Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1902-03-22
THE POLITICAL SITUATION.
Campaign Of 1904 Through Henry
Wstterson's spectacles.


WaftersOn's Spectacles.
In a letter written from Washington
and received at Louisville, Ky, Henry
Watterson says, according to the New
York World: es'Tsst
'sTo a hayseed like myself, who comes
to Washington to pick up a little IN
formation and polish, the outlook is
discqura ging Chaos eyeryWhege IN
Society, which has hot quite recovered
its equipose, though the prince has
been gone fortnight; in politics,
where broncho buster in the White
House is making fingers and thumbs
of things SO that no man can foreteH
what next
There is but one thing that at this
moment stands out bold and clear up
on the horizon of the national capital
before the eyes Of all intelligent men.
That is that the Democratic party has
in front of it a great opportunity if it
but knows how to improve it. For the
first time these thirty years it is the
Republicans who are at sea. Their
boat may not have yet sprung leak.
Both compass and rudder may be still
intact, but there are two pilots aboard
and rocks ahead.
In the first place, on the Republic
an side the situation reyolyes about
the succession. It is Teddy and anti
Teddy. Little of this yet appears
about the surface. Both factions are
out in submarine boats. But these
will be loaded with explosives.
."Observe that sleek, smooth shaver
gentleman crossing the rotunda be-
tween the house and senate. His step
Is light, jaunty, even springy. Not
cloud across his brow, not care in
his eyes. You might take him for
prosperous professor, and SO he is,
of the shoals and depths of party man
agement, for that is the chairman Of
the national Republican committee,
| the junior senator from Ohio, Mr.
Hanna-Mr. Mark A. Hanna, and don't
let it escape your memory. What he
doesn't know about ritual and sign
manual is hardly worth knowing.
( Gradually but surely Roosevelt has
been wedding out the distinctiyely Nc
Kinley element from the cabinet. In
the fullness of time they will all go.
He is filling each vacated post with a
practical politician made in the Roose-
welt image-that is to say, with pol
| itician who knows how to work the
! civil service racket for all it is worth.
"Broncho buster though he be, there
is method in his broncho busting.
| Mindful of the fate Of John Tyler and
Andrew johnson, he draws the line
about where Grover Cleveland left it.
That he is a clean, honest man OF
good impulses and the best intentions
| should go without saying. But he is
an inconsiderate man, combat1ve and
aggressive, and while much heartier
and more genial than Mr.. Cleveland
less coldly reserved and selfshly reso-
| lutte. 2razass 4. = ss'so &f1as "a '-s@
There is just one thing for the Dem
| ocrats on the Philippines committee
there are five of them-to do, and that
| is to force the Republic are
eight Of then1--to a showdown. A
subcommittee should be at once sent
! to Manila. 1t could go and come be-
tween now and the middle Of June,
making it's report to the present session
Of congress. If the Republicans refuse
this, let the five Democrats constitute
each and one another a subcommittee
and go themselves. Doubtless General
Chaffee would arrest them on their ar
rival. Bullyv'