Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1902-12-04

he, in all human probability,
will ever preside. This fact created a
feeling of sadness in many hearts, for
Henderson is personally prime favor
ite. He is most lovable man. wears
his heart upon his sleeve and stands
by his friends. Nothing but kind
wishes will follow him into his retire
ment.
Over near the center of the Repub-
lican side was "Uncle joe Cannon, ra-
diant and rosy. He is the rising sun,
and many did obeisance to him l don't
blame Uncle Joe" for being happy. 1t
is vast honor which is coming to him
and will perpetuate his name in his
tory and his lineaments done in oil''
upon the historic walls of the speak
er's lobby. Everybody had kind word
for "Uncle Joe," and Uncle Joe" had a
smile and a kind word for everybody.
The speakership is an excellent good
thing to have i'll the family.
Tom and Mark.
Recently l spent nearly a week lee
turing in Ohio. two or three of the days
in Cleveland Law papers begin, ''rhe
county of Blank. in the state of Blank" !"
1t would not be improper or stretching
things much in speaking of Cleveland
to say, "The city of Tom johnson, in
the state of Mark Hanna" The sena-
tor lords it over the state, but the may
or is supreme in the city. That they
are preparing for a death struggle in
the nayoralty election next spring is
known of ali men in Buckeyedom You
hear it everywhere the hotels. in
the trains, in the streets. Tom is play
ing for great stake-the presidency.
The two stepping stones thereto, ac-
cording to his philosophy, are re-elec-
ton to the mayoralty in April and the
election to the governorship in Novem-
Der. Uncle Mark wouldn't object to he
ing president himself. He is deter
mined that Tom shall not have it if he
can prevent it, and so these two polit-
ical giants are furnishing up their ar
NOR. whetting their knives and laying
i'll munitions of war for the preliminary
skirmish in the spring. Il skirmish "big
with the fate of Cato and of Rome"
Having served i'll the house with
Tom, l, of course. had some idea of the
secret of his strength. but in Cleveland
l inquired into it more particularly,
and | found that it consists in two
things mostly-the fact that the peo-
pie believe implicitly i'll his loyalty to
ss,r1le l,i
word with all men. The newspaper
jabber to the effect that he is Il "fakir,"
"mountcbank, poser" 'drlnagogue,
etc, appears to have no more effect
on him than pouring water Oh ducks
back; no more effect on him than the
dollar mark cartoons have had on Sen
ator Hanna's standing with Repub-
licans.
Tom gets grim pleasure out of his
fight with Hanna Not long since one
of bis friends said, "ronl. you didn't
take any vacation this year. Mel
ther did Uncle Mark" replied Tom.
And so they go on wooling each other,
these two most eminent citizens Of
Cleveland.
A Pleasant Function.
While in Cleveland offended non-
political reception rendered by his ad-
miripg constituents to Judge Theodore
Il. Burton, chairman of the house COM
mittee on rivers and harhors 1t was
held in the Chamber of Commerce and
was a most enjoyable function. and
Burton deserved it. He has most
honorable and lahorious station to fill.
and he fills it with fidelity and capac-
ity. He appears to have strong hold
on the affections of his constituents
without regard TO party affiliations.
Evidently he was very proud of the
reception, and he made an exceedingly
felicitous speech. Burton's constitu
ents should memorialize him to marry,
as it is a pity for such an amiable gen
tlcman to go through life as an old
bachelor.
The Republicans in the Ohio delega-
tion dealt Burton rather cold deal in
his speakership aspirations. but his
turn may come after awhile. However
much the Ohio delegation may turn
the cold shoulder to him, his constitu-
ents appear to love him.
Burton, unless his mind has under
gone d radical change, will have a
great work a most important and
patriotic public duty-to perform at
this short and closing session of the
Fifty-seventh congress, and that is to
lead tile fight against the Hanna
Payne ship subsidy bill, measure as
vicious and unjustifiable as any ever
introduced into congress. The clans
are rallying to force it through, for 1t
is case of now or never. make bold
to predict that unless that bill is passed
at the short session this winter it never
will be passed, for every day that it is
postponed makes only more apparent
the fact that there is no necessity
whatever for any such law. Our ship
ping is growing apace without any
such hotbed process and in another
year will have reached such proper
tions that the advocates of ship sub
6idy will be laughed out of court even
by their own party fellows. Conse-
quently they will make herculean eff
forts to get away with the swag at
this session.
Reform.
1t is given out that when he Is speak
sr Uncle joe Cannon intends to work
a reform by increasing the membership
of the committee on rules from five to
nine. 1t may be seriously questioned,
however, whether that would really
be any reform at all. So long as the
committee is appointed by the speaker
and consists of odd numbers. so as to
make the speakers vote the deciding
factor in the committee, it matters
little whether 1t consists of one mem
ber or any other number. So long as
that situation remains. the speaker will
be the committee Colonel Hepburn
has plan Which would TO large ex-
tent emancipate the committee from
the domination of the speaker, and
that is to increase the membership to
thirteen and make the members cleo
tive, each party caucus selecting its
proportional part of the committee.
Really the thing that gives the speaker
such tremendous power is the fact that
he appoints the committees. SO long
as he can do that, he will dominate the