The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-09-22
Budget Big
Asset for the
Republicans
By DAVID LAWRENCE
Copyright by The lntelltgencer)

Washington. Sept. cl-Concr'S> %
Eoing home wearied and apprehsnS'He.
What Will people say? How will they
vote on November 7th" Many mem
Der OF the senate and house would give
a good deal 70 know.
Though budget legislation IS N''
spectacular or simple of cXp!auat!"n' II
stands on, as tho heE!nni2g "t an cpocn
In government finance. The pcr">:a'S
helped pass K and will not permit All
the credit TO so 10 their kcp0o'''d"
brethren but the fact remains th'' u
budget system was established UHusF q
Republican administration and the Key
70 lower taxation lies in the oa'any'a@
OF receipts against expenditures. Ih'Tc
have been some Efforts. more or les
successful 70 ignore the budget. IN"
passage OF the bonus bill was OUTSIDE
the budget. and the latter would h1r"
been dealt a body blow II President
Harding hadn't killed the measure for
the time being at least
Republican Asset
Thus far the tendency 10 ignore the
budget has not cost the government
very much and the truth OF the matter
IS everybody expected congress 20
ignore IL mSch moer than has been the
case. Tho budget Is not yet beneficial
because its principles have not oeeA
firmly entrerchsd. but the Republicans
can count Il as an asset OF the present
congress and for the indefinite tutGre
toe until /: does break down. tnGues-
t!orably the budget ranks with me re-
form of the nations currency system As
r constructive measure.
The Big Issue.
Passing from the achievements % the
sins o: omission. most politicians VIII
agree that the biggest issue before ;he
country has been the Industrial s:tu2-
tson-the problems Involved in the raN
and coal strikes Few will venture 20
assess the political damage done by the
attitude ot the government toward those
disturbances. The injunction proceed
,ngs IN CHICAGO are themselves an ISSUE,
Whether strikes on railroads should he
rrohibited, whether the adm n.stratton
should have taken a hand in the coal
strike earlier than x did. whether MI
Harding could have compelled settle
ment OF the shopmens strike-all 'h"se
7uest+cts will he discussed on the STUMP
md the majority Of the voters VIII as
Usual have made up their minds long
before election as TO where the rcSloa-
s.bility lies.
Business Better.
Prosperity. or The lack o: It. ls al
ways an Issue. Members e congress
are leaving here with a feeling that
business Is on n" upward trend. They
would have felt more certain OF this
II Henry Ford hadn't announced a shut
down but they look hopefully at The in
creases in wages given by the steel
corporation as an oTSe, frr POLITICAL
purposes. Here and there minor pieces
of legislation have been passed but /:
IS a fact that the situation n Europe
with reSpec: 20 repara;ions has been
ignored Through the failure OF congress
TO take Mr.. HardinS'S hint that no
wanted America represented on tho re-
parat.ons commission. and with the "N-
ception Of u fact-f!nding commission on
coal and arranEements for priority o:
hSl!very, congress has not taken any
STEPS by legislation 10 prevent future
strikes
Harding Stronger.
President Harding's position as party
leader Is tsronger than u VAS with CON
gress. His veto Of the bonus has Stil!ed
many tongues. II had been said that
he would waver and finally sign the
bonus. His sttffencd attitude has made
him more respected even by the bonus
foes. though Senator Reed. o. Missouri.
Democrat. made a deep impression with
his argument that II. as Mr.. Harding
says. the Bonus is class legislation. h"
should 70 De ConS!sten; veto the tariff
bill which helps the manVtactur!nc
class Mr.. Harding will naturally he
discussed during the campaign and
many Of the Republican leaders. like
Senator Lodge and Representative Mon
dell. who voted to overr d, the prnsi-
dents veto. VII find II somewhat en-
barrass.nE "a appeal for support cR the
stand -Uy-the- pres den; argument
Repubhcans Confident
So far as the spirit OF the departing
con gress - concerned. Il IS one OF con-
fidence The Republicans are sure they
will come back in control though they
concede they will no, no as numerous
and that the Democratic minority Will
be numerically more powerful But
most members have been so close 10 tho
situation here that they viii not in
sist upon the accuracy o. jhei- prcd:c-
tons.
They expect Republican victory, but
they are not as ill-prepared FOR sur
prises as might DO ina giued. for their
letters from constituents In the last TWO
years have revealed a restless. cropping
electorate whose true desires have been
hard to analyz or satisfy.