The age-herald., 1902-01-22
Washington Day by Day

has taken It's place amongst things that were hoped for and are not to be hoped for any longer. Panama is decoy. and the construction of a trans-isthmian ca nal between the Atlantic and the Pacific is indefinitely postponed-possibly for a generation.
 Nearly two weeks ago there was in general terms outlined in this correspond ence the substance of what Is now fully developed.
 week ago in this place was published an interview with former Senator Pugh, in the course of which he foretold in ex- l press terms the unanimous report of the canal commission in favor of the Panama route. That was five days before the commission filed its report and five days before 1t was declared in the White l House and in the State Department that nothing was known in either place as to the commissions probable decision. But 1 Senator Pugh knew what he was talk ing about; he had taken it upon himself to ascertain the facts, regardless of theo- l ries and rumors of theories This is easily 1 explainable upon the ground that MT. 1 Pugh served many years with almost all l the Senators of real power and informa- tun, and by them he Is held in the high l est and most intimate esteem because of l his great character, intellectual force and amiability. Yet when tlls correspond 1 ent, as an act of good will and courtesy, gave the information to a representative of a great Eastern journalIit was pooh poohed.
 l And it is a fact singulai enough for record that The Age-Herald warned the public of the true character of the canal commissions pending report days before any other newspaper in the country did more than vaguely hint at i. The man who told you so' is in ordinary circum- stances little better than a nlisance; but to have told you so' first s the most valuable part of a newspapirs capital. Therefore The Age-Herald is of right to repeat the worn but most serviceable phrase.
 Three noted Alabamians ofi their jour- ney to Washington Sunday nprning read in a newspaper the decision t the canal commission.
 We saw that in the AgeHerald ten days ago." they said, and repeated it to some Congressman whom tiey saw im- mediately after their arrival
 When Senator Pugh's atfntion was called to the commissions offtial report, he smiled benignly and said Imply:
 "I had informed myself. Thre will be no canal act passed by the pAsent Con- gress."
 Perhaps a more signal y.tory was never achieved by any lobby. Il is amaz- ing that the money-power of afew men defeats the will and denies theemphatic demand of virtually all the lmerican people. But that is precisely hat the anti-canal lobby has done. Thodh fore seen for weeks and expressed ! these columns, it is amazing still. It ma prove for the money power dearly-bouht ht vic- tory; it may not. But it's meaningto the people is appalling.
 There is a strong impression tht the esteemed steering committed" of Nelve 1 members of the House Democraticeau- GUS has prepared material for a cosid- l erable display of oratorical fireworks ext |
 
 gressmen and leaders generally are lot | altogether happy over the prospect. |
 It appears that during the two pA- | longed sessions of this council of tweA | the past week there was more or lel heated controversy, and many thinA were said that ought not to have beep said. The trouble that threatens now iA l of them, may have done things that ought not to have been done. At any rate there is very general uneasiness and apprehen- sion, due as much to what is not known as to what is obscure.
 The committee agreed upon and pre- pared certain resolutions to be presented to the caucus Friday night, and until then all the other Democratic members are to be kept in entire ignorance of the | scope and purpose of the propositions. This is understood to be due to MT. Rich- ardson of Tennessee, the official leader of the Democratic side of the House, who, according to reports, pledged every member of the committee to absolute se- crecy until the assembling of the caucus" |
 This may be wise or it may be other wise; that femains to be seen; but un- questionably there is much dissatisfaction over the situation.
 The trouble began with the proposition that the caucus declare line of party policy and require every Democratic member of the House to abide by such policy. Now we all of us know that a caucus of the Democratic members of the House has no more right or power to de- clare a general party policy-adopt a party platform, in other words-than has | the Democratic executive committee of the city of Birmingham. National con- ventions alone are powerful to fix na- tional party policies; and until the con- vention of 1904 assemblies the Kansas City | platform is the law of the Democratic party upon every subject it covers.
 Whether that platform be good or bad, or merely indifferent, is a question not now nor in this place to be considered. As far as it goes 1t is the Democratic law, and caucus of the Democrats in Congress is absolutely without authority to add one word to it or take one word away. For the caucus to reafflrm the platform would be nonsensical and ab- surd, while to mark out new line of | national policy would be to exceed in a farsical degree the powers and privileges |