Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1905 — WASHINGTON LETTER. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON LETTER.

Political and (Jeneral Gossip of the National Capitol. Special Correspondence to The Democrat: ‘’Have we put a Demnprat or a Republican in the White House?” No question has been more frequently asked in the Republican cloak-rooms of Congress than tnis, and it has been reiterated more than ever since the President sent to Congress the annual report of Commissioner of Corporations Garfield who adopts, as his chief recommendation, after r year’s study of the subject of federal control of trusts, a scheme first proposed by William J. Bryan at a Civic Federation banquet in Chicago, six or seven years ago. This scheme consists of prohibitall corporations from engaging in interstate business until they have procured federal licenses and complied with such conditions as Congress may impose. v . t t t There is no question but that the President has put his finger on the two greatest evils of the business system of the country. He has emphasized the necessity for providing for governmental control of railroad rates and of the great corporations which engage in interstate commerce and which are popularly known as trusts. He has asked, almost demanded, that Congress pass legislation which will remedy the existing evils. In so doing the President- has not hesitated to borrow from his opponents and advocate leading Democratic policies, but he is counting without his host in expecting a Republican Congress to aid him in correcting these evils. Instead of setting themselves to the task which the President has pointed out to them as of vital importance to the well-being of the nation, Republican members of Congress are gazing at each other in amazement and questioning if they have not made the unpardonable error of electing a Democratic president on the Republican ticket. t t t

“We have come to the parting of the ways,” said the President to a Republican Senator recently. We must now decide whether the Republican party shall stand for a square deal for every man, be he great or small, influential or insignificant, whether it shall improve its opportunity, curb corporate greed and prove to the people that it stands for their interests, or whether it shall merit the name given it by the Democrats, “the party of special privileges and vested interests.’” What reply the Senator made to the President your correspondent does not know. To your correspondent a moment later, the Senator said, “That man is a fool. He talks like a wild-eyed Democrat. If he goes on at this rate he will soon be a bigger socialist than Bryan, a bigger anarchist than Debs.” If Mr. Roosevelt oould hear what the national legislators in his own party are saying of his policies and his aims, even as stout hearted an individual as he would probably feel a sickening sensation. t t t

The President has just been guilty of a frightful heresy in the eyes of the members of his * party. He has appointed Francis E. Luepp to the office of Indian Commissioner. Mr. Luepp is a life-long Democrat and has for years been Washington correspondent of a prominent Democratic newspaper. Mr. Luepp was appointed a member of the Indian Commission by President Cleveland, resigning after several years service. He has been the special investigator of numerous Indian scandals and has not only studied the problem of handling the Indians but has the best interests of the Indians at heart. That, of coarse, makes no difference to the partisan politician. Mr. Roosevelt should have appointed a Republican. Fitness for the office should have been purely a secondary consideration. Mr. Luepp succeeds Wm. A. Jones, one of the best Indian Commissioners who ever filled the office, and a Republican. Mr. Jones was formerly a Republican member of the Wisconsin State legislature. When Mr. Jones handed to the President his resignation Mr. Roosevelt asked if he coold suggest a good man for his successor. Jones replied, "Yes, Franois E. Luepp.” "Mr. Luepp is a Democrat,” replied the President. “I know that,” said Jones, "but if there is one office in the administration which should be filled without regard to party politios it is the one I have the honor of resigning,” and to Mr. Jones credit it is the one I have the honor of resigning,” and to Mr. Jones oredit it may be said that he always placed the inter-

eats of the Indians and the good of the service before partisan considerations. t t t There is to be made a terrific fight on the Panama Canal Comission. An effort will be made to cut its membership down to three and other changes will advocated. The existing Commission may be open to criticism, probably is, but those who believe in an isthmian canal will think twice before they endorse the attack. The onslaught is to be led by Representative William P. Hepburn of lowa, chairman of the committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. Mr. Hepburn is the protege of J. W. Blythe, national committeeman for lowa and counsel for the Chicago, Burlington and,. Quincy Railway. An examination of Mr. Hepburn’s record shows that he has always fought any isthmia 1 caual, that others whoss sincerity was questioned, espoused -the Nicaraguan route that he almost succeeded in killing tqe Panama Civil Government bill in the closing hours of the last session and so delaying all work on the canal for a year. The C. B & Q. is virtually a trans-continen-' tal road. The transcontinental roads dread the competition of an isthmian canal because it will inevitably lower transcontinental railway rates. Before endorsing Mr. Hepburn’s attack the wise man will reflect for a momeut on the adage, “Beware of the Greeks bearing gifts.” t t t Soon after he was elected President Roosevelt declared his conviction that the tariff should be revised and intimated that he would call a special session next spring to perform the work. Today he admits that he has been talked out of calling a special session in the spring but adds that he may do so in the fall. The truth is that influential “stand-patters” are threatening the President and declaring that if he persists in the policy of tariff revision he will disrupt his party as badly as did Mr. Cleveland during his last term. Sooner or later must come a contest between the President and the “stand-patters” which the public will watch with,interest.