New-York tribune., 1902-03-31
TROUBLE FOR DEMOCRATS
SOUTH DISPLACES WEST IN PARTY'S
MANAGEMENT
o2I9as's LEADERSHIP PLEAsEs REPUBII-
CANs-DEFEAT OF JONES
my TELEGRAPH TO THE rR1RrxF.

IRT TELFGRAPI TO THE TRIRrNFl
Washington. March 3o-Events of the last
week show plainly that the Democratic leaders
in Congress are energeticaIIy working out a
plan for the Congress campaign this year. with
view Of welding their party together for the
Presidential contest Of 1904 Whether they ac-
complish what they have started out to do is
OF course, a different matter. though il cannot
be denied that they animated by a more
hopeful spirit than they have displayed for sev-
sral years. but, being Democrats of course they
are inconsistent and illogical even IN their pre-
hninary work For example. when Bryan was
last here he received the chiIliest treatment
that ever WAS accorded to him since he became
the Peerless" The meaning Of this was and
obviously is that the Democratic managers are
looking for new peerless" What. then. is 10
be thought Of them when they turn around and
Put at the head Of their Congress campaign
committee the one man 10 whom all the anti
Bryanites in Congress had declared only week
ago should not be intrusted so important post?
a pretty paper plan had been arranged with
what seemed 10 reveal CLEANS Of intelligence to
place the management Of the Congress cam
paign in hands untanted with Organism. and
ex-Congressman Ben Davis Of Illinois, had con-
sented to serve chairman Of the executive
committee OF the general committee which
meant that all the real work was TO be done by
this experienced manipuatOr and "putocrat."
But when the new Congress campaign commit
tee held a meeting last Friday night, the offer
OF Mr.. Gable rejected, and Mr. Griggs of
Georgia, who is serving his third term in the
House, and Ike Bryan. is a boy orator." with
no other known qualifications to recommend him
except that he had legged" nightly for the
place. elected chairman. This puts the
Southern Democracy again in the saddle-the
very thing the thoughtful and farsighted mem
her Of he NT-
Griggs represents a rural district that returned
him last year with total Of little over
1000 10 "24 scattering" in the language he
employs in the Congress directory to describe
his political achievements.
SELECTION PLEASEs REPUBLICANS
In other words, the Democrats have selected
10 manage their national Congress campaign
man who has never had a fight in his dis
trict. II is conceded without question that this
Is their own affair. but il is also suggested by
their critics that If they are really going TO make
a fight for Congress the country would respect
them more if they would make a vigorous and
intelligent fight. It imay be that the original
programme for their Congress campaign will be
carried out partly, in that Chairman Griggs will
appoint Mr.. Cable chairman of the executive
committee, but even if the Illinois should
accept the place, which is doubtful, the amb
tious young Georgian will to it that Mr..
Cable is a mere fgurehead in the enterprise.
Naturally. the Republicans are much pleased
with the turn the Democrats, with their usual
faulty, have given to their Congress campaign.
This remark is also applicable to the manner in
which the Democratic majority in both the
House and Senate are conducting themselves.
An analysis Of their course to date demonstrates
that they still view imperialism the para
mount issue Upon this ground they opposed
the Philippine Revenue bill in the Senate as well
as the House. and they fighting the
Philippine Civil Government bill on the same
grounds. The fact that the people rejected this
issue in square fight seems to make no differ
ence whatever TO the Democratic managers
Even Watterson and German are ringing the
changes on imperialism" and while the Ken
lucky editor formulated the new platform
the annual dinner OF the Virginia Society in this
city last week declaring that the party must
drop all discussion OF both Bryan and Cleveland
on the penalty Of eXconlnlunication those who
dare 10 act differently still he continues have
dreadful visions about the man on horse
back" and similar appurtenances Of i'm
periaIism He and Mr.. German also see some
thing awful in Mr.. Crumpacker's innocent
proposition 10 investigate the election laws
and methods Of every State in the Union
with the view Of cutting down represen-
tation 10 the asis Of the actual vote instead of
permitting one voter in part Of the country
10 WELD the power Of two or three voters in an
other part Of the country. To the afrighted
eyes Of Messrs. Watterson and German there is
q force bill in the Crumpacker proposition
and this thought makes them lament in pene-
trating cutcries the fate Of this nation and the
veal Of free government through the earth.
sTRADDLING A FENCE.
1t cannot be expected that the Democrats in
Congress would be consistent in their course
on this. their favorite and paramount
were Democratic attributes the Democrats
would hail with delight the opportunity af-
forded by the Payne bin 10 enter into recip-
rocal trade arrangement with Cuba Instead ,,e
doing this. they about evenly divided on
this proposition in both houses. While Of course
processing an overweening desire TO do some
thing for Cuba, and always proclaiming the
wish 10 smash the tariff whenever the chance
to do so is presented. they still doing every
thing in their power to embarrass the move
ment for Cuban reciprocity, because the renra-
sentatives Of the beet sugar interest are vowing
vengeance every man in Congress who votes
for the Payne bill. In other words the Demo-
Gratis are protectionists TO Cuba and anti
imperialists everything else. Stated IN
another form, Democratic craftsmanship in Con
gress begins and ends with the doctrine that
everything proposed by the party in power must
be opposed
Of Democratic politics during the last week was
the defeat OF Senator James X. Jones in the Ar
kansas primaries for denomination Senator
Jones is chairman Of the Democratic National
State. He is also Bryans guide philosopher
and friend The Peerless" fought openly for
Jones's denomination. going so far as to
assert positively in his newspaper that the
Round Bale Cotton COmDanV in which he