The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-12-13

NeuiOcIaLlC minority except o4lA -
came from that fraction Of the minor
ity that protested. with time purpose
y and stricted limited against the
betrayal of real democratic feeling.
It was pathetic To- see the thin ranks
0f the democrats, and % know that OF
those present a great number would
be eliminated and replacear by repub-
licans on the fourth of next march.
No wonder Congressan Rainey. OF
Illinois. protests vigorously, publicly,
and privately, against the attitude OF
the democratic minority on the rail
road legislation and other legislation
demanded by the people.
Rainey is the only democrat elected
last year in the entire state Of Him
ois-WHICH WAS FORMERLY CON
I TROLLED By THE DEMOCRATS.
He has seen every one Of his fell
low democratic members put out OF
once under the leadership of Mr..
Williams. He realizes, as do the
democrats west of the Missouri
River. WITH ONLY ONE DEMO
GRAFT IN CONGRESS TO SHOW
FOR THAT ENTIRE VAST SEC
TON OF THE COUNTRY, that
something has got 10 be done and
that the democratic party has got TO
have democratic leadership unless
that party is to fade away altogether
and become a mere witty, perhaps
occasionally troublesome, veritorm
appendix hidden away on the inside
of republicanism.
Mr Rainey, like the democrats beat
en- last fall for lack of adequate demo
cratic leadership, comes from sec
ton Of the country where they have
no. race question to make the election
+ OF democrats sure. He and other
/ democrats are looking eagerly for
some kind of leadership adequate to
meet the situation where the race
question is not sufficient to meet all
public demands.
The elimination of democratic in
efficiency has been reached in this
/ railroad legislation.
The democracy of the country win
want 10 know from the democratic
minority and its leader WHY the
/ democratic party has been put in the
Ridiculous. serYile, tagging-On position
assigned to it today.
The explanation that Mr. Williams
viii give when he next appeals to
I the democrats for confidence ought to
F be interesting Mr.. Williams has
MADE himself dictator of the demo
Icratic minority that he leads in the
house. Il is a wonderfully small mi
nOrity. and it has shrunk immensely
under his leadership.
I Mr. Williams recalls to mind the
/ pOverty-stricken Snowman who could
not afford TO hire a real giant, and so
exhibited a little man. calling him
The smallest giant on record. Mr..
/ Williams is leader of the smallest
giant on record, just at present.
There would be no objection to his
/ being a dictator as we.- as leader A
leader cannot be too powerful or
I strong. if he really LEADS, and if he
les1s In the right direction.
But a man that leads like a fright
ened hen in a barnyard. running In
seven different directions in as many
seconds, and getting nowhere, either
needs a guide or very good explana-
ton of his conduct
The democracy is in a mood 10 de-
h mand that the leader shall interest
( himself In the extraordinary smallness
of his minority. rather than in his
1 complete mastery of it, If anything
could hurt the remnant of the uemoc.
racy in congress more than it has
been hurt by its recent leadership it
would be the democratic fasco in con
nection with the railroad legislation,
which reached It's eliminating point
to-day
If Mr. Williams had wanted to be
1 the only spokesman of his party as
we'll as its ruler and had introduced
complete bin In his own name. no
objection could have been raised. and
ne questions could have come up as
10 the peculiar influence of the rail
roads on the democratic party in con
gr6ss.
It cannot be said in Mr. Williams s
defense that the condition of his
health. or any other excuse. made It
7 impossible for him to put before the
house In his own name. had he chosen
( 70 do so an adequate bin
Such bin was at hand, filed nearly
q year ago by ". r. Hearst. rapre-
+ sentative Of the Eleventh District OF
New York.
lnis bin had been prepared care
fully long before any republican-AIr.
\ Roosevelt or any other-had talked
seriously Of railroad regulation by the
people.
This bin was available for use in
any desirable way. AS Mr.. Lamar. of
Florida, declarea on the floor of The
house to-day. this bin met ne cues
tons involved and provided remedies.
The republicans themselves in the
Z Townsend BILL re-wr0te the Hearst
BILL presenting il in somewhat weak
ened form, minus some Of the features
that made the railroads dislike ii he.
cause those features made il really
I effective
The leader Of the democrats might
have done the same, taking the
/ Hearst bin for himseA. giving it his
name and putting 1t before the people
4 complete, or better sui, with ali i'm
4 provements that coull be devised by
the combined wisdom OF the demo
cratic party, in place of the ridicu-
lOus Davey bin, which puts the demo
cratic party in preposterous posi-
tiOn. even after the hasty patching up
that followed the caucus.
The nation has suffered from rail
road eNt0rfiD0 for wears The 1orro.