The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-03
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w aEAtUkt1tA ttAtI&AANIitC% 8CNAAs1 " ttst " a growing divergence between the Demo- cratic leaders of the House and the sen- ate, MT. German on the one hand and Mir. Williams on the other. As far as the leadership of these two men has been subjected to tests, the House member ex- hibits the greater strength for the sini- pie reason his policy Is one of ideas rather than schemes. He has resolutely turned his back on dead things and is energeticafiy pushing to the front doc tripes that are at the base of the differ ences between the two great parties. The issue in Ahe campaign of 1904 will not be the money question. There will be vague platitudes in both platforms on the sub- ject and there will doubtless be gather ings. made up of handfuis of men, held here and there in the Middle West. These will demand an overhauling of our cur- rency system looking to the establish ment of greenbackism or free silverism. one and the same thing. These men will disperse. after possibly putting out tick- cts for the presidency. They will not car- " single State and will not have in all probability single vote in the electoral college. There Is no prospect of the money question figuring in the next cam paign and both Democratic leaders it is likely are glad to sec interest in 1t sub side; German because he abhors the agi' tation of recent years and Williams be- cause he sees the hopelessness If not the fooiishness of any further attempt to de- base the currency.
 On the most pressing question, the Isthmian Canal, we have made no secret of our opinion that there is not nation- al issue involved. In our judgment the American people cannot be prevailed on to take a party view of canal route They want the canal dug and that as soon as possible. If Panama affords. in their judgment, the most practicable route they are quite willing to see it constructed there. The House leader would appear to think the same way. He Is willing to have all possible light thrown on the ad- ministrations conduct on the Isthmus prior to the revolution. but he declares he Is unwilling to look too closely into the paternity of the infant placed by that revolution on our doorsteps,. In concedsng we ought to investigate he does not an nounce in advance we must investigate and retreat. He does not prejudge the case. He would be glad to see the coun- Itry come out of the ordeal with honor, but little pitch does not alarm him.
 Mir. German, on the other hand, figuring as purist for the first time in his life, is laboring to defeat the treaty as tainted by fraud and violence. That there was
 fraud can never be shown. The salient
 facts are before the public. Our own
 special correspondence has shown upon what a slight and insignificant base the
 new Republic was founded. Still the Re-
 public of Panama is there and has ten dered us a treaty. If the administration
 should abandon Panama at the demand
 of the Bogota government. or if the trea- ty as rendered should be rejected by the
 Senate, the country In either case would
 be grievously disappointed. Abandonment by the administration now would mean
 disgrace; rejection of the treaty would
 bring on a weltering chaos of events that could not possibly serve the Democracy
 as an organization.
 We believe Mir. Williams has chosen
 wisely in adopting afmoderate course with respect to the canal situation and Mir.
 German is daily learning through the ex-
 pTession of Democratic opinion and par
 ticularly at the South. that mere schemes | to embarrass an opponent with nothing substantive to offer in event he should l succeed is not statesmanship: that he in fact gives ground for the rumors that | he is at heart opposed to any canal. Mir. Williams again is on safer ground 1 than Senator German in urging a reform
 of the tariff. Here at least Is the out
 post of the trusts. Behind the tarifi
 aided by MT. German the trusts have en-
 trenched themselves and against him and
 over his protest they are to be dislodged We confess we see no hope in the lead
 ership of the Senator. We shall have less in that of the Mississippian when we find he Is less determined than he now seems to be. upon a general advance
 against the Republican. system of privi-
 ieges for the few at the expense of the
 many. Something better than Germans s guerilla tactics will be needed next year
 if the Democracy is to succeed. This MT. Williams affers us