The Minnesota fiery cross. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1924-19??, 1924-04-18


forts at speeding up legislation o
Whatever is done in the way of
legislation must be done in the next
two months if congress is to adjourn
before the political conventions are
held in June. There is talk now that
it will be impossible to adjourn be-
fore the national conventions are
held and that congress will be oblig-
ed to return to Washington and
spend at least a portion of the hot
summer there. President Coolidge
is making no plans for going away
and rather expects to be here most
of the summer. That will mean a
recess of a few weeks in June to per-
nit members of congress to attend
both conventions and then return to
Washington to finish up the job they
have neglected to do in the last four
months.
Taking Up the Tax Bill
The senate has up the tax reduc-
tion bill, the Mellon plan and others.
1t is predicted that there will be not
less than three weeks spent in this
discussion in the upper branch OF
congress. At the same time the SEN
ate finance committee is working
away on a bonus bill and that is ex-
pected to follow the tax bill.
Senator Pepper, Republican, o.
Pennsylvania, seems to have seasoned
the approaching campaign with some
hot stuff in his recent Maine speech
which the Democrats are insisting
was intended as a keynote speech.
And also with his Introduction this
week of a resolution asking the
president to call another information
al conference or world court. The
Democrats have hoped onto both
propositions with both feet and are
making things lively for the Pennsyl-
vania senator and the Republican
party in general. This is going to
be a warm campaign all right. The
people can make up their minds on
that point right now.
President Gaining
President Coolidge seems to be
some runner and is gaining ground
and delegates, day by day and week
by week. He carried the Michigan
primaries by big vote notwith-
standing the fact that Senator john
son carried that state four years ago
in the primary. And latest reports
from illinois and Nebraska indicate
that they, too, have jumped into the
Coolidge band wagon. If Senator
johnson, who is devoting considerable
time to his own state, should hap
pen to lose California, that would be
the unkindest cut of all, and there is
rumor that that very thing may hap
pen. If it does, Senator Johnson
will undoubtedly get out of the race
and the Cleveland convention will
only be a rattle alton meeting.
But il any Republican thinks it is
going to be only a ratification affair
next November, let him disabuse his
mind on that point. President Cool
idge, who has never been defeated
vet for IN elective office to which he
has aspIred, will have the fight of
his life next November and the Re
publican party, which has gotten in
bad through the national scandals
recently exposed, will have one awful
time squaring itself with the voters.
The Democrats are going to charge ii
up to Coolidge, and attempt TO show
his responsibility and that he has
been in position all the time to know
what has been going on.
Third Party Specter
The report is gaining ground that
the country is going to have third
party this year, and that Senator La
Toilette is to be it's head. That spells
danger for the Republicans in Wis
consin, Minnesota, the two Dakotas
and possibly in Nebraska and Iowa.
There is no getting away from the
fact that the Democratic party Is
now in a strategic position. All II
lacks is leadership. There are so
many Democratic candidates and the
party is split up into so many crowds
and factions that it has troubles OF
it's own. That fact might possibly
save the day for the Republicans.
1t is now looking around among its
timber for the purpose of finding
some one who can stir the emotions
OF the people, capture the delegates
and run away with the Democratic
nomination. But IL is conceded IN
Washington by well informed people
that the party right now lacks big
leadership and that II Is necessary
TO find that leadership II success is
to be gained at the polls in Novem-
AII,