New-York tribune., 1900-12-11
DEMOCRATS DEMORALIZEp
WITHOUT A LEADER OR A POLICY IN
CONGRESS.
FIRST MOVE TOWARD PARTY
REGENERATION.
TBr TELEGRAPH TO The rRIBuxE.J

is in a worse state Of Decentralization than ever
before in the present generation The few men
remaining on the scene of action who have
clear recollection Of party conditions immedi-
ateiy following the Civil War declare that the
Democracy is now in worse shape than it was
at that time. 1t is pointed out that however
small was the party's representation in Congress
then. it had policy. purpose and leadership
Now II apparently has Of these. This is
true, at least so far as the party's present rep
resentation in Congress is concerned. as has
been abundantly demonstrated by the failure Of
the House Democrats 70 agree on any line of
procedure. They held a caucus on the first day
or the session. which was attended by two-thirds
Of the Democratic members. A portion of the
other third declined to attend Another portion
was not here to answer TO the first rollcan The
caucus was in session nearly two hours. While
II cannot be said that il broke up in a row. il
nevertheless can he asserted that its dissolution
was marked by a greater degree Of hard feeling
among the participants than is good for party
harmony in the three months that remain of the
LVIth Congress. For the first time in many
years-or did il ever occur before?-no pro-
gramme was agreed upon. Even the titular
leadership Of James D. Richardson. of Tennes-
see. was repudiated- This leaves the Democracy
without an authorized spokesman on the floor Of
the House. Mr.. Richardson was temporary
chairman Of the Kansas City Convention. and
was one Of the Bryan campaign managers in the
East. Had the Rryanites won the next House.
Richardson would have been Bryan's candidate
for Speaker. IN view Of Richardson's repudia-
ton. therefore, by his present associates. it is
argued logically that they also repudiated
Bryan. If this he not its meaning. then the con-
clusion is inevitable that Democratic conduct at
present il ever il was is not controlled by logic.
A FIERCE FIGHT EXPECTED.
feature Of this anomalous situation is that the
great majority Of Democrats now in the House
We're reelected. and therefore stand squarely
on the Bryan platform in the campaign. If
they have repudiated their leaders they have
also repudiated their platform. Upon no other
hypothesis do expert politicians here attempt
20 account for the present decentralization OF
the Democracy. Hence il is expected that be-
fore the session is much older there will be
fierce struggle for leadership among House
Democrats and a wild search for some new
party policy The would beget the other.
The caucus last Monday made every one of its
participants a leader" While this. Of course,
is realization Of the Democratic-or, perhaps
Popocratic-ideal Of politics. yet it is conceded
that fl is not calculated to conduce TO har-
monious or vigorous action. Wherefore II is
predicted that the session will be less pro-
ductive Of political results than any other of
| recent times.
The caucus and events since have demonstrat-
ed that division among the Democrats does not
stop even at the minor issues Of the late cam
paign. It reaches up even TO the paramount
issue" Mr.. Bailey. Of Texas who will be trans
ferred TO the Senate in the next Congress, is
the only Of the entire lot who now comes
out strong on the paramount" Said Bailey
the day after the abortive caucus:
I don't care what the rest of them do bus as for
vote another dollar or another man for the PhiIip
pine war: Though We fought the campaign on that
to oppose @ the s h0i TG9os P6pPna 5Rd S5a
pofy % te oeile.e II 10 be not only contrary to the
actually subversive Of the Constitution.
A CHANGE CONES OVER sULzER
Now listen to Sulzer. Of New-York, the one
time fiery. incorrigibIe and uncompromising
enemy Of the Administration. and particularly
Of imperialism You employ the wrong word
when you ask me if I going TO fight i'm
perialism. militarism and so FORTH" said Sulzer.
Oppose is the word you should use. Yes.
shall oppose the Administration at every point,
but I am done fighting for time. The Re
publicans are strong enough in this House TO
run over US if they want 70. They viii be
stronger in the next So what's the use to fight?
Hence. all I shall do is 70 oppose. Do you
catch my meaning?''
It is well known that had Bryan permitted
the Kansas CITY convention 10 come East Tor
the Vice-Presidential candidate Sulzer would
have been chosen. He was the Nebraskan's
pick Of all the Eastern material offered. There
fore, when SUlZer ceases TO rage like a lion and
proceeds instead 10 roar him gently q
sucking dove" in the fashion here noted, IL must
mean that a great change has come over the
spirit of Organism The case is slightly different
with Bailey. Bailey was never enamored Of
Bf~an as was SulZer. He has been one Of the
very few who have refused 10 sneeze every time
Bryan took snuff And vet Bailey is going
continue to fight" along the lines of the para
mount" whereas Sulzer is willing now only to
oppose"
A still more interesting phase Of the situation
as illustrated by Bailey is that the who
will be his colleague in the Senate-Mr. Culber-
son-has never indorsed the paramount" While
he is on terms OF personal friendship with
Bryan. and Mr.. Bailey is not, still Senator
Culberson made no speeches for Bryan outside
Of Texas in the campaign, whereas Bailey was
one Of the star Bryan performers in what we're
enormously called the close States Of the Middle
West. Senator Culberson is an eXpansionist.
made fight on that issue in Texas State Con-
vention years ago and won over Mr.. Bailey's
dorsed expansion under Culbersons leadership
elected a Legislature last month anti
expansion Bryan platform that will send Mr..
Bailey 10 the Senate 10 sit by the side Of Mr..
Culberson, who is more confirmed in his ex
pansion views to-day than ever before And
of any State in the Union. Perhaps there may
be somebody somewhere who tell what the
Texas Democracy now stands for. 5 typi1ed
in the conflicting views and principles Of Messrs.
Culbersou and Bailey. but the man who can does
not live n Washington.
MUST GET RID OF POPULIsM.
This exemplihcaIion from Texas is so typical
OF the general condition of the Democracy at
present exhibited al Washington that po-