The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1905-02-02
DEMOCRATIC
PRINCIPLES
Mr. Roosevelt Being Supported by the South
in Many Of His Policies
Tariff Reform.

/
restlve Tor some time over the support
given the President by the Democrats,
and the Southern Democrats in par
ticular; and this tendency seems lat
terly to have completely unnerved and
demoralized them. That the present
condition of affairs should come about
was deemed impossible few months
ago. The South then entertained a
feeling of intense bitterness toward
the President, believing that he was
assalling one of its most cherished
principles. AS for the Democratic
party, it had sustained such an over.
Whelming defeat in the presidential
election that it was expected to take
back seat for the next four years and
to exert very little influence in the
field of politics. It looked as though
the Republicans had complete control
of the country, and could carry
through any measure they desired
The clique of leaders thought SO them
selves, and found the opportunity
ripe for their various partisan meas
ures. Mr.. Crumpacker came to the
front, certain that his reduction of
representation bill would now have
no difficulty in passing. The Penn
sylvania protection delegation re-
nounced all pretense of revising or
changing the tariff, the corporation
Congressman pledged anew their all
egiance to the railroads, and declared
that there would be no anti-railroad
legislation this session: in tine, the
| Republican leaders set to work to ar
range matters to suit their conven-
ience, apparently satisfied that no one
could stand in their way. AS for
the President, concerning whom they
possibly entertained some doubts,
they took the precaution of holding
a conference early in the session, and
announcing to him that there would
be no legislation on the tariff or the
railroads, as he had suggested in his
message wathout consulting them, and
as they have an unquestioned majority
of the Republican caucus, this decision
was supposed to be definite and
final.
But in the last few months there
has been a marked change in the
situation. The differences between
the President and the South bave been
adjusted most satisfactorily Mr..
Roosevelt has spoken friendly spirit
and has shown that he is not hostile
to the South. He did not oonfine
himself merely to words, and his good
offices were we'll seen in the killing
OF the threatening Crumpacker bill.
This danger is no longer to be feared
Under these circumstances, and hav-
ing nothing to fear from the admins
tration on the negro question, it is
not to be wondered at that the South
should entertain new opinion of the
President and should be prepared to
sustain his policy where it is to the
general interest of the country:
But it is not from the South alone
that Mr.. Roosevelt has won words Of
praise and promises OF support for his
reform programme, but from tbs
Democrats generally. The railroad
is not, or rather should not, be a
partisan one; and the Republican
leaders will find it difficult to make
it appear so. The Democrats have
always occupied more popular po-
sition in their attitude towards the
corporations than their opponents.
In advocating, therefore, the better
government control Of railroads, the
President is doing what the Demo
cracy has repeatedly declared for.
Under the circumstances, therefore,
the Democratic Congressman are, in
duty to their party and the country,
bound to support the reform measures
which Mr.. Roosevelt called for in his
message and has since been pressing on
Congress, Mr.. Bryan, in his speech
before the Indiana Legislature and
onEseveral other occasions, has been
outsroken on this point, loud in his
praise of Mr.. Roosevelt and emphatic
on his declaration that every Democrat
should and must support the railroad
legislation proposed. John SHARP
Williams, the Democratic leader in
the House Of Representatives, il
equally explicit on this point, that
the Democratic minority in Congress
must toe mark the foot tracks Of the
President as to railroad rates.
| These are the facts which have
'disgruntled' and dcmoralized the
Republi Leans and have rendered then
nervous and suspicious. They did moi
not expect to see the South and the
Democratic members Of Congress raj
Lying to the support Of the Presiden
land they fear that il will defeat thei