The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-12-16

aggressive minority that sat this week
in the congress of the United States.
Smarting yet from November's chasten-
ing rod, the democrats of senate and
house are not disposed to be obstreper
Gus. The triumphant majority will
meet with little obstruction in any pro-
gram of legislative action it may, either
in wisdom or rnwisdom see fit to adopt.
"Give them rope, boys; give them
rope" advised John Sharp Williams,
the minority leader in the house; ''the
people have commanded us to give them
rope. If the elephant hangs itself it
will not be the donkey's funeral"
Thus, in language, peculiarly William
esque, the democratic position is declar-
ed. Flushed with victory the republic
ans claim to have the right to have un-
disputed sway in the shaping of ma
tional legislation, and there is no seri-
Gus democratic disposition to dispute
the claim. The democrats recognize, of
course, that the minority party in con-
gress still owe sa duty to the country,
no matter how badly defeated it may
have been. And in the discharge of this
duty, they will protest against any leg
islation they believe to be iniquitious,
but there will be no attempt for the
present to force democratic doctrines
upon the congress or upon the country.
If the republicans attempt to revise
the tariff in the direction of lower
schedules, they are assured of democrat
ic cooperation. If the disciples of
"stand pattism" prevail in the councils
of the majority party, the democrats
will have no word to say "The peo-
ple," said Leader Williams, shave hcens-
ed the republican party to stand pat;"
if harm and suffering come of it, upon
the people the consequences will be in
flicted. There's nothing we can do. We
have been thrust like foolish prophets
forth, and our mouths are stopped with
DUST"
When congress convened on Monday,
a good many stout hearted democrats
put dependency and gloom from out
their hearts and crossed the halls of
both senate and house to congra tulate
their victorious adversaries. A larger
number still from the majority sides
crossed to the sides of the minor
tiles to commiserate with democratic
statemen whose political fortunes had
been swept away by the avalanche. The
knowledge that some warm personal
friend had been the victim of his par
tvs triumph tempered the rejoicing of
more than one republican. The flowers
that grow over the wall of party no.
where bloom so fragrantly as in the
senate and house of representatives. 1t
is the exception, not the rule, when
partisanship interferes with the associa-
ton of good fellows.
When John Sharp Williams and "Joe"
Cannon met, it was sight worth going
miles to see. These stout partisans of
opposing political faith are the warmest
of personal friends. They swap stories,
smoke together and play poker together.
And if each has fondness for hosting
the other on the petard of his wit, there
never is malice in their jousting.
swell, 'Joe,' you beat us in the
draw" said Williams, as he slapped the
speaker on the back.
"Draw the DEVIL" said ''Uncle Joe,"
feigned look of supreme disgust spread
ing over his homely countenance, "we
had four aces pat. 1t was like taking
candy from child to clean you fellows
up. That wasn't no game for four
fiushers to sit in"
ooh, crow away" Williams returned;
''but | see you stand-patters are al
ready getting cold feet. You wouldn't
admit two months ago that those little
'revisionists' had even pair of deuces
to draw to, and already they have you
fellows looking hard at your hands and
wondering if you stand any chance of
bluffing them out of the pot You
don't play your hand now like you had
four aces in it."
The chief thing democrats in congress
would like to know is what action the
republicans propose to take in the mat
ter of reducing southern representation.
The recent speeches of John Sharp
Williams and Senator Bacon have
brought the matter to the 'front.' and on
the democratic side it is the chief sub
ject of discussion.
The program mapped out by Mr.. Will
liams, in which he advised that if con-
gross attempted to reduce representa-
tion from those states which have dis
franchised the negro, southern congress
men elect should refuse to qualify or
take their seats, is pretty generally
commended. 1t is recognized that this
is about the only weapon with which
the south could fight.
More than one republican has been
heard to express himself in favor of
Senator Bacon's suggestion that con-
oress take the preliminary stems for the