Rocky Ford enterprise. (Rocky Ford, Colo.) 1887-1950, 1901-03-16

President Mckinley has accom-
plishcd with reference TO Congress n
thing that seemed impossible. lie has
overcome organized opposition TO adj
minlstration policy. The belief Is cS-
pressed that his second term. rs was
that OF Munroc. viii be known TO his
tory as an ERA OF good feeling" The
show OF resistance In the Senate 60 the
Cuban and Philippine amendments to
the army bill. and the party vote form
ally registered against them did not
represent real opposition under party
organization.
II Is recognized even by some Demo-
Gratis that opposition TO the general
policy OF the administration with ref
crcncc to our insular affairs Is being
80 undermined that ut this time It may
be said truthfully that II is not repre-
scented by an Observation-Disclosures party
In Congress. There IL no party that
can be held together In antngonism TO
the administration. A considerable
number OF the Democrats are In such
n state OF mind that they are not will
ing to seriously resist the administra-
ton. Underneath this lies lack Of
faith in opposition being right and the
fact that general cooperation is au
aggressive policy OF opposition cannot
be secured. a move in that direction
receives n check Mt once through the
threatened disclosure of the disinte-
grafton that has been going on with
in the Democratic congressional or
ganiZation.
The party as n compact organization
cannot be led into n fight. and every
attempt Mt such leadership has dis
closed n lack of courage or n lack of
faith in their own position among
Democrats. and n disposition. directly
or indirectly, to aid the President in
carrying out his policy. The resist
ance that Is made is either merely
formal of half-hearted. or Is confined
to n few individuals who cannot Sc
| cure support enough to make their eff
| forts successful. Much of the public
criticism Of the Presidents policy Is
believed to be insincere, and he has
enough support of an indirect sort
| from men who, in their hearts. believe
that the attitude of opposition Is
wrong 10 render ineffective every eff
| fort TO organize minority fight.
There is an underlying good will to-
ward the President within the Demo-
| cratic party. This has been brought
| about largely through the tact and
skill of the President himself. though
assisted by the divergence of opinion
both as to principles and policies with
in the minority party. The President
| has shown generosity and amiabilitv
toward members Of the minority party,
| assuming n manner of such frankness
| toward them and readiness to listen
| to them and to treat them in n nom
| partisan spirit, that he has succeed
ed in establishing good feeling to an
extent that may hardly be realized by
the public, and which is effective in
taking the real force out of partisan
| opposition in Congress.
a tremendous effort was made by n
few men TO grouse party spirit and
to force relentless fight against the
| Cuban and Philippine propositions.
but the feeling could not be found that
would be necessary to sustain such n
struggle. Besides the feeling of half
approval of the administration policy,
| there was encountered a fear to take
| the responsibility for consequences
that might follow an interference with
the Presidents plans. While the mi
nority might be held together fairly
well for merely formal opposition.
| this could be only with the knowledge
that it was not to amount to anything.
| The weakness of the party spirit
that holds the Democrats in Congress
| together Is an alarming revelation TO
some of the party leaders 1t is real
lied that a strong feeling of loyalty to
the administration and good will to.
ward Mckinley exists within the So
| called opposition, and that the minor
| lty party is so uncertain in its atti-
tude that the President has only an in
dividual, not an organized party oppo-
| sitiOn in Congress. This Is regarded
rs one of the greatest triumphs for
! any president in many years.-Wash-