New-York tribune., 1898-11-28
Mr. BiyLEY AND HIS MANIFESTO.

General Garfield once sportively referred 10
ono of his associates in the National House oi
REPRESENTATIVES as "A statesman of magnificent
nhvs,coI proportions" That statement ampn-
fled so as to include suitable reference to his
.nhvsical beauty, could be applied to our friend
from Texas. the genial Congressman Bailey
and would M once be unanimously accepted AZ
truthful and appropriate by all men and women
who have seen and admired him on account or
his posscssion of these attributes. But Mr.
Bailey has otl.cr claims on public attention lie
is a leader of men. having been advanced TO
that position by the formal action of the Demo
cratic caucus at The beginning of the LNth
Congress. Mr.. Bailey has issued a manifesto
from Houston. Tex in which he asserts with
APPARENT confidence thai he will he reelected
leader oc The House Democratic minority AT the
beginning of the LNIth Congress, and offers
some observations on the next Democratic Ma
tional platform as to what it will and will moi
contain on the subject of territorial acquisitions
TO which he is now as strongly opposed as he
was when the Texas Democratic convention
took a different view. and, liGuratvcly speak
ing. ran over him a few months ago. 1t also
appears although not asserted on his direct au-
thority that he is giving serious consideration
United States Senate to succeed Mr.. Chiffon in
1901.
1t will be seen that Mr.. Bailcy's programme
is Il somewhat ambitious one. But there are
lions in his path He has been phenomenally
''lucky' politician in many respects. but hc has
already wasted large share of his political
capital. His elevation 10 the minority leadership
of the House of Representatives over the heads
,11 pSl1
which he accounted piece of rare good fort
nnc was actually misfortune. His leadership,
thus far has not been n conspicuous success.
In fact, il was foredoomcd TO failure The
minority in the present House is composed of an
unusually large number of diverse and dis
cor,lant elements. which il would have been an
exceedingly difficult and perpcXing task if not
an impossible one for even so sagaclouS and
moderate n legislator as Governor SaycrS, of
Mr.. Railey'S own State or SO Skilful parlia
mcntarian rs Mr. McMillin. of Tennessee, 10
have led 10 success
II goes without saying that Mr.. Bailey does
not possess the skill, sagacity experience or any
of the other qualities of parliamentary leader
ship possessed by either of those men. or by a
dozen other Democratic members whose names
will suggest themselves TO everybody familiar
Wltn me proceedings OF I OllSTtNS curing lDc
last ten fifteen years. Besides. the caucus
which nominated Mr.. Bailey for the Speakership
was by no means an harmonious body and i'll 1t
were engendered personal and factional resent
mentS and iealouSles which have not even yet
been allayed. much less cured. Moreover. the
minority leader is man Of uncertain tempera-
mcnt. and members of his own party have fire.
Quen,ly been the objects of his fcrcesl wrath
and dcnuncationS, which sometimes caused ex-
plosionS and occasionally revolt in the Demo
cratic ranks at critical time.
Mr.. Bailey'S road 10 reelection leader of
the minority will be strewn with difficulties
which he will probably find it impractcablc To
surmount. As for his observations on the next
National plaiform of his party. he will prob
ably change his opinion dozen times before
the convention assemblies. and revise il again
the day the convention adiOurns When he
enters the Senatorial race. if he does So he will
find among his opponents thai stanch veteran
Governor SaycTs. who is 10y long odds the most
popular Democrat in the Lone Star State.