Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-04-17
THE PASSING OF JONES.
Sioux City Journal. }

Senator James K. Jones, of Arkan-
sas, is to be retired from the United
States senate in favor of former Gov
ernor James P. Clark. The contest for
the senatorial nomination was fought
to finish in the democratic primaries
and Senator Jones, though slow to ac-
knowledge defeat, is the loser There
is little doubt that Senator Jones' de-
feat in his senatorial ambitions will be
followed by his retirement from his
present position as chairman of the
democratic national committee Proba-
bly, the latter result would have come
in any event, but the outcome of the
Arkansas primaries makes it a practi-
cal certainty.
There are numerous explanations for
the reputation of Jones by the Arkan-
sas democracy. Those who are inter.
ested in the reorganization of the DEM
ocratic party are glad to accept it as
reputation of Organism. Chairman
Jones was the business manager of
the Bryan forces during two losing
presidential campaigns. He was the
organizer of the impossible triple ALI
ance, which endeavored to weld demo-
Gratis, populists and free silver repub-
licans into harmonious party organi-
cation. The overwhelming defeat in
1896 discredited the plan, but the DOM
ination of the democratic party by
Bryan in 1900 gave Jones as we'll an
other lease of power. Whether or not
the democracy of Arkansas, in refusing
to retain Jones as its senatorial repre-
sentative, meant to drive nail in the
political coffin of Bryan, there will be
general acceptance of the claim that
this has been the practical effect.
But there were other influences
which had important effect in the de-
feat of Senator Jones. Perhaps the
most effective of these was the obvi
ously hypocriticaI attitude of the AT.
kansas senator upon the trust question.
While the democracy was steadily pur-
suing campaign of opposition to
trusts in 1900 Senator Jones was draw
ing large dividends from a fat trust
which had been making itself particu-
larly obnoy nus in democratic terrific.
ry. Chairman tones connection with
the Ground trust" made a joke
and a bywor+ of &c democracy's anti
trust PEE ions in that campaign.
The fact was made one of the most
prominent issues in the senatorial pri-
marles, and undoubtedly did much to
weaken Jones strength among his for
mer supporters.
Perhaps the strongest personal influ-
ence contributing to Senator Jones' de-
feat was the opposition of Gov. Jeffer-
son Davis. Formerly warm friend
of Jones, Gov. Davis was moved to
come out into open opposition by rea-
son of the senator's share in the de-
feat of stringent antitrust law con-
sidered at the last session of the Ar
kansas legislature. The senator was
consistent enough in covertly oppos-
ing a measure which might interfere
with his own business, but the COVER
nor could not forgive him for drag
ging the party into the same attitude
of insincerity on the trust question
which personal interest forced Sena-
tor Jones to assume.
While there were sufficient grounds
of public and party policy to account
for what happened to Jones, personal
tiles also had share in bringing
about the result. The senator's war
record, of which much had been made
in his behalf, was attacked. 1t was
shown that Jones' service in the con-
fadaratn army WOO of n,al-- hriaf dura.