The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-01-15
OUT OF BUSINESS
Are the Democratic Leaders in the
Congress of the United
States Now.
Mr.. RICHARDSON WANTS TO RETIRE
No Pilot Can Successfully Steer The Will
full NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. to the Cuban
Reciprocity Treaty Dying Out. Hob
sons Ambition Blocked.


It is reported that Representative
James D. Richardson, Of Tennessee,
the Democratic leader in the House,
may resign from Congress, to which
he was elected last fall for the tenth
term, and devote his time to the du-
ties of his office as, TO quote from his
biography in the Congressional di-
Tectory, Grand commander of the
Supreme council, Thirty third degree
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite
of Free Masonry (mother council of
the wOrid)'
1t is stated that this Office carries
with it a salary of $4,000 a year and
an official residence in Washington.
There are some people unkind enough
to intimate that this action on Mr..
Richardson's part is somewhat influ-
enced by the fact that the Democrats
OF the House are tired of his alleged
leadership and are preparing to de.
pose him when the Fifty-eighth Con
gress assemblies next December. Mr..
De Almond, of Missouri, did haze an
idea of trying for the minority nomi-
nation for the Speakership, which
carries with it the leadership on the
floor, but he thought better Of it and
the Missouri delegation is now boom
ing the vociferous Champ Clark, of
that State, for the honor, Repre-
sentative John S. Williams, of Missis-
sippi, has a strong following and is
by all odds, the best man named for
the place. Representative O. w. Tn
derwOOd, of Ala bama, the Democratic
Whip would like the position of
leader and has been Quitting in" for
some time without regard for Mr..
RichardsC MS titular distinction. The
truth is that Mr.. Richardson, like his
predecesssr, Mr.. Bailey, of Texas.
now in the Senate has been failure
as leader. Mr.. Bailey gave up the
place before his elevation to the Sen
ate, sore at his inability to command
the united support of his followers,
and Mr.. Richardson has never had
that su port.
The Fifty third Congress, which eX-
pired on March 4th, 1885, was the last
in which the House has had any real
effective leadership. Then Charles
f. Crisp, of Georgia, was Speaker and
was assisted by lieutenants like VIM.
l.. Wilson, of West Virginia; Clifton
K. Breckenridge, of Arkansas; w. G.
p. Breckinridge,o of Kentucky; B0urke
Cochran, of New York, aud other
men of ability and influence. VIM.
j. Bryan was also a member, but was
q talker and not a leader. Even with
this array of talent, the unwieldv
Democratic majority houndered
around like Il stranded whale, the Re
publican minority, under the match
less leadership of the late Thomas Is.
Reed, warting it at every turn al
most, and finally compelling it to ac-
cept the counting of Il quorum rule
before the Wilson tariff h5ll could be
brought mp for considera ion. Most
of these leaders dropped out in 1894,
either Geing defeated, like Mr.. Wilson
and others or being afraid to run,
like hr, Bryan and NJ. Cochran.
Under the leadership of Mr.. Bailey
and Mr.. Richardson, The Democrats
have simply had no erecting spirit.
They have either done nothing or
blundered, and failed when they at
tempted t" do anything All this
cannot be airly blamed upon the
gentlemen Who have been so unfor-
tunate az I, be charged with the lead
ership. The minol ty has been at all
times hopelessly dscordant upon
everything except the desire to get
the Republic MS cut of power. Since
1S76-since the passage of the Wilson
bill III 1894, il fact-there have been
perhaps "j7 varieties of Democrats
in Congress, AID to bring them to
sensible, United action upon any
question is practically an impossible
ity, and one accentuated by the fact
that the leader selected has lacked al.
most every qualification for so i'm
portant and delicate task.
The opposition 10 the ratification
of the reciprocity treaty with Cuba
appears to have about petered ont.
The beet sugar people came here to
fight it, but seems to have abandoned
the job. The whole matter of recp-
rocity with Cuba was most thorough
ly threshed over last session, when
the beet sugar representatives pre-
vented action, but the elections last
fall showed eonclusivelv that the Re-