Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-31
House Enlivened by a Disquisition on
the Democratic Party.
PEFTIGREW OPPOSES ARMY BILL
The Shipping Subsidy Bill is
Temporarily Laid Aside.
OTHER CAPITOL FEATURES

In the House today Mr.. Dalzell (Pa0,
from the committee on rules. reported
substitute for the senate resolution for the
counting of the electoral vote February H.
Mr.. Dalzell explained that in 1887 law
was passed prescribing the method in
which the vote should be counted and de-
clared. Prior to that time the count had
been made under a resolution providing
that the president OF the Senate should de-
clare the result But since the passage Of
the law 1t had not been followed and the
Senate had adopted the old abrogated reso-
luton under which the count was made
prior to 1887. The House substitute was.
he said. In the language Of the law. There
would be no declaration of the result by
the presiding officer, but simply Of the
state of the vote. which the law declared
TO be sufficient. 1t was important. he said.
that this change should be made while no
partisan controversy existed over the re-
suit. Both Mr. Richardson (Tenn.) and
Mr.. Bailey (Texas) said they considered the
change proposed advisable. The resolution
was adopted.
The House then went into committee Of
the whole and took up the consideration Of
the Notifications appropriation bill. 1t was
ed to two hours. Mr.. Hemenway (Ind.), In
charge Of the bill. made a preliminary
statement of Its contents. 1t carries ST.
227. 461. being S156,167 less than is carried
by the current law.
Mr.. Hemenway was questioned closely as
to the appropriation of 100000 for the pur-
chase of the patent on the 1sham she'll and
the formula for the manufacture Of
'thorite.' He stated that the Isham shell
was undoubtedly the best she'll In existence
for firing high explosives. but he admitted
that General Burlington. chief of the bu-
reau Of ordnance. had recently stated that
g,A \, SNh
equaled "thorite," although until recent
date he had contended that "thorite" was
uneQualed and unexcelled.
Democratic Party Not Dead.
Taking advantage of the latitude allowed
in general debate Mr.. Lanham CTex) sub
mitted some remarks upon the question OF
the reorganization Of the democratic party.
He was given a very attentive hearing by
ais political colleagues. He reviewed the
lines of cleavage within the party with a
view to ascertaining whether there was
not a common ground upon which the
various elements in the party could be re-
united for future purpose.
He offered his suggestions, he said. in a
pacific spirit to ascertain whether the gulf
between the elements was impossible. The
gold democrats, he said. who bore none Of
the scars of battle now. with unbridled au-
dacity did not propose to return like the
prodigal son In humility, but they were
demanding as cOnult1On or thelr return
that they should head the procession. They
offered very freely their unsolicited advice.
The talk Of the reorganization of the dem
ocratic party, he said. was puerile and I'M
the party was distasteful to the rank and
fle. The democratic party had suffered
defeat many times. but IT would survive
as long as free institutions did.
Apotheosis of Bryan.
The talk of shelving Mr.. Bryan, he said.
was premature. He had fallen with his
back to the field and his feet to the foe He
was a splendid American citizen and a
democrat. II was improbable that he would
ever again aspire to the nomination. but It
was too early to discuss the candidates OF
he future. H. pointed to the strength Of
he republican party, which. he said, was
founded upon the subversion Of the indi-
ridual TO the main purposes of the organ
zatlon- Republicans differed in preliminary
skirmishes, but they always were united
when the real shock of battle came. He re-
ferred To the action of Senator Hoar as a
striking example and proof Of this fact
Slap at Cleveland.
He contrasted the course OF the Massa-
chusetts senator with that of Mr.. Cleve-
land. twice elected President by the demo-
cratic party. who in two campaigns subse-
quent to his own election turned his back
upon his old party associates.
Mr.. Lanham said If Mr.. Cleveland and
other democrats whose great abilities no
one could deny, really believed that de-
feat TO their party was necessary to bring
1t back to its old mornings, those who had
stood fast by the party's candidates and
platform might show charity Those of the
democrats who had left the party in 1896.
but who had returned in 1900. had been
welcomed with open arms. He had well
coined the return Of HILL Olney, Cochran
and the others who had rallied to the res
cue of the republic in the recent campaign
democratic applause)
Majority Rule the Cardinal Doctrine
Divided. the democrats could not sue
coed. The party had split upon the silver
question. Mr.. Lanham pointed out that 10
matter how firm the silver democrats stood
to their faith in the present conditions the
nope of bimetallism would be long DELAYED
II II should turn out that the silver lues-
ton should not be disturbing question in
the next convention. what obstacle was
mere to complete reunion? If those who
mad departed should return not to absorb
but TO reassociate themselves with u.s. aid
Mr.. Lanham. why should they not be re-
celFed! But they must come prepared to
subscribe to the cardinal doctrine of the
-acquieSeence in the will OF the ma
jority.