The Idaho recorder., 1922-02-17

kenyon tRep., lowal, the leader of
the bloc, to a Federal circuit Judge
ship thus taking the "Ken" out Of the
-Cap-Klan," as Senator Pat Har-
rison wittily put it. In point of ability
high character and public service rem
dered Senator Kenyon measures up
fully to the appointment, but there
are other phases of the matter upon
which public opinion will not be SO
well agreed.
From the viewpoint of reactionary
Old Guard politics, the President can
be credited with piece of adroit
strategy in his efforts to destroy the
agricultural bloc by Turing away its
leader with the one prize upon which
it vas known his ambition was set.
1t is serious, but not an irreparable
loss to the agricultural bloc. There
are many leaders in that determine
group of men in fact, they are the
4 only group, except the Democrats,
! who have shown any real leadership
IN this Congress. Their greatest dan
ger now is that others may not be
any more proof against temptation to
leave their farmer constituency in the
lurch than was Senator Kenyon, and
the President has many attractive
offices yet to be filled.
A. crisis exists in the agricultural
industry, but this is not the crisis with
which President Harding is dealing;
his concern is about. the crisis which
] exists in the Republican party. rhe
strength of the agricultural bloc has
developed to point where that
group, standing together, can control
Legislation by working in harmony
with the Democrats. All the indicated
policies of the Harding administration
are that Legislation shall be controlled
from that section described by Con-
gresham Madden, Republican Chair
man of the House appropriations COM
Inittee, as north of the Ohio river and
east of the Mississippi"
For the reactionary block to tri-
fumph 1T is necessary to destroy the
agricultural bloc or weaken il to a
point of ineffectiveness. In omen
contest with the Old Guard, the agri-
cultural bloc can come off victor at
any time but the appointment of Sem
ator Kenyon raises the question
whether or not they are proof against
the most insidious form of Repub-
lican strategy-the seductive tenpta-
tion of Federal jobs and places of
power? Whether or not they will sac
rifice the interests of the agricultural
section to their own weaknesses or
personal ambitions?
Senator Kenyon's appointment is
aimed directly at the agricultural in
terests as we'll as at the insurgent Re-
publicans themselves. The Senator
| had given notice that he would speak
on the Newberry case in all his public
addresses. As a spokesman of the
Progressives, as scourge of the re-
actionaries, as an eloquent voice of
the agricultural interests, he has been
and would have continued to be one
of the most powerful influences in the
land. Federal judges do not make
public speeches on the Newberry case
or reactionaries or on any of the
subjects of legislation which the
agricultural interests are demaniin
Senator Kenyon has been effectually
silenced.
Senator Kenyon's colleagues all ap-
prove of him as fit man for the
bench; the bench itself and the bar
will approve of him; even the reac-
tionaries, who are always willing to
make any sacrifice for party a1van-
tages, while secretly regretting that
important life long offices should go
TO party insurgents, will openly assent
to the appointment.
But what will be the attitude of
that great class of agriculturists of
whom Senator Kenyon has been the
spokesman and the champion? What
VIII the farmers think-and say?
Old Guard Leadership Obnoxious to
Kenyon, Says Harrison.
The appointment of Senator Ken
yon to a federal judgeship drew
some incisive and Illuminating COM
ment from Senator Pat Harrison
tDem., Miss.,) on the floor of the
Senate.
Certainly this nomination did not
come to Senator Kenyon because he
had stood as the President had stood.
and as the rank and file of YOU
Senators had stood, retaining Senator
Newberry a member of this body
said Senator Harrison. Compliment
ing Senator Kenyon for his fight
against Newberry, the Mississippi
Senator aided:
For some reason other than his
exceptional qualities and his position
IN the Newberry case moves his seiec-
ton Many Of the farmers
whose eyes are now rivited on the
Congress of the United States. and
whose attention was attracted to the
agricultural conference here last week
VIII wonder if it was not due to a
desire on the part of the President
and his advisors to ri1 the Senate of
the United States of the leader of the
agricultural group. Those progressive
and patriotic sons of toll are not
easily fooled. They can see the trail
left behind, if not the serpent a. Il
passes. 1t will need some explanation
10 remove that impression from their
senator Harrison appealed to Sem
ator Capper Of Kansas-whose name
explains the middle syllable of the
- to continue to as
sociate with the Democrats in the