The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-10


IN the parade, and also at the ball. He
seemed surprise, however, when he was
informed that there were no "dead-head'
oalI tickets to be had, and complained to
the committee that il was, in his opinion,
an insult to invite him to Washington
on such an oocason and require him to
pay for his ball ticket. The circum-
stances were explained to him, and he re-
luctantly gave up the price of the ticket.
But he went home denouncing the man.
asement of the Inauguration, so far as
the distribution of ball tickets was con-
cerned.
Democratic Leadership.
During the closing days of the Congress
which has just ceased to exist, there
was much discussion among the Demo-
cratic members of the House of the mat
ter of leadership of the minority in the
new Congress. About the only point on
which the minority is practically unani-
mous-for the Democratic minority makes
a speciality of lack of unanimity on most
subjects-is that the leadership in the
last House has not been altogether salts
factory. There is a difference of view as
to the degree of criticism which should
be hurled at the system and at the man
who has been the recognized leader, some
contending that the fault is not so much
with the system as with the man, while
others are equally positive that the man
is all right, while the system is bad.
Whatever may be the weight of opinion
in this controversy, the fact remains that
there is almost universal dissatisfaction
with the results attained. There are
some Democrats who criticise Maj. Rich
ardson and go so far as to declare that
because of the unfortunate controversy
growing out of the pubhcatio by him of
the Messages of the Presidents and the
methods employed by the people to whom
he transferred the plates given him by
Congress, he has been vulnerable to at
tack and in consequence timid in his lead
ership The criticisms which have been
hurled at him, particularly by the New
York Sun, have been very severe, but it
would certainly be difficult for anybody,
no matter how inclined he might be to
criticise, to point out any specific act OF
timidity.
The man who undertakes to lead
Democratic minority has no soft snap, to
say the least of it. Judge Crisp, who
possessed powers of leadership in high
degree, found this out, for there were
always some Democrats who would kick
over the traces. Joe Bailey, who was
certainly right in most of his acts during
the time of his leadership of the minor
ity, was so harrassed by the little crowd
of kickers that he threw it up in disgust
Maj. Richardson has been much more
generally criticised than either Crisp or
Bailey, and his position as leader has
been anything but a pleasant one. There
have been several efforts to put forward
other men for the place in the new Con-
gress, but none of these seem to have any
real substance to them. Judge Dearmond
and Champ Clark of Missouri, and Col
Bankhead of Alabama, have been men
toned, but the opposition to the Rich
ardson leadership could not rally around
any Of those who have been mentioned.
The present indications are, therefore,
that Maj. Richardson will be accorded the
honor of leadership in the next Congress
without any serious opposition. But there
is as great possibility that it will not
be the same sort of unlimited leadership
that now eXists-in theory at least.
The idea of steering committee to act
for the party and determine its course
toward legislation under considera ton,
has been advanced, and there seems to
be a general disposition on the part of
the Democrats to the idea. A good many
Democrats have contended that the best
way 20 go at this thing was for the rep
resentatives of the party to caucus and
in caucus determine what they will do;
but it is.v very well known by everybody
that Democratic caucuses in the House
therefore, between the unlimited leader
ship which is a failure and the caucus
which is also a failure, there is little to
chose, the Steering Committee proposition
has been suggested and it seems to be
the best solution of the problem in sight.
The Republicans have in their Commit
tee on Rules what is practically a steer
ing committee. That is a House COM
mittee with a Democratic representation
l1,,k IN, ~1rf,,
the Democrats are not considered. The
Republican majority of the committee of
which the Speaker is a member, simply
goes ahead and determines what the ma
jority shall do, and the majority does it.
The creation of a steering com:nIttee
would, therefore, give the Democrats Cf
the House an active and efficient means
of getting together and determining the
party policy. This does not Apply 10 the
broad questions of principles, because
those are determined by the party plat
form, but it applies to the application of
those principles to pending legislation and
to the proper action to be taken on mat
tiers not altogether political, but which
have necessarily a political bearing.
One great advantage of this Steering
Committee idea, as i see il, is that it
will give an opportunity for younger men
on the Democratic side being represented
in the determination of the party policy.
Speaking broadly, the strength of the
Democratic side of the House is in its
young men. This does not mean that all
the young men are able and wise in
counsel or that all the old men are not;
but it is apparent that there are a num-
Der of young men on the Democratic
side who are ADLER than most of the
old men who because of seniority of men,
bershp, cut the greater figure in the
party councils. With a Steering Commit
tee of say FIVE members made up largely
Of the younger men on the Democratic
side, there would, it seems 20
ne, be very much bet
ter chance of the partys policy being
clearly outlined and vigorously executed,
than there is now. There would, / be-
Ieve be less of the tendency to magnify
little things which now exists and a
broader grasp of the big questions of poll
icy. And this would be the best thing
that could happen to the party. The
fact is the party is suffering from dis
position on the part of it's nominal lead
ers to magnify the little things and ig-
more entirely the perspective with which
the country at large views these little
things, which may seem important to one
having a part in legislation in Washing
ton.
There would also, 1 believe, be broad
er grasp of the broader questions of par
ty policy and this would certainly be
most desirable.
The Democratic minority certainly needs