Evening star., 1905-05-09
DEMOCRATIC HOPES
Looking to Mistakes of the
Republicans.
LIVINGSTONE'S VIEWS
CONSERVATIVE ELEMENT WILL
DOMINATE THE SENATE.
No Legislation Will Be Enacted for
Tariff Revision or Railroad
Rate Legislation.
LIVINGSTONE'S VIEWS

Democratic politicians are rubbing their
hands in gleeful anticipation of making
some valuable political capital out of the
mistakes of the republicans in the coming
Congress. The record of the next session,
of course, is to furnish the basis for the
congressional campaign of 1906. and the
acts of omission and commission will weigh
The democrats are building particularly
upon the acts of omission of their adver-
saries.
II make bold to predict" said Represen-
tative Livingstone of Georgia one of the
democratic leaders of the House. to Star
reporter, that the public will be 'buncoed
in the next Congress on the two great sub
jects in which the public is most interested
namely, tariff revision and railroad rate
regulation
why do you assume that the republican
party will do that?" he was asked
The republican party at large will not
do It,, replied Mr.. Livingstone. 1T will be
done by the conservative element in the
party which will dominate the Senate and
prevent the rank and file from fulfilling the
will Of the people. That's where we will
score.''
Hopes of the Democrats.
Mr.. Livingstones remarks sum up in a
few words the hopes and indeed, the secret
are closely following the trend of politics
at this time. 1t may be stated at the out
set that the only chance which these demo-
cratic politicians see for their party's fu-
ture welfare lies in the mistakes of their
opponents AS one prominent democrat,
In the course of a conversation a day
two ago with Star man put 1t, Roosevelt
has deprived us of pretty nearly every
vestige of political raiment in which we
might clothe ourselves. Our only hope is
that the conservative element of his own
party will take it from him and We can
pick it up"
This democrat went on to say that he
and his co-workers in the presently barren
democratic vineyard realized that Roosevelt
was in earnest about tariff revision and
that the people believed him; that he was
sincere about railway rate reform and the
people believed that also. But believing
much, they also expected much, and therein
were they likely to be disappointed. with
the inevitable result of turning to the demo-
cratic party for relief.
The success with which the conservative
element in the republican party STAYED off
both tariff and railroad legislation in the
last Congress leads these democrats. II is
SAID, to expect renewed resistance by that
element to the Presidents plan for reform.
and they not only hope the resistance will
be successful, but believe it will be- Every
move at the present time in republican DO
lftfcal and legislative circles thew point
out, Is in the direction of further tighten
"A Conservative Tendency.
All the recent interviews emanating from
Senatorial circles and articles based on
talks with republican Senators, 1t is shown.
have a distinctly conservative tendency.
All the efforts being made, that is efforts
Of an organized character, within the re-
publican party either with respect to tariff
or railway legislation, are in the direction
OF conservatism and not of reform
The high tariff manufacturers are organ
lied and spending literally In a campaign
of education. The railroads are organized
and spending lavishly in the same dIrec-
ton, both efforts entirely legitimate and
above board and eXerted specifically in the
interest of protecting vested property rights
The tendency of organized effort is all one
way and whatever effect it may have on
the public it Is most assuredly serving to
convince the conservative element of the
republican party intrenched In the SEN
ate that it is in fair way to hold the
forts, II II only remains pat.
Ptted against these organized efforts Is
the vast. chaotic and uncertain public
sentiment in favor of tariff reform and
radical railroad rate legsla ton. 1t is an
army without leaders and with no COM
missary department. Its very numbers are
problematical, and the democrats them
selves don't know the extent of the pre-
sumed sentiment. But the democrats know
presence felt and that is through the polls
in the next congressional elections.
Can the People Be Coaxed.
Will the people be disappointed with the
republican fulfillment in the coming Con-
gress and can they be coaxed to trust the
democrats? That is the question the dem
ocratic leaders are cogitating night and
day.
There is one contingency that troubles"
said a democratic politician, "and that is
the possibility that our party may get into
the hands of the radicals and be swung to
the other extreme. Some of US do not
think this country is ready yet for munich
pal ownership and the advanced socialism
of Bryan and Debs. But suppose that
faction swings us?
1.-The inevitable result will be that the
people, disgusted as they might be with
republican conservatism, would still hesi-
tate to place their future in the hands of
the socialists I tell you. these are ticklish