Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 January 1907 — The Political Pot. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Political Pot.

Poultney Bigelow, the man whose criticism of canal methods was assailed by both President Roosevelt and Secretary Taft, now comments on the President’s message that it will be time enough for him to answer its misleading statements when the President can find a single resident of the canal zone who does not smile at his report. Mayor Weaver of Philadelphia, on the witness stand in the city’s $5,000,000 filtration suit case against the McNicbolMack contracts, told how Israel Durham, the former Republican boss of the city, had dictated the appointment of Director of Public Works Costello and other important acts, including the raising of the salary of John W. Hill, filtration chief. An organization has just been formed in New Jersey to be known as the People’s Lobby. It is composed in independent Republicans and Democrats, and will have branches in every county. Its purpose will be the collection and dissemination of information regarding legislation and the attitude of members of the Legislature so *s to secure the widest possible publicity as to legislation. State Comptroller Berry of Pennsylvania has refused to approve the bills of J. H. Sanderson and Joseph M. Huston on account of furnishing equipment and professional services for the new Capitol to the aggregate amount of $158,000, notwithstanding that Gov. Pennypacker and Gen. Snyder constituted a majority of the board of public grounds and buildings and voted for the payment. Mr. Berry said he would not O. K. them unless compelled to do so by the courts, and this was expected to force the whole question of capital graft into the courts. A mass meeting at Cooper Union, New York, adopted resolutions urging the passage of the Lodge resolution by the Senate. Dr. H. Grattan-Guinesa, acting director of the regions beyond the missionary union, said it was impossible to duplicate the horrors of that country. The completed canvass of the vote in New York State at .the recent election gives Hughes a plurality of 57,973 and Chandler a plurality of 5.442. Hearst ran 29.390 behind his ticket in New York State and 31.824 behind in New York City, bnt carried the metropolis by 77,067.