Sunday Washington globe., 1902-06-01
Mr.. Norris and Democracy.

It is a serious. disadvantage, from the
prestige point Of view, that the Hon. vii
liam Holmead has practically retired from
the leadership of the District Democracy.
Handicapped as the Democrats Of this Dis
trict are by the deprivation of the elective
franchise in having either influence or
standing in the conventions OF councils Of
the party they will be for the future, or
until some leader is chosen with the quail
fcatious Of Holmead, without ruddeT or
compass to direct or TO guide them in any
participation of either the glory or the
spoils of political warfare. Under present
conditions with patent attorney Of nervous
disuetude gyrating around like an eRcieHfe
volcano ready at any moment to-be de-
ivered of an explosion of hot air, impreg-
mated with Munchausen remnants of fairy
tales, as a self constituted leader, we can
hardly blame the many selfrespeeting
Democrats who have given up in disgust all
interes, in local political affairs as they af-
feet the Democracy. They are naturally
sensitive at uucovering in the open before
the gaze Of conventions or councils Of the
party with a garrulous and overloaded gas
eous receptacle whose faucet is continu-
ously dripping and leaking nauseous and
oily decoctions with which he regales as
leader, the few: Democrats whose copper
lined stomachs have held out to the present
writing.
OF course we refer to the gentleman
whose initials are - the Hon. James l..
Norris He is at present the legitimate and
duly credited treasurer Of the Democratic
Congressional Committee the only recog-
nized political position he holds. He is the
pnrecOgnized member Of the national COM
mittee and the District leader Of himself
and a bakers dozen Of Democrats who
must have a leader of some kind or
"oustr'
Mr.. Norris personally is a very estimable
gentleman and successful patent attorney,
for the announcement of which we make
no charge, as the memory OF man runneth
not 10 the time when the Hon. James L.
Norris ever contributed nickel TO a Demo
cratic newspaper OF to a Democratic CONF
mittee for that matter, minus the contribu-
tOns Of others which be carefully tabulates
collects and disposes Of for the good Of the
party and incidentally for the glory Of him
self Hence there would be little if any
common sense in billing such a man as Mr..
Norris for service Of this kind
But Mr.. Norris as a political-a Demo-
cTatic-leader is as much of a burlesque as
Sir Joseph Porter k c. B. is of a British
admiral Indeed Mr.. Norris strongly re.
calls Little ButterCup" in that delightful
comic opera. We do not mean in physical
appearance alone, but in the charming un-
consciousness Of the ridiculosity with
which he endeavors to enact the role Of
political leader
Friends have endeavored to restrain our
pen in the matter Of Democratic editorials
and 1t has been pointed out to us that no
newspaper can live in Washington which
streuuOusly advocates Democracy. We
have protested that il is necessary to SOW
the seed and keep up the spirit aud the
principles of the party that its adherents in
the Nations Capital might hold up their
heads and wag their tails, like the Republi-
can readers OF the Star do every week day
Besides we expressed confidence in the
generosity Of the prominent Democrats Of
the District TO sustain the GLOBE-for we
had listened to the Hon. James L. Norris
e1patiate on his large expenditures in be.
half Of the partY-and we felt confident
that we could draw sight draft on him at
any time to keep up the good work!
And thus we beguiled ourselves out of
thousands of readers who paid their good
nickels on Sundays for the GLOBE. In our
efforts TO connect with Mr.. Norris bank
account that imitation of hot air" began,
which destroyed our inside" and made our
outside too tame for all but Y. NJ. c. A. or
District Democrats to read after church ser
vice on Sunday mornings. Up to date this
great leader Of the District has contributed
ten thousand feet Of natural gas per hour
and FIVE cents on Sundays towards the sup
port Of the only Democratic newspaper in
Washington. He says he buys the GLOBE
on Sunday. We take his word for it and
the ~ cents which we net in the deal!
Hurrah for Norris