The Ravalli Republican. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1894-1899, 1898-07-13
Trouble FOR THE DEMOCRATIC
LEADERS.
From the Chicago Tribune.


democrats in congress have placed
the party in a position which is caus-
ing the rank and file an endless
amount Of trouble, and which seems
almost certain to result in an over
whelming republican victory next
fall. --.m=-@
Early in the present session Of con-
gress the democrats in the house, be-
levng that President Mckinley did
not want war, shouted for battle at
every available opportunity. AS soon
as war had been declared, much to
thcil CONSERVATION, they changed
their tactics, and under the control
of Bailey. the recognized leader Of
the democratic minority in the house,
and Of Senator Jones-the Jones from
Arkansas-chairman OF the demo-
cratic national committee, have util-
lied every opportunity to cn1barrass
the war measures Of the administra
tiOn.
Even when the preliminary appro-
priation of $50, 900, 600 was under con-
sidcration young Bailey could with
difficulty restrain himself from at
lacking it, and distinguished him
self at that time by some foolish re-
marks in regard to precedcnts, as if
in the face Of war precedcnts
amounted to anything except in the
muddlcd mind Of smallirv Texas
lawyer AS soon as war had been de-
clarcd and it became necessary for
the government to have money in
l;,,l Il
cratic leaders cast Off their thin dis
muisc of patriotism, and since then
have openly fought every measure to
maintain and equip the army and
navy.
President Mckinley started out to
make the war a strictly non-partisan
one. He called into consultation
recognized democratic leaders, includ-
ing even Bailey and Arkansas Jones.
In the first batch Of appointments
sent in were the names Of I'itzhugh
Lee Of Virginia, and Congressman
Joe Wheeler OF Alabama, cX-confcde-
rates and consistent democrats, and
from that time on democrats have
been appointed to high positions in
the army without hesitation. In
spite OF this fact the democrats in
the house, under the leadership Of
Mr.. Bailey. voted steadily against
the war revenue bill. Their partisan
friends in the senate, under the man
agcmcnt Of Arkansas Jones, fought
the revenue bill quite us pcrsistcntly
and cndcavorcd to make it Il medium
of small partisan advantage by means
Of amendments for the coinage of
silver and the issue Of grcenbacks.
The revenue bill as it stands today
was made Il law without the assis-
tancc Of a so-callcd democratic leader
from either house Of congress-.
10 cap the climax Of their stupiG-
ity Bailey and Jones have openly ar
raycd themselves against the annex
alton Of Hawaii, thus permitting
themselves by force Of circumstances
to take the position occupied by Mr..
Cleveland, whom they have constants
lV denounced as 4 traitor to tic party.
Bailey called a caucus to whip into
line some Of the mcnbcrS of his own
party that still believed in the good
old principle that in time Of war all
political differences should be
dropped. He failed in this and then
called another caucus to pass Il rule
requiring members to obey their
party dictation without regard to per
sonal preferences. The minority in
the caucus was sufficient to prevent
this petty scheme from being carried
out. Meanwhile, however, Senator
Jones the Arkansas Jones. Of course,
chairman Of the democratic national
committee, is leading the opposition
to the annexation bill in the senate.
AS II all tins were not enough.
William Jennings Bryan. in his uni
form Of a colonel, has shot Off, not
his rifle, but his mouth, and has di-
rcctcd his proiccliIes, Of which he
has Il cartridge belt full. not against
the Spaniards, but against the pre-
sunlcd policy Of the government
whose uniform he wears. Among
the rank and file Of the democrats in
congress, the plain men from the
backwoods who do not run caucuscs
and national committees, there is an
honest desire to support the govern
mcnt regardless OF politics in the
present humanitarian war. These
plain democrats arc beside them
selves with disgust at the folly Of the
Haleys, the ,Jonescs, the Whites,
the Eryans, and the other leaders,
whose open opposition to the war for
which they clamorcd a year ago has
rendered it inevitable that the pco-
pie at the coming election for mem
: bcrs Of the house will return a ma
joritY Of republicans.
The democratic leaders are being
denounced at all times by disap-
pointed supporters, who say that Nc
kinlev started out to conduct the
war Oh broad non partisan grounds.
The action Of these foolish leaders
has been such as to force the issue
squarc1v before the people to rebuke
the men who have been carrying out
the old copper head fren the rear
| tactics. No measure for the support
Of the army or navy has been
too small for Bailey and Jones to at
tack, and they have opposed every
thing from the war revenue bill to
the scheme to provide cooks for the
: army, with the result that many
: democratic congressman from doubt
full states are writing home to their
local managers dccling to accept a