Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-10-28
DO NOT WANT TO WIN
Democratic Leaders Are But Pre-
serving Organization.
WHATS THE USE" The CRY RAISED
Control of the House Would Only Be
a Burden to the Democrats and the
Party Leaders So Recognize the
Situation.
[BY HAROLD j. MAHIN.l

[BY HAROLD j. MAHIN.l
Washington, L.. c., October "a
There is no longer any doubt that the
democrat leaders of the country do
not want to see their party win the
victory at the polls this fall. This
theory was advanced at the beginning
of the campaign but was of course
| strenuously denied. The assembling
of certain events and circumstances of
! the past few weeks show, however,
that the voters of the country are sim
ply being played with by democracy
| TINS year with the hope of holding
them in line for victories planned for
the future. Careful observers of poll
tics here in Washington do not hest
tate to say that the democratic lead
ers do not want to see democratic
majority in the house elected at the
polls this fall and do not intend to al
low such a thing to occur if careful
manipulations can prevent it. The
very fact that Grover Cleveland, only
| a few days ago. came out with state
ment saying that such an idea was
wrong shows that the party managers
are quietly working along this line
| Mr. Cleveland is not one of the man.
ayers. this year. He is not chummy
with the men who are guiding the
democratic ship. but with his political
experience he has been able to see
| what is in the air
Voters Being Jollied Along.
| 1t is needless to say that this plan
on the part of the democratic leaders
| is being jealousy guarded from the
public. An important part of the plan
| is that the people must be jollied
| along until 1904, when the extreme
effort of the democracy will be put
forth to elect a president. Conse
quently the democratic voter and the
great variable vote in being treated
| to grand declarations at intervals
about what the democratic party is
gazing to do this fall. but the opera
lions seem to stop there The re-
publican campaign is already we'll
under way. Republican speakers have
been sent out and are now in all parts
of the United States telling the peo-
pie in a straight forward manner just
what the republican party has to offer
them. The democratic campaign was
much talked of month ago but it has
failed to materialize. Where are the
democratic spellbinders? The demo-
cratic party has men among it's
number who could do telling work on
the stump, but they are not showing
themselves. Not long ago the demo-
cratic congressional committee gave
out hint that they could not get
speakers to give their time and at
tention to the campaign. This state
ment can be translated at choice to
mean that the orators in the party
really will not come out because they
know there is no real fight on or that
the committee give this reason instead
of the real one which in their absolute
decision not to send out enough speak
ers or do enough work to be in any
possible danger of bringing about the
victory that they do not want.
What's the Use.
whats the use" is the secret demo-
cratic slogan of the campaign. In fact
the fight does seem to be a useless
and hopeless one. To the democrats
the control of the house would only
be burden. They could do nothing
| whatever with it and it would give OPP
portunities for much fault finding and
criticism from the enemies of democ--
racy. At the very beginning of the
campaign this question was discussed.
AS shrewd and successful party
manager as Mr.. German was reported
as of the opinion that his party really
did not need the next house in it's bust
ness. Just last week Senator Morgan
of Alabama delivered himself of the
same opinion at the very time that he
was discussing Mr.. Cleveland's words.
Thus the little party workers and the
voters of the democracy, who are now
neglecting their business and wearing
themselves out in the effort to pile up
democratic votes next month-these
men are simply the tools of the pow
ers that be. The leaders are only
laughing in their sleeves at this work.
1t will count for nothing. In some To-,
calities votes may be made for the
democratic candidates, but they will
be lost in the general defeat simply
because the conscientious work of the
little fellows is not being augmented
by the efforts of the big men in the
party.
| A SenseIess Struggle.
| Though the democratic party man.
ayers are to be censured for so de-
ceiving the rank and file, yet they can
not be particularly blamed for giving
up the hopeless fight. If every dollar
that could be raised was spent and ev-
cry man in the party that could make
a speech was put on the stump and
| through such strenuous efforts dem
ocratic majority obtained in the next
house, it would be worse than useless
to the party. The senate and the ad-
| ;cfr ion would still ,,a..,,l
lican and the democratic house could
do nothing with their power. Ev--
erything they tried to do would fail
miserably and the party would be
blamed. There are going to be sew
eral of the most perplexing questions
that have faced the United States for
years up for the next congress to set,
tie. All these questions must origi-
nate in the house. The democratic
party has failed to prove itself party
able to handle big matters when thew