The age-herald., 1902-02-01
Washington Day by Day

 Ward said of his newspaper as sent to various persons-the weekly Commoner of Lincoln, Neb, comes to the Democratic Congressman, with the compliments of Editor Bryan, who says he hopes his clippings will strengthen members of the faith in upholding Democratic principles It must be confessed, after dilfgent in- quiry for accurate newspaper informa- ton, as cherished by even the poorest of Us newsgatherers, the Comnoner is not an eagerly-read publication so far as Democratic Congressmen are concerned. In fact many of the members of that party can't, or don't at any rate, find time to read at all that journal of "the common masses of the common people" whatever that may mean in the land of the free; and notwithstanding the great respect-almost unequal1ed. one might say-of all the American people for Edi- tor Bryan's irreproachable purity of personal character. his political views nowadays are as the voice of one crying in the wilderness.
 MT. German is practically the only man seriously considered here in relation to the Democratic nomination for President something over two years hence, although Joe" Baileys expressed opposition to MT Hill has of late tended to win for the New Yorker a generous consideration that he might not otherwise have re- ceived, for thoughtful and conservative Democrats who remember that Mr. Bailey is still alive are accustomed to regarding him as being generally wrong As rule, however, Mir. Bailey comes and goes and utters words and words en- tirely unheeded in Washington.
 But the Commoner of Lincoln, Neb, has attracted some attention and aroused considerable disagreeable sentiment by it's constant filings at Perry Belmont, lead ing journals having informed the public on the subject.
 Now MT Belmont hasn't got more friends than any other man in the United States, and there wasn't any Ill., tie weeping amongst Democrats in Con- gress when he was recently defeated by a Republican for Congress in the Seventh NeW 1OTk QlSIIlClf Out hiC A' PNAA@-FS VI good a Democrat in the party sense as the editor of the Commoner, and high court of law declared him to be the Democratic nominee for Congress True he did not shane all the public views Of the editor of the Commoner, but in that respect he did not differ from millions of other Democrats who actively support cd and voted for the Commoner editor for President of the United tSates. It is incomprehensible that MT. Bryan has not yet discovered this fact. and it is there- fore comprehensible that he should glory in the triumph of a Republican over Democrat for Congress, where, in exist ing circumstances, every possible Demo- cratic vote is needed to battle against threatened legislation that is gravely ominous.
 With very rare exceptions of great na- tional concern, notably in 1872 and in 1S9s Democrats universally have support ed the men of their own party for public office. It is worse than useless now to discuss the merits of the party division of 1S96 for virtually all the voters who arrayed themselves against Mir Bryan then for reasons they deemed patriotic rather than partisan, voted for him four years later.
 Let Perry Belmont rest in the retire. ment from which he perhaps should not for party reasons have emerged; but 1t is to be regretted that MT. Bryan Is utterly indifferent to the fact that MT. Belmont's enforced retirement at this time is the loss of a much-needed Democratic vote in Congress. More than that, 1t is to be regretted that MT. Bryan should so per- sistently butt his head against the ada mantine wall of Democratic conviction that the party has had more than enough of his domination and that 1t will accept him not again as chief leader.
 It isn't the hen that cackles the loudest that lays the largest egg. nor can you judge the cigars by the pictures on the box.
 Discussion of Perry Belmont serves to recall his notorious rudeness to MT. Blaine before a congressional committee of Investigation some twenty years ago. MT. Belmont. who was then a painfully young and painfully pretentious member of Congress, overstepped the rules of de- cency in dealing with MT. Blaine as witness, for Mir. Blaine was then an elder ly man, had been speaker Of the House and United States Senator, and was the hero of half the people of America Political passion had led to the circula- tion of grave scandal and outrageous islander involving MT. Blaine and other eminent men. The House of Representa- tives undertook to investigate the charges, and Perry Belmont being a member of the committee charged with the work, he had an opportunity to bully and insult the great
 hitherto unpublished version of the story of the famous 'Mulligan letters" which figured so conspicuously in the charges against Mir. Blaine. is related to this correspondent by an intelligent and trustworthy barber of Washington It has specifically to do with the most impor1 tant of the letters, the one which Mir. Blaine succeeded in taking from the newspaper reporter and about which there was a great outcry, as the files of newspapers show.
 This barber. who is unusually well-in- formed, was in those days employed in the Riggs House, across Fifteenth street from the treasury, and he happened to be