The Republican., 1924-01-24
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Congress Is Piling Up Trouble
For President Coolidge and
incidentally For Itself

ident Coolidge and his supporters are
sorely worried over developments in
Congress during the past week. A
victory won by combination of pro-
gressives and Democrats in amend
ing the House rules has sorely men
aced the Presidents legislative pro-
gram. Mr.. Coolidge is still insisting
on adoption of the Mellon tax plan in
its entirety, but his most loyal sup
porters in Congress agree that pas
sage without material modification is
impossible. Mr.. Coolidge has advo-
Gated the treaty making this country
party to the establishment of the
world court. Leading Senator's de-
clare that Senators Johnson, of Cali
fornia, Borah and other opponents of
American participation in European
affairs, have the world court treaty
beaten. Mr.. Coolidge is fatty and un-
equivocally opposed to the soldiers
bonus. While its fate is in doubt, it's
friends maintain that it has at least
$3.50 chance. Under these condi-
tions some Of the wisest political OBJ
servers incline to the view that little
will be actually settled before the ma
tional convention and that the fate Of
the Coolidge policies will be fought
out at Cleveland between the suppor-
ters Of MIR. Coolidge on the one hand
and those of Senator Hiram johnson
on the other. The self-elimination of
Henry Ford, has left Messrs. Coolidge
and Johnson the field and he who can
determine whose policies enjoy the
widest popular support can easily pre-
dict the next Republican candidate and
the next President.
This week has been marked by a
bitter blow to the ambitions of the
leading Democratic candidate for the
Presidential nomination. In the YER
nacular Of the Democratic politicians,
Grown Prince McAdoo got it in the
neck" McAdoo was violently oppos-
ed to the Democratic conventions 60
ing to New York and was beaten Fur
thermore, McAdoo feared the two
thirds rule in the convention and
abandoned his efforts to revise the
rule only when he saw he would be
beaten on that McAdoo is too well
known in New York. His record as
a Wall Street broker, member Of the
firm of Pemberton & McAdoo is re-
called by many in that city and those
who lost money through his promotion
schemes recall him all too clearly.
Could he have taken the convention to
California he would have been far
from the record Of that portion Of his
career which he is anxious to have
forgotten. But the Democratic lead
ers were wise. They decided that if
his record was known was such as
to prevent his nomination, it would be
quite sufficient to prevent his elec-
ton if nominated; so they determin-
ed to send the convention to New
York and compel him to submit to the
test before the party had irrevocably
tied its fate in 1924 to his political
band wagon.
1t is becoming constantly more evi-
dent that the great battle-g ground of
this years presidential election will be
the west and middle west. The record
the Wilson administration and the
Democratic Congresses is quite suf-
ficient to insure Republican victory
in the east almost irrespective of who
is nominated. But how stands the
west and middle west? That is the
question which is perplexing the Re-
publican leaders.
Senator Hiram johnson is telling
the people Of Michigan that unless
something real, tangible and practi-
cal is done for the farmers the Re-
publican party will go down to de-
feat. He is standing four-square for
the soldiers bonus and for tax re-
duction, and he is insisting that pay
ment of the bonus is not incompatible
with material reduction of the taxes.
He is making a fight against odds, but
one which is being anXiously watched
by the leaders in Washington.
Two bonus plans are before the
Senate. That Of Senator Curtis, of
Kansas, would raise the necessary
funds by taxes on amusements. He
says these taxes can be made to raise
$77,0OO,0OO, sufficient to meet all bo-
nus needs in 1925. The other, Of
fered by Senator Copeland, New York
Democrat, would raise a fund of ST.
500, O,O0O,O0O0 by the sale of per cent
bonds. Mr.. Curtis would remove the
tax from admissions of less than %
cents, tax those from 20 cents to 81,
5 cents, and those of 81 or more, 25
cents for each dollar OF fraction
thereof.
The Southern Power Companies of
fer to pay the Government for Muscle