Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-19
BITS OF WASHINGTON LIFE.

BITS OF WASHINGTON LIFE.
Selection Of German as Leader Puts
Crepe on the Brynn Door.
Major John NJ. Carson. the dean Of wash
ington correspondents, in a letter to the
Philadelphia Ledger sketches the trend Of
sentiment among the democrats in congress
on Organism as manifested in the election
Of Senator Arthur Pue German as leader Of
the minority in the United States senate.
Mr.. Carson is thoroughly posted on political
events at the national capital, is an ac-
curate and unbiased chronicler OF events
and his statements will prove instructive il
not pleasing to the bourbons Of the west.
He writes as follows:
THE selection of Arthur Pue German,
Immediately upon his return to the senate,
as the democratic leader, has been heralded
as a heavy blow to Bryan and Organism,
and as indicating a change Of feeling on the
part OF the senators Of his party. 1t does
not indicate that. 1t is a matter Of course
manifestation of a sentiment which has long
existed.
Senate democrats are not Bryan men,
and have not been for a long time. Nat
urally, in the interest Of party harmony,
they have refrained from giving public ut
terance to their feelings, and hence it may
have been assumed that they were still
Bryanites. The average democratic sena-
tor wants harmony. and, while he is rad
ically opposed to Bryan, he does not think
it necessary to drive Bryan's friends out
Of the party by saying unpleasant things
about their leader. Yet, when the occasion
II -
leader, the democratic senator does not
hesitate to take action which is highly
disagreeable to the Bryanites.
when the Fifty-seventh congress ad-
journed there was hardly a Bryan man in
the senate-certainly not a single out
spoken Bryan man. 1t remains to be seen
whether among the new senators there are
any who are irretrievably committed to
Organism. One or two of them come to
Washington with the reputation Of being
devoted to the Nebraska man, but II has
been observed that a very short experience
in the senate is all that is needed to trans
form a Bryan man into an opponent of
Organism.
when It lie said that the democrats OF
the enate have not for a long time had
any use for Organism, 1t must be remem-
bered that among these senators are some
who were formerly noted as among the
most rampant defenders OF the Chicago
platform Of 1896, if not OF the Kansas City
platform Of 1900. Senator Bailey was one
Of the strongest defenders OF free silver
a few years ago. Senator Carmack, even
after his election to the senate, was UNDER
stood to be violent on the subject of Bry-
anism. Senator Daniel is the man who
was put forward as the silver candidate for
chairman at the Chicago convention, when
Senator Hill was defeated. Senator Du-
bois came over to the democratic party on
the free silver question, as did senator
Teller. Senator Money claimed the honor
of being the original Bryan boomer.
"a year or more ago Mr.. Bryan came to
Warrington, as had been his custom, to
instruct the party leaders on his views of
public policies. He had often done 1t be-
fore, and had always been listened to with
attention. In 1900 when he paid his regu-
lar visit to Washington the senators OF his
party deserted the chamber and swarmed
out into the marble room, eager to shake
him by the hand and assure him of their
devotion. But in 1902, for the first time,
Mr.. Bryan met with a distinct shock. Some
Of the democratic leaders in the house re-
ceived his instructions as of old, and there
was little, II any, change there. But when
he went over to the senate he met with an
entirely different reception. o..
Democratic senators refused to listen to
him. 1t was not only the men who had
supported him simply for the sake Of regu-
larity, such as Pettus and Clay, who took
this attitude, but even his former stalwar
supporters, such as Dubois and Carmack
Mr.. Bryan went back to Lincoln and never
since then has he held a levee in the
marble room.
almost at tina very time leading sena-
tors were comforting with New York demo
Gratis, with a view to recognizing the
party, dropping Organism and carrying the
state. 1t was in these conferences that the
Parker boom originated, in consequence Of
the impression that Judge Parker would be
the gubernatorial candidate that year
When the congressional campaign was or
Eanized Senator Carmack secured the
selection of James M. Griggs of Georgia as
chairman.
This move was rather a surprise to some
who had watched the steady reputation o.
Bryan by the senators, for Griggs had the
reputation of being a Bryan man. The
selection was made advisedly, we've
GrlRBS conducted the campaign, as lar III
he could, on the tariff and trust issues, anC
showed as strong a desire to get ava!
from the issues which had wrecked thu
party as any senator could have wished
He went even further than Carmack, for h
dropped the Philippine issue as we'll as TIL
silver issue, much to the Tennessee sena
tors surprise and somewhat to his disgust
Bryan was ignored throughout the cam
paign and such speeches as he made wer,
delivered, not at the instance Of the com
mittee, but the the invitation of privat
clubs.
at is not too much to say that for a yea
past there has not been a single out an
out Bryan man in the senate. Even sue.
men as Senator Tillman, while undoubtedl
holding their old opinions. have acquiesce
In the elimination OF Bryan from senator's
, councils, and have made no protest agains
IT. Such men as Bailey, formerly anon
his strongest supporters, have taken tn
lead in his elimination. The determine
, attitude of the senate democrats has in
fected their colleagues in the house to
considerable extent.
"All this is not to say that Bryan's In
, nuence among the people who followe
: hin is in any respect decreased. Senator
. do not always represent the rank and fl