The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-04-22
REPUBLICANS BUSY
TAKING STOCK
THEIR LEADERS IN CONGRESS
1NVENTORYING ACCUMULATED
CAMPAIGN MATERIAL.

Representative Payne Agrees That
the Party Programme Has Been
Carried Out ms Outlined at the
BEGINNING of the SessiOn-Steered
Clear of Any Legislation Calcu-
lated to EmbnrrRss the Admins
tration-Stood pat" on the Tarin
Question and Confined Their Eff
forts tc General Appropriation
Bills.
BY r, NJ. Larner.
Washington, April 21.-Republican
leaders in Congress are preparing to
take stock of what they have accumu-
lated in the way of campaign material
during the present session. Floor
Leader Payne and some of his associ-
ates, were discussing the subject in
the cloak room a few days ago They
agreed that they had been able to car
ny out the party programme, as orisi-
naly outlined, at the beginning of the
session.
1t will be recalled that they started
out with the declaration to stand pat"
on the tariff question, and conflne their
efforts to the general appropriation bills,
and such other incidental legislation
as might be necessary to keep up the
appearance of being busy. 1t was de-
cided that il would be good politics
TO steer clear of any legislation which
might embarrass the administration.
Wide Latitude in Debate.
The widest latitude has been allowed
in general debate on appropriation
bills, and when the demands of the
talkative representatives were urgent
hearings before committees. on meas
ures blacklsted so far as this session
is concerned. were permitted BY this
means the Congressional Record has
more than maintained its usual pro-
portions and ambitious statesmen have
been able to spread their views before
their constituents in the good old con-
gressional way.
In the meantime the Republican
commanders in the House and Senate
have kept up a continuous drillery in
the art of party tactics and discipline.
1t has been so fragrant and so admira-
bly, executed as excite the envy Of
their Democratic opponents, and fire.
quently extract reluctant commenda-
Senator German, who have so many
times felt the need of united and
thoroughly disciplined support on the
minority side of the House and Sen
ate.
Object Lessons In Organization.
These frequent object lessons in DO
litical organization and rigid party
discipline has not failed to make a
good impression upon the practical
members of the minority. They realize,
however, that a minority is practi-
cally at the mercy of a majority OPP
Grating under the present rules OF the
House Uncle Joe" Cannon is popular.
good-natured and obliging to a GER
tam degree, but he is a bitter partisan
when an occasion arises requiring
high-handed methods to accomplish a
political end.
Time and time again during the
present session the Republicans in the
House have given remarkable evil
dences of their blind loyalty to party
dictation. Among the notable instances
was the postotiice scandal. Gen. Gros-
Venor, that old political warrior, stood
IN his place and arraigned the admin
lstration of the Postoffice Department
In scathing terms. He was cheered
TO the echo by a majority of his Re-
publican associates.
II w TIN BNFtY.
Later on the command was given
from Republican headquarters that the
postoffice investigation would hurt the
party, and accordingly. Gen. Grosve-
nor. William Alden Smith and other
prominent Republicans who declared
that they had been outraged by the
Bristow report. finally subsidized, swal-
lowed their indignation and submits
sively lined up with their party to the
establishment of the country, and the
dismay of the Democratic minority, un-
used to such devotion to party disci-
pine. The same programme was car
RED out in dealing with the question
OF service pensions, and in the state
hood bill contest.
AS Gen. GrosVenor remarked recent
ly IF we have not accomplished
much in the way of general legislation
this session. the Republican party has
considerable practice in party disei-
pline.''