The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-12-10
.EANSANS GJIT|N pE
Representatives in Congress
Working Hard for West.
DEMOCRATS MOST CRAZY
Di8organization Of Minority Is
Funny Side Feature.


party.
Trouble began with long interview
given out prior to the Democratic caucu,
before congress convened by Representa-
tive Burleson of Texas. he posed as ;
Moses. He was ready to lead the minor
ity out of the wilderness, but he and 9th
ers lost their way and led it further int
the forest Of bewilderment Mr.. BurIesor
had nice little iron-bound and copper
riveted pledge which he expected eacf
/ minority member 10 make, to the effec
| that he would not support any measur.
out Of line with the last Democratic plat
form; and that each member would not
stultify himself, his party and his prin
ciples by accepting Republican patronage
When the Democrats met in caucus Mr.
Burleson introduced his resolutions. They
were holly discussed by himself and Other
friends, and by opponents of such course
The result was the resolutions were left
for later caucus action, and all the caucus
did was to make up its slate for officials
for the house organization.
Mr.. Mcclellan Of New Yorw. son of the
well-known general of the war of the re-
bellion, and a member of the committee
on ways and means, also dipped in and
added TO the trouble.
Mr.. Mcclellan introduced a long set OF
resolutions declaring the attitude OF the
minority on certain important public is
sues. They recited the party's opposition
to tariff and TO shipping subsidies. 1t
was after these resolutions that Mr..
Richardson, house leader Of the minority,
4,
having the resolutions referred to a COM
mittee to report after the holiday recess.
After the trouble with Mr.. Mcclellan.
and after he had been sat upon proper
length of time. Mr.. Fitzgerald of New
York arose in his place and offered res
olution which Immediately aroused the
wrath OF Western Democrats. 1t read
like this:
That we oppose any interference with
the existing standard Of values That
question has been settled by repeated and
overwhelming expressions of popular SEN
timent, and must be definitely closed by
the statutory recognition of gold as the
sole standard. The Democracy of New
York has the greatest respect for their
brethren who for many years sought the
establishment Of bimetallic standard
but the interests OF capital and labor
alike, and, above all, the interests Of the
wage-earners Of the country, forbid that
the legal standard OF values be uncer-
tain"
The row broke out in tull force follow
ing the introduction of this resolution
Bitterly did the Western Democrats score
their Eastern brethren, and valiantly did
~.
again Mr.. Richardson. the suave leader
appeared, and succeeded in having the
resolutions referred to the committee for
future action.
All this shows that the Democrats, be
sides being in the minority in the present
house are hopelessly confused. They will
probably not get together. before the end
of the session. The radical views of the
Western members. and tire equally deter
mined idea Of che Eastern Democrats to
ueorganize the party on their basis. win
cause trouble indefinitely. But the East
erners have eveery hope of making the
new Democracy OF their kind.
Also interesting IN the early days Of the
session was the action OF the once Pop
ulist party Of the house. Not only did all
the Pcpulists and silverftes and silver
Republicans so into the Democratic eau
Gus, except Neville and Stark of Nebras-
lta, but there was another incident. On
the opening day, as a result Of Demo
cratic caucus action. all the Populists bat
one voted for Mr.. Richardson, Democrat
ic nominee for speaker. Previous 10 this
the Populists have had their own nom
NEE This time all but Neville Of Ne
voted for Stark, his Populist colleague
from Nebraska. Stark himself voted for
Richardson.
Thus endeth the Populist party, so far
as the house IS concerned-andf it is the
same way in the senate.
The interesting thing in the recent. rs
well as the decisions of last May. OF the
supreme court. is the fact that Mr.. jus
tice Brown was the whole court.
Last May. on the rownes case. which
decided the governments contention TO
collect duties under the Porto Rican tar
if law. Nr. Brown Joined with Justices
Cray, Shiras. White and MoKenna. OPP
posed were Chief Justice Fuller. Justices
Brewer. Peckh3m and Harlan. So Mr..
Brown held the balance of power. ON the
Delirna case. which said that prior 10 the
enactment OF the Porto Rican tariff law
no 6nties couls bs collected. With the
eight justices equally divided on the prop
osiiior srr brown vent with rbfef .T,ls.
tice Fuller and his associates and swung
he decision tb.+ vav IN this recent de-
,isi,, $, tl,a f,,olsv cse. assn tla court
vs. eo.,sll,. ,i5,i5sd ana sfr rrav-n ven.
-,5,b ~, fo,,- justices headed bv Rfr