The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-11-30
Struts Upon the Stage for
One Brief Hour.
BURLESON'S AMBITION
Young Texas Congressman as Men
tor to His Party.
SAYS "PIE, PLUMBER AND PELF"
Things Up In the Democrat
Ic Caucus.



Washington, Nov. 30.-Time was when
canvass for the speakership nominations
of the two great parties in the house of
representatives. In recent years, how
ever, speakership caucuses have come to
be tame affairs, the outcome having been
decided upon months in advance, and so
it is that in Washington there are few,
if any, indications that the opposing
teams Of the ffty-seventh congress are
lining up for play. Everybody knows
that David Bremner Henderson of Iowa
will be the republican candidate and
James Daniel Richardson of Tennessee
the candidate of the democrats. The pres
ent antecaucus situation is prosaic in
the extreme.
The only bit of color in it is the self
suggested offer of a young democratic
member from the lone star state, who has
stepped lightly into the arena, and with
out antagonizing any of the captains,
dares to criticize them generally and to
offer himself as the proper one to lead
his party out of the wilderness and restore
them to the proud place they once held
as real flesh and blood opponents of the
republican party. This would-be Moses is
Representative Albert Sydney Burleson of
Austin, Texas. He is not nearly so old
as President Roosevelt, having been born
in 1868, but has already served one term
in congress and thinks he knows just
what is the matter with the democratic
party. He boldly says:
No Democratic Unity.
There is no unity of mind or purpose on
the part of the men calling themselves demo-
Gratis. The party stands for one thing in
Maine, another in Texas and still another in
the middle west. In fact, there is no demo-
cratic party l am heartily sick and tired
OF entering a caucus with men protesting to
be democrats who represent populistic, So
cialistic and semirepublican ideas If the
democratic party should be called into power
tomorrow there would be grave debates
throughout the country whether the populistic
ideas of Kansas and Nebraska, the socialistic
ideas OF Ohio and Illin,S 9. the semirepub-
lican ideas Of New York and Louisiana would
control the particular representative Of the
party who might be in authority.
To show the faith that is in him, Mr.
Burleson will present the following reso-
luton at to-morrow's caucus so that the
country can see that the democrats are
earnest men, devoted to certain noble and
well defined principles:
Resolved, That every representative
in congress participating in this caucus
shall be governed by the action of said
caucus where the same does not conflict
with the declaration Of principles and
policies set forth in the last platform
adopted by the democratic party in ma
tional convention assembled.
Then, after the fate Of that little reso-
luton is decided upon, the enthusiastic
young Texan will introduce this one:
Resolved, That the best interests Of the
democratic party will be subserved by the
membership of said party in congress re-
framing from soliciting patronage at the
hands of the administration.
"Pie, PIunder and PeIf."
The meaning Of this resolution is plain,
but in order that there may be no mis-
understanding as to its full intent and
purpose Mr.. Burleson describes 1t as a
resolution to prevent the improper dis
charge of democratic duty because of the
abandonment of the party's traditions by
democratic members in return for repub-
lican pie.
According to this democratic Moses, the
republicans constitute a party of pie,
plunder and pelf When a republican, he
der or snatching pelf, he ceases to be a
republican. To-day this young Texan
warrior will not, perhaps. cease to be a
democrat, but he will cease to be a Mo-
ses just as sure as the democratic caucus
meets. He will be laid on the cold mar
BILE shelf of the caucus room and in his
place will be raised the attenuated frame
Of James Daniel Richardson Of Tennessee.
Burleson is only SO years of age while
Richardson is 3d. and while youth, am
bition and high purpose are qualifications
that enable the character of any man,
especially when fortified by a hatred of
''pie, plunder and pelf," the democratic
veteran from Tennessee possesses a
knowledge Of political affairs and an ex-
perience in legislation that places him
upon pinnacle on the minority side of
the house of representatives that no other
aspiring advocate of democratic princi-
pies may hope to reach, at least not yet.