Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-12-21
new LIFE APPARENT
MINORITY RANKS
HOUSE AND SENATE DEMOCRATS
WILL WORK IN DOUBLE HAIR
NESS.

Washington, Dec. 21.--Judging b,
the vigor with which Mr.. Cuiberson
OF Texas, the new Democratic leade
In the senate. has begun his cam
paign. there are going to be som,
lively times I'm congress when IL re
convenes after the Christmas holi
days. As yet there has been it'll.
opportunity for the house minorit,
to make political capital. the hous,
not being organized and ready 70,
business until the speaker has an
nounced his committees. John SharI
Williams. however, is declared Il
have some ''hot ones" up his sleeve
and Democrats are rejoicing over the
prospect OF team work between tho
senate and house minorities.
Efficient cooperation between the
Democrats of the senate and those OF
the house is something that has been
lacking of late years. In fact, the
inefficiency of such cooperation has
been It's chief characteristic for a
long time. Except In isolated cases
there has been no genuine team
work since the senate Democrats,
under the leadership of German,
made protective measure out OF
the bill which the house. under the
leadership OF Wilson. drafted to pro-
vide a tariff for revenue, and which
Grover Cleveland denounced as per
fidy and dishonor."
Now and then measures have come
up which We're so palpably In opposi-
ton to all Democratic tenets that
there was nothing to do but work
together to defeat them. II is not
meant by this that there has all this
time been spirit OF antagonism be-
tween the senate and house Demo-
Gratis. They simply have maintained
their separate organizations, and. for
the most part, gone their separate
ways, without seeming TO recognize
their obligation to the larger organ
ization of the Democratic party. The
result has been that Democrats have
lacked that discipline which Repub-
licans have and which comes OF close
organization. Republican I'm CON
gress who refuses to obey the behest
OF the party organization. unless he
be man of exceptional strength. Is
pretty apt to find himself an outcast:
Democrat. under like circumstances
In the past. has been just as apt to
find himself hero Democrats in
this situation have shown disposi-
ton rather to plume themselves upon
1T. They did not necessarily have to
think or do a thing. they said, just
because a man they had designated
as their leader said they should think
or do that thing. This was very
fine, indeed. and sounded well on
the bustlngs. but year after year the
Republicans have been demonstrate
Ing that discipline and cooperation
are much more productive OF vic
tories than personal opinionativeness
and indiyidualism In attack.
At a critical time in the nations
history many years ago. Make trea.
son odious" became a rallying cry
II is something like this the Demo.
cratic leaders in senate and house
now have tried In mind. They dc
not use SO strong a word as Urea.
SON." and "odium" probably has not
been used to designate the punish
ment. But Il is proposed that tht
man shall become very unpopular
who fails to surrender his owl
opinion on questions of policy TO th'
opinion Of the majority OF the mi
nority. This will be easily accom-
piished, they believe, when It is g,
arranged that Democrats IN the sen
ate will not treat with disdain
program agreed upon by Democrat
in the house. or vice versa.
In short, It is hoped by close co
operation and'the punting Of all fac
tions TO map out a policy in congress
this year that Will be adopted by tn
Denver convention as the policy o
the Democratic party. II practical
1y Is certain that the policy persuet
by the Republicans in congress vii
be adopted at Chicago as the police
OF the Republican party. Demo
cratic politicians are quick to recog
nize the value to the campaign Of
such endorsement Voters would
be told that Republicans knew what
they wanted and knew how to get It
while the Democrats didn't know
what they wanted and wouldn'
know how to get Il II they did have
the first knowledge IN support oil
this charge. voters would be asked
to take into account the inability oil
Democrats to agree when IN the mi
nority. when nothing could have re.
suited from party agreement but
party harmony. What. would be
asked. would happen n the formula.
ton or actual governmental policies
depended on Democratic co-opera.