Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1902-12-11

successor to Major Otey of the Lynch
burg (Va) district, had been sworn in,
Mr.. Tayler of Ohio, chairman Of elec-
tion committee No. l, arose and moved
that the Glass credentials be referred
to his committee, which should be en-
powered to sit in Washington or Vir-
ginia, to send for persons and papers,
ETC., the evident intention being to be-
gin congressional investigation and
agitation as to the constitutionality of
Virginia's new constitution. A buzz
went round that at last the great fight
was on, and there was much rushing
about and laying together of heads.
That was on Monday, mark you. On
the next day, Tuesday, Mr.. Tayler
made unanimous report from his
committee to the effect that it was in
expedient to tackle such a huge ques-
tion at the short session! A change
had suddenly come over Br'er Taylers S
dream. He had slept upon his sugges-
tion. 1t did not promise well. What
on Monday seemed holiday perform
ance-the unseating of Democrat
duly elected - on Tuesday was too
huge an undertaking for the short ses-
sion! Wherefore this sudden return
to sanity? The reason is not far to
seek. Certain northern states, notably
Massachusetts,, have placed certain
qualifications on suffrage which would
cut down congressional representation
If the fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments are strictly applied; hence the
halt SO abruptly called in Mr.. Tayler's
programme Much depends on whose
OK is gored-very much indeed. Crum-
packering Is dead for the short session
at least.
As to Presidential Candidates.
The short session Of the Fifty-seyenth
congress opens with considerable talk
as to presidential nominees. The events
of the vacation time appear to have in
fluenced the political fortunes Of many
men. To begin with, when congress
adjourned In July the gossip indicated
that there was a big fight on betwixt
Colonel Roosevelt and Senator Hanna,
with the chances decidedly in favor of
the latter gobbling the greatly coveted
plum of the Republican nomination,
but now President Roosevelt seems to
have things all his own way. 1t is
a ten to one shot at this writing that
he will break all the precedents in
cases where vice presidents have be-
come presidents by reason of the death
of their chiefs and secure the nomina-
tion for himself. OF course everybody
knows that Tyler, Fillmore, Johnson
and Arthur all desired to succeed them.
selves in the White House and failed to
do so, but in their cases their parties
were badly torn by personal factions.
In fact, Tyler never was a Whig. He
was simply a disgruntled Democrat
nominated by the Wings as an expedi-
ency. Johnson never was a Republic
an, but was war Democrat. Fillmore
was at loggerheads with William H.
Seward and Thurlow Weed. Arthur
belonged to the Stalwarts, and Blaine
led the Feather Heads At the pres
ent time the Republican party is singu-
larly free from personal factions. Sc
Colonel Roosevelt has little to fear on
that head. But they are split upon tar
iff and trusts. On that rock his presi-
dental bark may split. If he can steer
clear of that his title seems clear-if
not to mansions in the skies, at least
to presidential nomination. The one
thing that so greatly improved Colonel
Roosevelt's prospects in life was his
conduct touching the coal strike. The
president is a good deal of scholar,
and he no doubt frequently recalls the
splendid lines of Shakespeare:
There is tide in the affairs of men
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to
fortune:
Omitted. the voyage of their lives is
Bound in shadows and in miseries.
On the Democratic side the only man
In the east who appears to have been
benefited by the vacation events is Sen
ator Arthur Pue German Of Maryland,
he of the Greek head and face His
presidential stock has risen percepti-
bly-not as much as Colonel Roosevelt's,
but it has risen. The wiseacres with
one accord consider Ex-Governor and
ex-senator David Bennett Hill out of
the running. His sin appears to be that
he failed to get Mr.. Coler into the CUB
ernatorial mansion at Albany, though
a great many believe that Coler was
fairly elected. If that be true, 1t seems
a little tough on the Sage Of Wolf
ert's Roost to hold him responsible for
ha - Inv ho
Republicans. But success is the stand
ard of merit, and for the time being, at
any rate, Hill is in eclipse. His enc
mics say that he should have nominat-
ed Judge Parker, who, as they allege,
would have been elected hands down.
HilPs enemies assert that the reason
he did not nominate Parker is that he
knew Parker would be elected governor
and feared he would be elected presi-
dent. However that may be, it is plain
as the nose on Lord Napier's face that
German has gained in prestige while
Hill has lost. German always has been
stronger in the south than Hill. The
southerners will never forget-and they
ought not to forget-that the great Ma
rylander saved them from the Lodge
force bill. That was great perform
ance and stamped German as the most
brilliant parliamentary leader of his
generation So the German talk goes
on apace, swelling in volume as it goes.
While Colonel Roosevelt was improv-
angsfiis own presidential chances in the
ma flor of tha cnaI strike ho was nlav-
ing everlasting smash with the presi-
dental prospects of another distin-
guished statesman, Hon. Robert E. Pat
tison of Pennsylvania, twice governor
of the keystone State. If Roosevelt
had not interviewed, Pattison would
have been elected governor for third
time and would have loomed up as a
presidential probability of vast proper
tions, but he carried his pitcher to the
gubernatOrial fountain once too often,
and Senator Quay's cousin, Pennypack-
er, will succeed Governor William a..
Stone at Harrisburg.
Ex-Attorney General and ex-Secre-
tary of State Olney is also growing in
favor. Recent events helped him, but
not so much as they helped Senator
German. After March 4 the Mary
lander will be constantly in the public
eye as leader of the Democrats in the
senate.
There Is a new Richmond in the
presidential field who is likely to prove
a potent figure in the great tourna-