OF
the high tariff laws in England, before
Golden and Bright converted him, SAID
Through an indirect ttarin) tax you
can tax the coat off mans back and
he will never know what IS hurtine
him" Probably true at one time, pul
now men read and think and every
time a man sweetens his coffee he can
reflect on the knowledge that the
price of the sugar he is using mas
heen increased a third by the tarlf
tax nIaced upon it in order 10 force
him indirectly 10 help enrich otherS.
And what is true of sugar is true or
hundred articles which enter INTO MS
EVERYDAY life. The Washington tail
ers and clothiers are advertising the
fact that il behooves the man with
few snare dollars to lay in SUIT or
two before the evil days come, the
davs when wooden cloth will cost the
dealer a third more because OF the
tariff bounty allowed to the American
WOODEN Company " III H. D'-'N'
and its surplus of thirty odd millions,
which paid extra dividends or 10 per
cent recently, and which is no lnfaht
industry in need of nursing bottle
| have il from one of the wise ones
that Secretary Hughes has a compact
with Harding through when Hughes
j. 70 he the nominee in 1924, and that
Hughes is STAYING up nights TO cult
vate Uncle Hiram Johnson in order
that California may not escape next
time. 1t will be remembered thaI
Hughes started his campaign in 1916
with a trip across the continent. he
had heen Governor of New YORK ana
we'll knew what courtesieS were due
from him to a Governor OF a sever
eign State. He went to California ana
Johnson was then Governor OF the
state. he was in the same hotel with
Johnson but refused to call on him.
Result. Hughes failed TO carry the
State. though Johnson, running lot
the Senate on the same ticket, won
with an enormous majority. Johhooh
friends slaughtered Hughes. Inc tact
is that Hughes lost the PRESIDENCY
and the people escaped his reaction
ary administration by reason Vi the
nervous breakdown which he sunef-
ed the previous winter while on the
Supreme Bench; he had not recov-
erred from it when he started into the
campaign and before he was himself
again he had kicked the fat into the
fire bv indiscretions on his cross
country campaign. The facts about
that breakdown have never been
made public, but sometime il Will De
Irecognized as having profoundly al
tered the history of the country. As
regards Mr.. Hughes personally il was
most unfortunate, but the country
at large might readily take a different
view.
Politics still make strange bed-fei-
lows. Senator Lodge must indeed be
hard-pressed TO endorse Alvan IuftS
Fuller for acknowledgement On
Massa chusetts-probably needs Full
ler's help small as it is. 1t has not
been so long since Fuller referred t1
Lodge as "a blood-drinker" and "a
senile whelp." These expressions are
indicative of the depths to which the
morals Of the party has sunk.